ABUJA, Nigeria — Inventor Zuby Onwuta, originally from Onitsha, Anambra State in Nigeria has recently invented a new wearable technology that will change the lives of the visually impaired. This new technology, ThinkAndZoom, has also helped the inventor himself who was declared legally blind in 1998.
Wearable technology comes in many forms, including devices like Google Glass, Smart Watches, Virtual Reality headsets and Tracking Peripherals. ThinkAndZoom now operates on Google Glass but is also able to operate on any Android Operating System devices.
Onwuta was discharged from the U.S. military due to his visual impairment. However, Onwuta realized that there are many individuals that do not have the gift of sight and many individuals who have been declared legally blind like him.
Onwuta was on a mission to make sight possible for the visually impaired because he had also faced many challenges. Onwuta had to give up his dream of working in the medical field and settled for computer engineering. This profession became more and more difficult as he continued to lose his sight.
After leaving his job at IBM for medical reasons, Onwuta came up with the idea for ThinkAndZoom. This technology offers handsfree visual magnification for individuals who suffer from visual impairment.
When using this technology, an individual must focus on what they are looking at, and the app tells the camera on a Google Glass styled device to zoom in. By being able to operate on any device with an Android Operating System, the app has the potential to work on just about any device.
Although ThinkAndZoom was designed with the visually impaired in mind, Onwuta hopes that the app will help more individuals. This app could essentially replace glasses, corrective lenses and corrective eye surgeries.
Onwuta gives the example of a college student sitting in the back of a lecture hall. Because of his or her distance, the student cannot see the lecture notes clearly. By using the ThinkAndZoom, the student is able to see the lecture notes and keep his or her hands free to take notes.
Onwuta has recently announced that ThinkAndZoom will be available on iOS devices, reaching more individuals than before.
For the developing world, this is a huge stride in improving the eyesight of individuals. In the place of expensive glasses, corrective lenses and corrective eye surgeries, individuals will only have to purchase an Android or iOS device.
The good news for many individuals is that they already own a device the app can operate on. And the app is free.
Although Onwuta may have set out to help legally blind individuals, he has also taken steps to help the visually impaired save money on the necessary corrective eyewear. By incorporating the technology into the most popular devices, ThinkAndZoom will change the power of sight for many individuals.
– Kerri Szulak
Sources: IT News Africa, ThinkandZoom
Photo: Flickr