An upcoming wearable device for the legally blind could help them navigate public and outdoor spaces independently, acting as 'glasses' that guide them through their surroundings.
The .Lumen glasses are really a headset, similar to one you might wear for VR and AR experiences. It uses sensors and AI in a tech stack that works a lot like you'd find in a self-driving car.
Unlike those headsets, this one doesn't project any visuals, but instead delivers precise haptic feedback to the wearer's forehead in the form of subtle vibrations, along with audio from beamforming speakers, to discreetly guide them in the right direction, and away from obstacles.
The device can help navigate you to a specific destination, tell you about nearby objects, and serve as a guide as you walk through public areas. For that last feature, the AI-powered system computes sensor readings over 100 times a second to understand where you're walking and what's in front of you, preventing collisions. It also uses an AI model that understands road segmentation to identify crosswalks and guide you through traffic.
You can use your voice to request guidance to specific places, including preset locations like 'home' or 'work;' .Lumen says it's also working to support more intuitive usage where it'll also understand commands like “take me to my office,” and get you all the way up to your desk inside the right building. Similarly, if you ask about a Starbucks around you, it'll guide you right up to the counter where you can place your order.
Six cameras, two infrared laser projectors for operating after dark, three inertial measurement units (which include accelerometers and gyroscopes), as well as GPS systems work in tandem to detect ground-level and overhead obstacles, going beyond the reach of a white cane commonly used by blind people. .Lumen notes the glasses can also identify stairs, doors, bus stops, and even puddles and snow that may be slippery.
The device is conspicuous, with its sizeable forehead-mounted sensor and camera array in the front, and a large battery pack at the rear. That gets you up to two hours of use on a single charge. The entire package weighs 2.2 lb (1 kg), which is similar to a half-faced motorcycle helmet.
The company was founded by Romanian inventor Cornel Amariei in 2020, who grew up among family members with disabilities and wanted to leverage rapidly advancing technologies to help make the world more accessible. It's raised millions of dollars in funding and grants, secured CE certification for health and safety standards which will allow it to be marketed across Europe, and is said to have racked up 1,500 pre-orders in just 10 days back in October.
The .Lumen wearable replaces the capabilities of a guide dog, which is perhaps the best possible option for blind people to find their way around. But that can entail lengthy waiting periods and requires you to take on the sizeable responsibility of caring for one over several years.
After five years in the making, it's gearing up for prime time. .Lumen will make its glasses available for live demos at the upcoming CES trade show in Los Angeles in January 2026, at which point more people will be able to give it a try.
The company says it's already had more than 400 blind users across 40+ countries test the glasses in real-world urban and rural environments. It'll subsequently take it on a demo tour to dozens of cities across Romania, and aims to bring it to market in the country at the beginning of 2026.
.Lumen is accepting reservations for the headset, which is priced at €9,999, or just under US$11,800. It might be a while before it's okayed for sale stateside; the company will first focus on expanding its availability across Europe. If the device can deliver on its promise, it'll provide a new dimension of personal freedom to people around the world living with blindness.
Check out the .Lumen glasses on the company's site.
Source: .Lumen
