RealThing Ai launches smartphone for visually impaired

Released in the UK and previewing in the US, RealSAM Pocket V4 delivers on innovations from its V3 2021 release. The newest developments are crafted to meet the daily frustrations that visually impaired people face, including the ease of accessing choices when shopping, challenges in being independently mobile and a need for a reliable solution to read text in confidential situations, such as banking and healthcare.

Now faster, more powerful and with upgraded visual clarity1, RealSAM Pocket V4 boasts features such as optical character recognition (OCR), object recognition and an enhanced emergency on-call assistant to support independent living and make everyday tasks such as cooking and completing shopping easier.

The latest version allows users to use their smartphone to set a reminder detailing their shopping list, use guided navigation to walk independently to the supermarket, and receive reminders to avoid known pitfalls such as high kerbs or low hanging trees.

Its voice activated object recognition and OCR features enables users to review items on a supermarket shelf, compare prices and select products with a preferred sell by date.

RealThing Ai is an AI business formed in 2008 by a collection of AI researchers and developers with a background in defence, aviation and research. Its RealSAM products aim to change the lives of visually impaired people in Australia, the UK and the US.

UK Country Manager for RealThing Ai, Louise Humphreys, said: “The development for Pocket V4 began in April 2021, when we partnered with The Royal National Institute of Blind People to interview people living with sight loss in the UK who had not previously experienced RealSAM technology. Our objective was to understand people’s everyday frustrations and to turn these insights into a meaningful roadmap for product development. Our research uncovered the three consistent areas of concern for blind and partially sighted people.”

RNIB Digital Transformation Manager, Paul Porter, said: “Speaking directly with blind and partially sighted people to find out their thoughts and frustrations with accessible smartphones was essential for this product development. We hope the updated features of the new phone will help to meet the needs of customers with sight loss.”

Since its UK launch in 2018 in partnership with the RNIB and O2, RealSAM Pocket has bundled an easy to use, fully voice-controlled smartphone with inbuilt entertainment and personal assistant features. These include:

• Easy access to over 100,000 audiobooks, newspapers and magazines supplied by the UK charities, RNIB and Calibre Audio
• Instant video support from the Be My Eyes network of volunteers
• An on-call assistant that simultaneously calls and texts nominated contacts in the event of an emergency
• Customisable guidance for navigating walking routes
• Voice controlled access to Zoom calls to support remote working.

Never struggle with small print again

RealSAM Pocket’s new OCR feature allows users to take a picture of printed or handwritten text and have it read back to them with high accuracy. The phone’s voice controls guide the process, alerting the user to the image being in focus, while also offering the ability to customise the onscreen display to alternative brightness, contrast, and colour combinations to improve visibility for those with some vision.

Object recognition is useful in unfamiliar situations, using the onboard camera combined with voice technology to capture and explain all elements in shot.

Upgraded handset and support

Powered by a customised Samsung XCover 5 handset, Pocket V4 benefits from a new visual interface plus significant leaps in its battery life, memory, and processing speeds. RealSAM Pocket continues to be IP68 rated meaning it can withstand submersion in water of 1.5 metres depth for 30 minutes.

The RealSAM Customer Support Web Portal has also been given a refresh to coincide with the Pocket V4 launch. While all customers benefit from ongoing and unlimited telephone support from RealThing Ai’s UK team, the complementing web portal allows loved ones to manage contacts and suggest reading lists to support Blind users from afar.