RICHMOND, Va. — Meta is giving free AI-powered glasses to every legally blind veteran in the United States — more than 130,000 people — in a program that kicked off in Richmond Friday morning.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses use artificial intelligence to help users read documents, identify objects and navigate their surroundings. Meta teamed up with local nonprofit Tech for Troops and other organizations to distribute the glasses and provide hands-on training to veterans on how to use the technology.
Katie Watson Jordan, Meta's product strategy policy manager, said the glasses can transform daily life for blind veterans.
"They can describe your environment. They can tell you what you're looking at. They can help you navigate a grocery store or an airport. They can tell you which can in front of you is tomato soup and which one is cream of mushroom," Watson Jordan said.
Mark Casper, president and CEO of Tech for Troops, said the donation is unlike anything he has seen before.
"It's amazing. Meta is stepping up in a way that I never thought possible, especially through Tech for Troops. This is really, really cool," Casper said.
Eligible veterans can request a free pair of glasses online at bva.org/glasses. They will also receive hands-on training to learn how to use the technology.
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Eat It, Virginia! with Scott and RobeyUntold with Catie Beck
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