Ally Solos: AI-Powered Smart Glasses Revolutionize Accessibility for Visually Impaired Users

These smart glasses use AI to help low-vision users

Accessibility-focused tech provider Envision has partnered with eyewear company Solos to launch new smart glasses specifically designed for blind and low-vision users. Envision says the camera-equipped Ally Solos Glasses can read and translate text, describe surroundings, search the web, and recognize people, objects, and signs, feeding information to the user via open-ear speakers built into the ear stems. The Ally Solos Glasses are available to pre-order today for $399, which Envision says is a "special launch pricing" that's discounted from $699. The frames come in two sizes -- regular or large -- and a choice of black, gray, and brown color options. Shipping for pre-orders is expected sometime in October 2025. They're built on the existing AirGo Vision glasses that Solos launched in December, which provide their own vision recognition features via OpenAI's GPT-4o AI model. Envision's version replaces GPT-4o with Envision's "Ally" AI assistant, which is powered by a combination of foundation AI models, including Meta's Llama, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Perplexity, according to the Ally website. The AI features work by connecting to the Ally iOS or Android app via Bluetooth. The glasses themselves have a strong IP67 rating for protection from dust and water, and USB-C chargeable ear stems that provide "up to 16 hours of active use" on a single charge, according to the pre-order listing. It takes around 90 minutes to fully charge the ear stems, with 15 minutes of fast-charging providing around three hours of battery life. Accessibility features are already an established benefit on other smart glasses. Envision has previously released assistive eyewear built on the now-defunct Google Glass hardware, for example, and AI vision interpretation features provided by the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have already been embraced by the low-vision community. It's unclear how the Ally Solos Glasses' capabilities will compare to more affordable rivals, given $699 is considerably pricier than the $299 AirGo Vision and Ray-Ban Meta.

Solos is equipping its smart glasses with an AI for the blind and low-vision community

Solos is teaming up with Envision, a company that for the blind and low-vision community, to add an AI called Ally to its AirGo smart glasses platform. This chatbot was designed for those with vision issues. The companies say this integration creates a "first-of-its-kind, hands-free, voice-activated wearable." Solos says the specs can perform a number of tasks that should make life easier for the low-vision community, including recognizing and reading text in real time, describing scenes, recognizing faces and more. Just by speaking, users can ask the glasses to scan documents or photos for context, answer questions, check calendars and converse naturally about just about anything. The companies say that Ally remembers context across conversations. Solos says that the innovative nature of the glasses should make them useful for lots of folks, low-vision or not. This includes the elderly, people with cognitive disabilities and "anyone overwhelmed by modern devices but curious about what AI can do." The Ally-equipped AirGo glasses support prescription lenses, which is great, and include a directional speaker system. These smart glasses also include a modular component, as users can swap out different frame fronts to change up the look. Preorders are open right now, with shipments beginning in October. Prices start at $399. All purchases come with a free trial for , which adds more customization and functionality to the AI.

Amazing smartglasses help the blind navigate the world with AI assistance

I wore XR glasses for 24 hours and broke my reality. Here's what I saw Solos, makers of modular, open-platform smartglasses, has announced an interesting partnership with Envision, creators of an AI assistant focused on accessibility. The result is the Ally Solos Glasses, which takes what's usually considered a lifestyle device and shifts it towards improving the lives of those who are blind or have low vision. An audio-visual assistant Ally, the name of Envision's AI assistant, utilizes the camera on the smart glasses, and provides a wide range of helpful vision enhancements, including the ability to read anything you show it back to you, describe scenes and objects, scan and read books and letters, and translate signs, labels, and instructions. Through the built-in speaker, Ally will help people better navigate through the day, and because it's connected to the internet, it can answer questions, check the weather, and get information online for you. Envision's CEO and co-founder Karthik Mahadevan said: We're excited to partner with Solos to bring Ally to a smart glasses platform that's truly built for real life. With Ally on the AirGo platform, we're not just adding features, we're creating a seamless, hands-free experience that understands what you need and responds naturally. Whether it's reading a sign, describing a scene, or simply recognizing what's in front of you, Ally is there, quietly, reliably, and on your terms. This partnership with Solos brings together cutting-edge AI and inclusive design to help people who are blind or have low vision move through the world with more confidence, comfort, and independence. Established smartglasses platform Solos has been producing smart glasses for a while, and its AirGo platform is intriguing due to its modularity. The front piece can be separated from the arms, allowing you to try new styles, and make use of specific features. For example, the Ally Solos Glasses have a camera, but it would be possible to swap this out with a front section without a camera, should it be appropriate. The AirGo smartglasses weigh around 50 grams, are IP67 dust and water resistant, have an approximate 10-to-15 hour battery life on a single charge, and work with both Android and iOS. They are controlled with your voice and swipe gestures on the arm. The RTOS software is controlled by an app on your phone, which also includes access to a variety of other services and AI-based tools. The Ally Solos Glasses are based on the Solos AirGo V platform, and come in either black, Dark Crystal Grey, or Shiny Clear Brown colors. There's an early bird deal running for launch, with the glasses priced at $399 instead of the usual retail price of $699, and this includes a year's subscription to Ally Pro. After a year, Ally Pro is expected to cost $200 for a further year's use. According to Envision's website, the free version of Ally caps its conversations at 10 minutes, while the subscription version has unlimited minutes, and will provide access to more features as they're launched over time. The Ally Solos Glasses are available to pre-order now, and are expected to ship in October.

Ally Solos: AI Smart Glasses for Visually Impaired Users That Read & Describe

Meet Ally Solos by Envision - AI Smart Glasses that Read Menus, Guide Navigation, and Describe Surroundings: A Game-Changer in Accessibility AI smart glasses are like a breath of fresh air for people who are blind or have low vision. The new Ally Solos glasses by Envision are designed to help visually impaired users read, navigate, and understand their surroundings without needing constant help from others. Ally Solos is equipped with a camera that captures text and scenes in the user's surroundings. The built-in AI can read menus, street signs, documents, and even handwritten notes out loud. This feature helps individuals to check a restaurant menu, bus schedule, or documents independently, without needing assistance. However, Ally Solos offers more than just reading capabilities.