Wearables are commonly used by users to make things more convenient for them. But, these devices have a huge potential to help people with medical problems. One such example is the Relúm?no Glasses by Samsung. This is a smart visual aid that is going to be seen at the CES in Las Vegas next week.
Samsung already unveiled the Relúmino app last February. But, the app required a Gear VR headset along with the phone. Now, the concept has its own hardware and is more comfortable and provides a more streamlined experience. The phone, however, still needs to be used along with it.
It is a known fact that 86 % of people with visual impairments are not completely blind. This number goes up to 217 million worldwide. Samsung engineers took that fact into account and built something that could use the power of a smartphone to create a lightweight, simple to use, and inexpensive visual aid.
The Relúm?no Glasses have four modes that can be controlled by the app. All of the modes use image processing software to enhance vision. Regular mode reduces blurriness and makes the outlines of shapes more visually prominent. Color Invert mode is used for reading text as it enhances contrast.
For people with central or peripheral vision loss, partial vision mode fills in the blind spots with image remapping. Finally, Display Color Filter mode works a lot like sunglasses and reduces the glare of certain colors while improving vision in the process. The Gear VR app was able to switch between the modes automatically based on movement of the head. It is unsure whether this feature extends to the Relúm?no Glasses as well.
The glasses will ensure ease of usability. Walking around with a Gear VR headset is way too conspicuous and these glasses will allow the users to use it more freely and comfortably. These glasses are still in the prototype stage, but we will see a few trials in the days to come.
Here is the video from Samsung about the Relúm?no glasses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmal7zgwlMU