People who are deaf or have hearing loss regularly run into situations where it's impossible to follow along with conversations. XRAI Glass has developed a seamless solution: its software turns spoken words into text. By wearing smart glasses, users can see that text overlaid onto their surroundings, creating subtitles for real-life interactions.
Since the text is displayed directly within a person's field of vision, the experience feels natural. Users don't need to strain to read lips and can maintain eye contact with those around them or look in another direction without worrying they might miss something. The software identifies different speakers and color-codes what they say. Everything runs on a user's smartphone to safeguard privacy, with all data stored on the device instead of a cloud.
XRAI is currently running a pilot in the UK. To register, users need to own a pair of Nreal Air glasses, sold for GBP 399.99. Though a premium version is in the works, the startup promises always to offer a free version of its software.
