Schlagwort: Smart Glasses

Diskussionen, Projekte

Assistive Glasses as Inclusive AI Wearables

The master’s thesis „Inclusive AI for Wearables: Assistive Glasses as a Case Study“ by Myriam Rellstab, a student at the FHNW School of Business, has reached an important milestone. In the summer of 2026, she completed her comprehensive thesis proposal under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel. The proposal already provides some interesting preliminary findings. Consumer-oriented smart glasses and assistive systems are increasingly based on the same technological foundations, including computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, contextual awareness, and real-time information processing. Nevertheless, research and development still tend to treat mainstream and assistive smart glasses as separate categories. This suggests an important opportunity for Inclusive AI: future smart glasses could be conceived as shared technological platforms serving people with and without disabilities rather than as separate mainstream and assistive products. A central question emerging from the proposal concerns the appropriate design strategy. Rellstab distinguishes between universal, specialized, and modular approaches. Universal solutions promise a coherent and inclusive experience but may not adequately address highly specific needs. Specialized solutions can provide targeted support but risk maintaining the separation between mainstream and assistive technologies. Modular systems could offer a middle ground by combining a common platform with components and functions that can be adapted to individual requirements, although this comes with greater complexity. The next stages of the thesis will combine a structured literature review and comparative analysis of existing smart-glasses systems with qualitative interviews involving blind, low-vision, and Deaf or hard-of-hearing users. The ultimate goal is to derive design requirements and develop a conceptual framework for future inclusive AI-supported smart glasses.

Fig.: Assistive glasses as inclusive AI wearables

Definitionen, Diskussionen

Assistive Glasses as a Case Study

The master’s thesis „Inclusive AI for Wearables: Assistive Glasses as a Case Study“, written by Myriam Rellstab at the FHNW School of Business, examines the concept and design potential of AI-supported assistive glasses as an inclusive form of wearable technology. The project is supervised by Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel, whose research focuses on Inclusive AI and Inclusive Robotics, with additional input from Steve Weidel, a blind accessibility consultant. The research begins with a proposal phase in April 2026, followed by the main thesis work starting in summer or autumn 2026 and concluding in December 2026. The study investigates how AI-supported glasses could assist people with visual and hearing impairments by enhancing perception and accessibility, while also offering value for users without impairments. In this way, the work positions assistive glasses not as a purely medical device, but as an inclusive technology with broader relevance. Possible functions include real-time object recognition, speech-to-text transcription, environmental awareness, and contextual information overlays. A particular focus is placed on multimodal large language models, which enable the integration of visual, auditory, and textual data, as well as on vibration-based feedback systems that support non-visual and non-auditory interaction. Using assistive glasses as a case study, the thesis analyzes technological possibilities, user needs, and design considerations for inclusive AI wearables. It may include a conceptual system design, an exploration of use cases, and an evaluation of accessibility, usability, and ethical aspects. The aim is to develop a conceptual framework or prototype approach that demonstrates how inclusive AI wearables can be designed to benefit diverse user groups.

Fig.: Two women wearing futuristic glasses