Seeing AI

What is Seeing AI?

Seeing AI is a visual narration app for people who are visually impaired. It processes camera input in real time using image recognition and computer vision, then describes what it sees through speech synthesis. Features include object recognition, face detection, text reading via Optical Character Recognition (OCR), augmented reality, barcode scanning, and whole-scene analysis.

Who created Seeing AI?

Microsoft created Seeing AI with input from the blind and low vision community. It remains an ongoing research project, with Microsoft aiming to improve accessibility and quality of life for visually impaired individuals through AI technologies.

What is Seeing AI used for?

• Recognizing faces and remembering information about people it identifies
• Reading printed text aloud using OCR
• Detecting objects and products with image recognition
• Scanning barcodes to surface relevant product information
• Analyzing entire scenes and providing real-time audio descriptions
• Assisting with daily tasks, including applications in healthcare settings

Who is Seeing AI for?

• Individuals with visual impairments
• Healthcare professionals and specialists in visual impairment
• Assistive technology specialists
• Tech professionals focused on accessibility

Key Takeaways

Seeing AI turns a smartphone camera into a real-time visual assistant. By combining OCR, facial recognition, barcode scanning, and scene analysis with speech output, it helps blind and low vision users read text, identify people and products, and understand their environment independently.