We recently had the chance to catch up with one of our customers, Meretha, at the Oklahoma NFB Annual Convention in Tulsa. About a month ago, she purchased a pair of Envision Glasses from us and was eager to share with Vince how much they’ve already impacted her life for the better. We thought she’d be the perfect person to speak with in more detail – to share a real-life perspective on how the glasses are being used day to day, and what others can learn from her experience.
Immediate Impact & Noteworthy Features
When asked what she’s been using the Envision Glasses for, Meretha listed quite a few things: reading books, recipes, mail, and receipts; identifying money; translating text in multiple languages; using the Describe Scene feature to navigate new spaces; and checking daily news headlines.
Scan Text
Reading is one of her biggest use cases. She now comfortably reads menus, mail, receipts, recipes – and even uses the glasses to translate reading material in at least four different languages so far. Meretha also shared that she uses the glasses to verify the accuracy of receipts.
“I don’t know how it started, but I’ll get advertisements in Spanish. And instead of trying to figure out where to go to get it to translate, I’m just like, oh, well, I could just use my glasses.”
Recognize Cash
Before using the glasses, she relied on her husband or phone apps for tasks like identifying money. She used to mark different denominations with tactile markers to tell them apart. Now, she simply holds a bill in front of the glasses and instantly gets the information she needs — independently and confidently.
Describe Scene
At the NFB State Convention, she used the Describe Scene feature to understand the room layout and navigate the hotel lobby. When asked whether that feature was easy to use in a busy environment, she confirmed that it was – especially when paired with her WeWalk cane.
Battery Life
Meretha also noted the glasses’ reliable battery life. She charges them each night and reported getting a full 12 hours of use, enough to carry her through the entire day without issue.
Looking Ahead
This fall, Meretha will be starting college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where she’ll be studying accounting at the Spears School of Business. She’s looking forward to having the Envision Glasses as a tool to support her in a brand-new environment, both for navigating campus and completing her classwork.
She also shared her growing involvement with the National Federation of the Blind. Meretha was recently elected to the State Affiliate Board of Directors and just applied to join the Legislative Committee, which could involve travel to the state capitol or even Washington, D.C. As she steps into these new experiences, she’s eager to explore more of what the glasses can do and expressed her appreciation for having such a reliable and empowering tool.
We’re planning to check back in with Meretha after her first semester to see how things are going and hear how the glasses are supporting her in a college setting.
Feedback & Considerations
The only drawback Meretha mentioned was related to comfort. Due to her photophobia, she had custom glasses made with a dark tint and side shields. Because the main device processor is located on the right side of the frames, it creates a slight weight imbalance that causes pressure on the left side of her nose bridge after several hours of wear. She’s already spoken with Vince, and we’re working with her to find a solution that better distributes the weight for long-term comfort.
Why Envision Glasses?
Before purchasing her Envision Glasses, Meretha trialed a few other mainstream wearable devices and felt they were more suited to sighted users. Ultimately, she decided that the Envision Glasses best fit her needs.
She first learned about them through a demonstration Vince gave at DRS in Tulsa. After seeing what the glasses could do, she visited NanoPac in person to purchase a pair and participated in a full hands-on training session. At NanoPac, we always provide in-person orientation and training to make sure each customer feels comfortable using the technology right away and can get the most out of their device from the start.
Meretha described the learning curve as minimal, saying the glasses are easy to operate using simple voice and touch commands.
“Vince was articulate, patient, and thorough. He walked me through everything. Even after I got the glasses, he spent a long time showing me the features and how to use them.”
All in all, Meretha is off to a strong start with her Envision Glasses and has a lot of exciting things ahead. We’re grateful she took the time to share her experience, and we look forward to following her journey as she continues to explore everything the glasses can help her do.
To wrap up our conversation, we asked Meretha what she would say to someone considering the Envision Glasses but still unsure. Her answer was direct:
“Hop down off the fence and get the Envision Glasses. It is worth the investment. Point blank.”
