Globally recognised, Argentinian soccer player, Lionel Messi, has just been announced as the new ambassador of ‘OrCam Technologies’. Messi will help by leading the evident demand to improve accessibility through OrCam’s breakthrough AI technologies, for people who are either, blind or visually impaired.
The Israel-based company is launching this collaborative partnership with the football legend to increase and spread immediate awareness of the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired community, from around the world. As a part of the global project OrCam will be making arrangements for meetings with dozens of visually impaired people from around the world with the soccer star in order to make dreams come true… ‘The opportunity to get to know the soccer icon in a face-to-face meeting, as well as receiving, from Messi, the revolutionary technological solution the OrCam MyEye. This assistive device will majorly increase the independence of those that are blind or visually impaired.
Each and every year, Messi will be gifting the ‘OrCam MyEye’ to people who are either blind or visually impaired with incredibly inspiring stories, some of whom he will personally meet over in Barcelona. These incredible individuals will each become members of the “OrCam Dream Team,” that will be led by the one and only Lionel Messi.
The soccer star says, “Witnessing each of the members of the ‘Dream Team’ trying out the OrCam MyEye features, it was clear that this would be a life-changing device for each of them. I am proud to be an OrCam Ambassador to truly make a difference for so many.”
The very first of these meetings has already taken place, happening just before the coronavirus pandemic shook up the world. The meeting was particularly striking for Messi, as he commented saying, “The emotion was incredible. Meeting with this amazing group of people from around the world was truly a magical and inspiring moment. Witnessing each of the members of the ‘Dream Team’ trying out the OrCam MyEye features, it was clear that this would be a life-changing device for each of them. I am proud to be an OrCam Ambassador to truly make a difference for so many.”
“The device offers independence, providing users with critical support to better integrate into society, especially within employment and educational settings… We are convinced that this collaboration with Messi – a soccer star who is the embodiment of maximum potential, and admired worldwide – will help us reach millions of people in need.”
Within our world approximately 300 million people suffer from blindness or varying degrees of visual impairment. The ‘OrCam MyEye’, is dramatically helping in creating great change in the quality of life for many of these people. The participants in this project are each from different countries around the world ,and are blind or have visual impairment. The meeting with the soccer star, and the gifting of the OrCam device will come as a complete surprise to them during the first meet and greet event.
“This is a particularly exciting point in time for me and for OrCam… The story of OrCam’s founding is, first and foremost, a story of people – people who struggle with real problems and challenges in their lives. Our goal is to use sophisticated AI technology that helps people with disabilities in real time, in the real world,” said Professor Amnon Shashua, the co-founder and co-CEO of OrCam.
So you may be wondering what exactly is the OrCam Eye… This breakthrough wearable assistive tech device is wireless, lightweight and compacted into the size of a finger. The artificial vision device has the ability to discreetly read both, printed and digital text, from any surface out loud, and in real time, to the device wearer. Reading the newspaper, books, computer screens, menus, labels, and street signs has never been so easy!
The device also features an incredible capability to “smart read“, this interactive quality allows the user to take the breakthrough OrCam MyEye platform to an even higher level of accessibility, enabling its users to customise the reading experience. This will allow users to access the information they want from a text by using voice commands. The new Orientation feature will also help to make the user aware of their physical surroundings, including doorways, hallways, chairs, walls, tables and more.
The device works by magnetically being mounted on the wearer’s glasses frames, only weighing 22.5 grams, OrCam MyEye has been carefully designed by the leading minds in the Computer Vision and Machine Learning fields to be both, intuitive and easy to use for people with visual impairments. The device is the only wearable artificial vision technology that is activated by an intuitive pointing gesture or by following the wearer’s gaze… This allows for hands-free use without the need of a smartphone or Wi- Fi.
The OrCam MyEye, is a device guaranteed to change the world, and help make life a little easier for the blind or visually impaired. The soccer star, Lionel Messi, is passionate in promoting the excellence of this artificial vision technology as he wants to help change lives and make such a difference for so many, with the help of this device. The OrCam MyEye is available in 25 languages and in 50 countries. For more visit: https://www.orcam.com/en/
