The Vision-Aid team participated at EMPOWER 2025, India’s flagship assistive-technology conference at IIT Delhi (Oct 3–5), presenting two sessions and hosting a booth. And next week, we are really excited about Vision-Aid’ unique service model getting the spotlight in the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) in Boston on Oct 9th, with around 7,000 professionals expected to attend AAO this year.
Why it matters?
Spreading awareness about issues related to visual impairment, and the latest solutions is a core part of Vision-Aid’s model. Eminent conferences like EMPOWER and AAO, can help to amplify such awareness and to expand our relationships in topics which are critical to the future inclusion of the Visually Impaired, in the coming areas like AI adoption, Employability , CVI (the leading cause of childhood blindness) and more.
AI for VI:
Mr. Palaniappan Nallalagappan (a.ka. Palani), Vision-Aid’s long-term volunteer, highlighted several advances in AI for the visually impaired in India. He described Vision-Aid’s three-pillar approach to AI adoption—Assistive Devices, Digital Assistants, and Training/Employability—with topics spanning Smart/AR glasses, mobile AI for text/scene/product/currency recognition, and a skills pathway from basic communications to Python and GenAI/agentic AI.
Forthcoming initiatives at Vision-Aid include an AI Trainer for adaptive learning and an autonomous accessibility-scanning and testing agent to assist our DAT teams, in addition to constantly improving wearables like Smart Vision Glasses and Aura Glasses which are affordable and within the reach of the under-privileged – helping us to bridge the coming “AI gap” and ensuring that the benefits of AI reach many more visually impaired in India.
Digital Accessibility Testing (DAT): Building a sustainable framework for inclusion
Speakers Bhargav Vaghasiya and Saranya (with Vijay Francis virtually) showcased the DAT & Training Center and its TEPI pathway—Train, Engage, Placement, Industry. Curriculum covers disability/AT, HTML/CSS/ARIA, WCAG and laws, NVDA/JAWS/VoiceOver/TalkBack, and tools like Axe, CCA, and Accessibility Insights.
Impact: 50–60% job placement in technical roles in leading companies with well-paying jobs.
Booth:
Our booth, led by our Anshuman Agarwal, with help from Ms. Saranya, Ms. Vineetha and Ms. Gargee Datta and Ms. Disha Jain , highlighted Vision-Aid’s end-to-end holistic model, and facilitated networking and new partnership leads with conference participants. Thanks to our Advisory Board member, Mr. Ashish Mathur for joining to meet and motivate the team!
Next up: Vision-Aid at the American Academy of Optometry (Boston) Oct 9th.
AAO is the largest global conference in Optometry with this years conference being held in Boston and over 7,000 expected to attend! We’re sharing our holistic, scalable model that empowers people with visual impairments through assistive technology, rehabilitation, and inclusive training across India. Visit our poster on Thursday 10/9, 4:30 – 6:30 PM to see cost-effective AI/AR tools, structured curricula, and community partnerships improving outcomes in low vision, CVI, digital literacy, orientation and mobility, smartphone accessibility, and pathways to education and employment. Explore real-world implementations, impact metrics, and hands-on demos for clinics and nonprofits. Meet Ms. Devi Udayakumar and Dr. Aparna Raghuram, exchange ideas, and explore collaborations in referrals, research, training, and philanthropy. Join us to advance equitable, affordable eye care.
