Useful Tech
Ray‑Ban Meta Smart Glasses with Meta AI – Glasses that See and Read for You
Instructor: Doug Poirier
What they do: AI-enabled smart glasses that describe surroundings, read signs and menus, capture media, translate, and respond to voice commands.
Where to buy:
Meta Store
Ray-Ban Canada
Notes:
Requires Meta View app and a Meta account (via email, Facebook, or Instagram).
Envision Ally App – App that Describes What You See
Instructor: Windy
What they do: Real-time OCR app that reads text, identifies scenes and objects, and connects with remote assistants.
Download from:
Ally/Envision Website
Notes:
Available on iOS, Android, and desktop. Easy setup – just download and go!
NaviLens Labelling System – Colourful Smart Labels That Speak
Instructor: Doug Poirier
What they do: Scannable QR-style labels that speak names, ideal for organizing household or travel items.
Download NaviLens app here:
NaviLens website
Notes:
Request free label codes via the app. For best performance, print labels in colour.
ChatGPT Pro – AI Assistant for Writing, Summarizing, and More
What they do: Versatile AI assistant that can describe images, summarize articles, compose documents, and plan tasks.
Use it here:
chat.openai.com
Note:
Voice access available via 1-800-242-8478(WHATSAPP) in Canada/US (Pro version required).
Seeing AI – App That Speaks What It Sees
What they do: iOS-only app for reading text, describing scenes, identifying products, recognizing people and currency.
Download from:
Apple App Store (Canada)
Kapsys SmartVision 3 – Smartphone with Tactile Keypad and Voice Access
Instructor: Doug Poirier
What they do: Smartphone with physical buttons, touchscreen, TalkBack and voice command integration.
Where to buy:
Kapsys Official Site
Special Needs Computers (Canada)
Amazon Fire HD 8 – Accessible Tablet for Reading and Entertainment
What they do: Affordable Android-based tablet with VoiceView screen reader.
Where to buy:
Amazon Canada
Hable Easy & Hable One – Braille Keyboards for Smartphones
Instructor: Doug Poirier
What they do: Compact, wireless Braille input devices for typing and navigation on smartphones.
Where to buy:
Hable Easy
Hable One
OrCam MyEye – Glasses That Read Text and Recognize Faces
What they do: Clips onto regular glasses to provide instant audio feedback of text, people, products and more.
More info:
OrCam Website
Brailliant Braille Display – Refreshable Braille for Reading and Typing
What they do: Bluetooth-connected Braille display for reading and input on smartphones or computers.
More info:
HumanWare Brailliant
JAWS Screen Reader – Picture Smart Feature
What they do: JAWS is a screen reader that provides access to computers for people who are blind or have low vision. The Picture Smart feature uses AI to generate descriptions of images, charts, screenshots, and other visual content.
More info: