AI Powered Glasses for Visually Impaired People Using Object Detection

The advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning has opened new possibilities for assistive technologies aimed at enhancing the lives of visually impaired individuals. This paper focuses on developing AI-powered smart glasses using Raspberry Pi and YOLOv8 object detection to provide real-time environmental awareness. The system incorporates a USB camera to capture surroundings, and a machine learning model for face recognition, which identifies known individuals and announces their names via an audio output. The audio signal is either played at a low volume or through earphones for private listening. The Raspberry Pi processes input data, detects objects and faces, and converts the visual information into speech, improving the user’s spatial understanding. This innovation fosters independent navigation and social interaction, offering a cost-effective solution for visually impaired individuals. By leveraging real-time object detection, the system enhances accessibility, enabling users to identify obstacles, recognize people, and interact more confidently with their surroundings. Key Words: Object Detection, YOLOv8, AI, Face Recognition