The Remarkable Evolution of the Describe Scene Feature on The Envision Glasses

January 4, 2024
A man with a cheerful smile, identified as Karthik Mahadevan, CEO and co-founder at Envision, is wearing Envision glasses. In the background, there is a 'Describe Scene Evolution' graph on a whiteboard. The image has a decorative border with a pattern of black dots on a pink background, indicative of Envision's branding.

At Envision, we believe in the power of incremental innovation. It's the small steps that lead to significant changes, and our journey with the 'Describe Scene' feature in Envision Glasses is a perfect example. We look back at its evolution since 2020 in light of our latest advancement: the integration of the interactive 'Ask Envision' feature, paving the way for a more conversational future in 2024. 

Timeline of Innovation

In a Youtube video, Karthik Mahadevan, co-founder and CEO at Envision, walks through this incredible evolution of the Describe Scene across the years. Starting in 2020, the 'Describe Scene' feature was a pioneering step in assistive technology, offering straightforward, one-line descriptions like identifying a whiteboard on a wall. This initial version laid the foundation for what was to come.

As we moved into 2021, the focus was on refining the feature, making it faster and more optimized. Despite the challenges of that year such as the pandemic, we made meaningful progress, enhancing the user experience for people who are blind or have low vision.

2022 was a milestone year. An updated open-source AI model brought richer, more detailed descriptions, allowing users to perceive their surroundings more comprehensively. The feature could now describe a living room scene with multiple elements, like a whiteboard, a potted plant, and a bookshelf, all in one detailed sentence.

The real game-changer came in 2023, with descriptions becoming richer and more context-aware, mirroring human-like perception. The feature now not only identifies objects but also their relationship between them, adding depth and meaning to the visual information provided. But what truly sets apart the latest version is its interactivity with the integration of our ChatGPT-like assistant 'Ask Envision'. Users can now engage in a dialogue with their Envision Glasses, asking specific questions about their environment.

Looking forward

Interactive elements such as 'Ask Envision' marks a significant leap towards our goal of a more conversational and intuitive future in assistive technology. As we celebrate these incremental innovations, we invite you to join us in looking forward to what 2024 will bring. 

Watch the video to witness Karthik demonstrate the upgrades of the 'Describe Scene' feature across the years.

Your continuous support and feedback inspire us to keep innovating, making every step count towards a more inclusive and connected world. Here's to the small steps that lead to big changes!