Smart glasses to help blind artist run a marathon
"Technology is a game changer for the sight loss community"
- Published
A blind artist is taking on a world-first challenge to run a marathon guided by volunteers using artificial intelligence tech.
Clarke Reynolds, is a Braille artist known as Mr Dot, who has set himself the challenge of running the Brighton Marathon on 12 April.
To do this, Clarke will be wearing special AI smart glasses connected to an app called Be My Eyes which allows volunteers from all over the world to support visually impaired people with daily tasks, like finding things around their house, or choosing an item they want whilst shopping.
It works by using a live video call so the volunteers can see what the person is seeing.
Clarke says he is aiming to be the first person to use the technology to run the 26.2-mile long race.
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Mr Dot has been training hard for the marathon
"When I got these glasses and the app, I was thinking: what could I do to push the boundaries of what this technology could do for the blind community?
"And I thought, you know what, let's run a marathon again with complete strangers in my ear holes," he said.
"By doing these things and saying I'm not amazing, I'm not a superhero. I'm just like you, just, I found a workaround so that I could do a marathon, and it's just a new way of living my life."
Braille is a system of raised dots which enable a blind person or someone with a visual impairment to read and write by using their fingers to feel the shape of the dots, which tells them what the words are
As part of his training for the marathon, he has had more than 100 helpers from around the world, including a woman from Virginia, in the US, a Scottish woman on holiday in Thailand and a retired naval officer in Canada.
"I have actual volunteers who look through the glasses... as if they've got my bird's eye view," he said.
They support him by pointing out objects that might get in his way, like bins or parked cars, as well as having "amazing conversations".
Smart glasses like these have a small camera in them which can allow people to stream live video
Clarke has a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa and says his vision is a bit like looking underwater, seeing shadows and shapes.
He hopes his marathon run will help to change people's views of sight loss and blind people.
"I always say, I love being blind. I can't change it. You know, I love who I am. I'm not disabled, I'm blind.
"I want to inspire the next generation of visually impaired children growing up that they've got a world that they can thrive in, it doesn't matter if they can't see it, they're part of the fabric of society," he added.