Glasses using artificial intelligence support everyday needs such as reading text in multiple languages, recognizing currency, identifying objects or obstacles. | Photo credit: special arrangement
Assistive glasses with artificial intelligence designed to support mobility and daily life for people with total visual impairment were launched on Thursday by a start-up at the city’s eye hospital.
Developed by SHG Technologies with clinical validation by Narayan Nethralaya, Smart Vision Glasses Ultra are a stylish fashion-forward assistive device that is modern and easy to use. With artificial intelligence, it supports everyday needs such as reading text in multiple languages, recognizing currency, identifying objects or obstacles, recognizing faces and navigating around. It brings effective help in a form that looks and feels like regular glasses.
Anand Vinekar, head of pediatric retina and program director of KIDROP (Karnataka Internet Assisted Diagnosis for Retinopathy of Prematurity) at Narayana Nethralaya, demonstrated the AI assistive glasses at a press conference and said that while medical or surgical procedures can benefit many, an estimated 5 to 7 million individuals in India live with irreversible visual impairment.
BENGALURU KARNATAKA 22/01/2026 : Image for Afshan Yasmeen’s Glass Story on Artificial Intelligence. Smart Vision Glasses Ultra (SVG Ultra) | Photo credit: TH
“Loss of sight should not mean the end of independence for them. The Buds to Blossoms clinic at our hospital has spent the last decade building a multidisciplinary model of care for children and adults with complex vision and neurological needs. Along this journey of providing comprehensive care under one roof, through collaboration with like-minded organizations, there have been several innovations and technological advances that have extended care beyond the clinic and into everyday life,” he said.
Dr. Pointing out that one such collaboration was with SHG Technologies, Vinekar said that this partnership led to the development of Smart Vision Glasses Ultra. The focus is on improving mobility and daily life for people with total visual impairment, he said.
User experience
During the event, Ramamurthy, a user of the device, demonstrated how he navigates the lobby, reads news articles, identifies currency denominations and recognizes unfamiliar and familiar faces using the AI-powered Smart Vision features.
Seetharam Muthangi, CEO and co-founder of SHG Technologies, said one of the biggest challenges for visually impaired people is the social stigma of using a visible medical device. “They just want to look like everyone else. This understanding led us to design Smart Vision glasses to look like regular glasses, taking their evolution from a wired, bulky device to a sleek, wireless, fashion-forward form,” he said.
Published – 22 Jan 2026 21:53 IST
