Published
Oct 2, 2024
Updated
Oct 2, 2024

SeeSay: AI Glasses Give Sight to the Visually Impaired

SeeSay: An Assistive Device for the Visually Impaired Using Retrieval Augmented Generation
By
Melody Yu

Summary

Imagine a world where the visually impaired can navigate unfamiliar environments with confidence, effortlessly locate misplaced items, and even "read" handwritten notes. This is the promise of SeeSay, a groundbreaking assistive device powered by the latest advancements in AI and large language models (LLMs). SeeSay is more than just a smart cane; it's a revolutionary approach to enhancing the lives of visually impaired individuals by providing real-time audio guidance about their surroundings. Unlike traditional assistive tools, SeeSay combines a Bluetooth-enabled camera, worn on any pair of glasses, with the power of LLMs to process visual and auditory information, offering users a richer understanding of their environment. This innovative system can describe scenes, guide users through complex settings, locate misplaced items, and even decipher printed and handwritten text. SeeSay's potential goes beyond simple assistance. By leveraging a technique called Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), the device can access and process past visual observations, providing users with valuable contextual information and aiding in memory recall. For example, the system can remind a user where they last left their phone by referencing previously stored images. The core innovation lies in SeeSay's ability to combine real-time information from its camera with a rich database of past visual data. When a user asks a question, the system intelligently retrieves relevant information from both sources, providing a more comprehensive and accurate response. While early tests reveal impressive results in tasks like scene description and object recognition, more complex challenges such as indoor and street navigation require further refinement. The current prototype relies on a combination of local processing on a Raspberry Pi and cloud-based services for more computationally intensive tasks. Future iterations aim to enhance local processing power, potentially eliminating the reliance on cloud services for improved privacy and responsiveness. SeeSay stands as a testament to the power of AI to transform lives. By combining cutting-edge research with user-centered design, SeeSay has the potential to empower visually impaired individuals with greater independence, enriching their experiences and helping them navigate the world with newfound confidence. This technology is more than just innovation; it's a glimpse into a future where AI empowers everyone to live more fulfilling lives.
🍰 Interesting in building your own agents?
PromptLayer provides the tools to manage and monitor prompts with your whole team. Get started for free.

Question & Answers

How does SeeSay's Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) system work to process and combine real-time and stored visual information?
SeeSay's RAG system functions as a dual-input processing framework that combines live camera feed with historical visual data. The system works by first capturing real-time visual information through the Bluetooth-enabled camera mounted on glasses. This data is then processed alongside previously stored images and descriptions from a database using RAG technology. When a user makes a query, the system retrieves relevant historical data points and combines them with current visual input to generate comprehensive responses. For example, if a user asks about the location of their keys, the system can reference both the current camera feed and stored images of where the keys were last seen, providing more accurate and contextual guidance.
What are the main benefits of AI-powered assistive devices for visually impaired individuals?
AI-powered assistive devices offer transformative benefits for visually impaired individuals by providing real-time environmental awareness and enhanced independence. These tools can describe surroundings, identify objects, read text, and provide navigation assistance, effectively serving as a digital set of eyes. The technology helps users perform daily tasks more confidently, from finding personal items to navigating unfamiliar spaces. Beyond practical assistance, these devices can improve social interaction and workplace participation, leading to greater inclusion and quality of life. The continuous advancement of AI technology means these tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible.
How is artificial intelligence changing the landscape of accessibility technology?
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing accessibility technology by creating more intuitive, personalized, and capable assistive solutions. AI-powered tools can now understand context, learn from user behavior, and provide real-time assistance in ways that weren't possible before. The technology enables features like natural language processing for more natural interaction, computer vision for environmental understanding, and adaptive learning systems that improve over time. This evolution is making accessibility tools more effective and less obtrusive, helping people with disabilities participate more fully in society. The integration of AI in accessibility tech is creating more inclusive environments in education, workplace, and daily life settings.

PromptLayer Features

  1. Workflow Management
  2. SeeSay's multi-step visual processing and RAG pipeline requires careful orchestration of prompts for scene description, object recognition, and historical context retrieval
Implementation Details
Create versioned prompt templates for scene analysis, object detection, and context retrieval, implement RAG testing framework, establish monitoring for each pipeline stage
Key Benefits
• Reproducible visual processing workflows • Standardized prompt templates across different vision tasks • Trackable version history for prompt improvements
Potential Improvements
• Add specialized templates for navigation scenarios • Implement automated regression testing • Create domain-specific prompt libraries
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
30% faster deployment of prompt updates across pipeline stages
Cost Savings
Reduced development time through reusable templates
Quality Improvement
Consistent output quality across different visual processing tasks
  1. Testing & Evaluation
  2. SeeSay requires extensive testing of scene description accuracy and RAG retrieval effectiveness across various real-world scenarios
Implementation Details
Set up batch testing environments for different visual scenarios, implement A/B testing for prompt variations, create scoring metrics for description accuracy
Key Benefits
• Systematic evaluation of scene description quality • Comparative analysis of prompt performance • Early detection of accuracy degradation
Potential Improvements
• Add specialized metrics for navigation accuracy • Implement user feedback integration • Develop automated test case generation
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
40% faster identification of prompt performance issues
Cost Savings
Reduced need for manual testing and validation
Quality Improvement
Higher accuracy in scene descriptions and object recognition

The first platform built for prompt engineering