Vision: Impossible

Technology has always played a vital role in improving accessibility for people with visual impairments. From screen readers to Braille displays, digital tools help break down barriers to education, work, and everyday life.  Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved and become a great new tool. Either in the form of wearables such as the Meta RayBan Glasses or Ally Solos or in the form of apps such as Gemini and Seeing AI. These tools do not act as a replacement for existing assistive tech, but as something that builds upon the fundamentals of what already exists. For many people with a visual impairment, AI isn’t a futuristic hype. It’s a practicality that provides the support, independence, and inclusion that they need now. Turning Visual Information into Accessible Information One of AI’s biggest strengths is its ability to interpret visual information and turn it into something that is accessible. AI-powered tools give people access to information that otherwise ...

  Braille is a code composed of raised dots, a tactile reading and writing system that enables blind and visually impaired people to access written information through touch. It is so much more than just an alphabet, braille is a gateway to independence, education, and full participation in society.   History of Braille Braille was invented in the early 19th century by Louis Braille, a Frenchman who lost his sight following an accident in his father’s workshop as a child. While studying at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, Louis was introduced to a raised-dot system originally designed for soldiers to read messages in the dark. Finding it too complex, he adapted and simplified the idea. By age 15, he had developed the six-dot system that we use today. Each braille character is made up of a cell containing up to six raised dots arranged in two columns of three. Different combinations represent letters, numbers, punctuation, and even musical notation. Althoug...