Legendary musician Stevie Wonder was reportedly excited and curious about smart glasses being made by a tech company that helps the blind live more independently. The musician sampled the eyewear while at the 2022 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference in March.
CEO Karthik Mahadevan of the Dutch company Envision created the glasses and an app that translates images into words for the blind. The glasses have a built-in camera with audio that photographs an object and describes the image for the wearer.
The eyewear can help a blind person determine whether they have a $5 dollar bill or $20 dollar bill or help them to read a prescription bottle. The glasses can also help the blind by scanning a room to help them locate an object they are looking for.
According to Envision, Wonder is now able to read labels at the grocery store and find his own keys with the glasses. The “My Cherie Amour” singer learned about the Envision glasses while attending the trade show in Los Angeles, according to Envision’s CMO, Vanessa Vigar.
“He stopped by our stand, after which we gave him a tour of our app,” said Vigar. “He stayed for an hour and a half and wanted to know everything. We also gave him the smart glasses. He has promised that we can call him soon about his experiences. We are very curious.”
The company shared a picture on Twitter of the Grammy-winning recording artist sampling the glasses during the trade show.
“It was incredible to demonstrate Envision Glasses to the legendary @StevieWonder. He was curious and enthusiastic about their possibilities. We are excited about what wonderful things he will create with them. #PerceivePossiblity #CSUNATC22 #EnvisionGlasses #LetsEnvision.”
Wonder was honored with the Icon Award from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund at the 34th National Equal Justice Awards Dinner in New York City on May 10.
The “Ebony and Ivory” singer will be recognized for “his steadfast work throughout his illustrious career, spanning over half a century, which embodies LDF’s values and demonstrates his commitment to confronting the barriers that face Black Americans and other marginalized communities.”
