ABC Illawarra

Topic: People With Disability

Wednesday, 15 July 2026, 7:01 am

Sam Taylor shows his AI glasses at Vision Australia in Brisbane.

In short:

AI smart glasses help blind or low-vision users identify objects and read labels.

The smart glasses are a cheaper alternative to traditional assistive eyewear.

What's next?

Researchers warn that smart glasses can be used for secret surveillance.

Sam Taylor uses his glasses to read labels without using his phone.

He says, 'Look and read.'

The glasses tell him what he is holding and read the use-by date.

Sam checks his mail and separates junk mail with ease.

Sam Taylor says the glasses allow users to do many things.

AI-powered glasses are very helpful for blind and low-vision people.

Sam Noonan has been blind since birth.

She bought the glasses after a demonstration at a Vision Australia Expo.

She uses her glasses to record and upload her music online.

The glasses give Sam Noonan more independence.

A tool for independence

The glasses were not designed for people with disabilities, but they help.

The glasses cost less than traditional assistive eyewear.

The glasses can play music, read documents, and call friends.

Sam Noonan uses the glasses to organize her clothes by color.

The glasses' biggest advantage is how naturally people can use them.

Many people are using the glasses.

The glasses work with an app that lets users call sighted volunteers.

The volunteers can see through the lenses and help with tasks.

Sam Taylor uses the app to travel independently.

Privacy concerns grow

As more people use smart glasses, there are more privacy risks.

Milica Stilinovic is a researcher at the University of Sydney.

She says the glasses can be used to secretly film people.

The camera on the glasses is small and not easily seen.

People may not know they are being filmed until the video is online.

The glasses have a light that turns on when recording, but people can find ways around this.

Barbara McDonald says it is hard to prosecute privacy breaches.

Using smart glasses to record a private conversation is against the law.

If you post private footage online, you may break more laws.

Last year, a new law was introduced to protect people's privacy.

But it is still hard to prosecute people who break this law.

The courts should be able to make orders for compensation.

ABC Illawarra has local news.

Wednesday, 15 July 2026, 7:01 am

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