Kurt Deichmann, founder and CEO of First Aid for the Blind, is a big fan of Ray-Ban sunglasses. This year, he’s upgraded his eyewear to include advanced tech!
“I have always loved my Ray-Ban Wayfarer style sunglasses,” said Kurt. “Jake and Ellwood made them famous in the Blue Brothers movie. Jack Nicholson always wears them. I had a pair for over 30 years.”
In February, Kurt was at a conference when his beloved glasses feel and broke. He was devastated.
While shopping for a replacement pair, Kurt learned that Ray-Ban and Meta came together to make the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. They cost $299 and are available at LensCrafters or online at the Ray-Ban website. In looks, there are a few options, including the cool Wayfarer design. Inside, they contain amazing technological features that are hugely beneficial for blind and visually impaired people.
Kurt was excited to give these glasses a try and report back to FAFTB followers who are interested in all the best assistive devices. Here’s his feedback:
You can make and receive phone calls with just your voice. The quality of the sound is great because the glasses have five microphones on them. The calls are made hands-free.
You can play music or podcasts through the speakers built into the frames. They don’t block your ears, the way earbuds do, so they are safer for blind people who rely on their ears for navigation. You can start and stop the sound by tapping once on the right side of the frames. You can adjust the volume by swiping a finger along the side of the frames.
There is a camera that allows you to take photos and one-minute videos. You can send photos to anyone via text by just using your voice.
You can both send and receive texts with just your voice. The incoming texts are read aloud by the Meta voice.
The on-board Meta AI person can do many things, just like Siri or Alexa, and can answer many general questions. One special feature that is useful as a blind individual is that you can ask the glasses to “look” and then let the glasses tell you what they see. The answers are not as descriptive as the Be My AI tool, but this system will likely get better over time.
Overall, Kurt loves the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and recommends them to many people working with FAFTB. They aren’t cheap, but they also aren’t as cost-prohibitive as some other devices. These glasses have been useful and simple in his everyday life!
“It’s amazing to see all the advancements in technology and how helpful they can be to the disabled and differently-abled community,” said Kurt. “Finding tools like this feels a little bit like finding a treasure! Of course, improvements and progress can always be made, but I’m very impressed by the abilities I’ve noticed in the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.”
To learn more about these glasses, visit Ray-Ban’s website: https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/electronics/RW4006ray-ban%20%7C%20meta%20wayfarer-black/8056597988377.
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