Tunisia – Researchers develop smart glasses help blind identify surrounding objects

Location: Tunis, Tunisia

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:03:33

Voice: Natural

Source: A24 Tunis

Restriction: A24 subscribers

Date: 05/10/2022

Storyline:

Tunisian University students have innovated smart glasses equipped with a small camera that helps the blind recognize their surroundings, through voice messages that provide detailed data on nearby physical objects to facilitate the movement of the visually impaired.

The engineer and university professor, Abdul Razzaq Hashani, told A24 that the smart glasses were programmed using the same algorithms as cell phones to process information and images, and then send signals to the headphones about the surroundings. Hashani added that the Ministry of Social Affairs commended their project and expressed interest in the prototype they developed.

Students explained that their innovation consists of three components, a bracelet, a white stick, and glasses equipped with a camera, all connected to each other. With these glasses, they said, blind people can know exactly what is going on around them. The development of smart glasses has been well received by Tunisians, with many visually impaired people and their families contacting researchers to see if they can be obtained.

Shot list:

Soundbite (Abdul Razzaq Hachani – researcher and university professor):

“Blind people will receive audio information that will enable them to make the right decision at the right time. Our idea was to make a device with headphones.”

Soundbite (Siren El-Huni – fourth-year engineering student):

“Our project consists of three components; a bracelet in hand, a white stick, and glasses. All of which are connected to each other. Blind people usually wear glasses without knowing what is happening around them. We decided to equip the glasses with a camera so that they would know exactly what is going on.”

Soundbite (Siren El-Huni – fourth-year engineering student):

“The glasses consist of a camera that processes images and the surroundings and sends an audio signal to the headphones.”

Soundbite (Yassin Bou Harb – university student):

“Glasses identify things, but we aspire to develop them to be able to read people’s faces and conditions and recognize people’s psychological state. For example, whether they are happy or not, will attack them or help them. The glasses will enable the blind to know the condition of people and not just say there is someone in front of you.”

Soundbite (Abdul Razzaq Hachani – researcher and university professor):

“We visited the Minister of Social Affairs and he encouraged us and commended the project. Let me say that there is great interest from the authorities in the project and the first product we made with the development of the prototype.”