A regional Victorian woman says she may never need a guide dog again after using smart glasses, but says new rules restricting usage need more clarification.

For the past 16 years, Ms Biggin, who lives in Ballarat, has not been able to do regular things like cross a road or get groceries without the help of a guide dog. But everything changed for the mother of three when she got her first pair of smart glasses. She said she did not think she would ever get a guide dog again. Ms Biggin said AI glasses had given her independence she never imagined she could have.

But the glasses are not without their problems. Ms Biggin said she got stopped at least three times a week by people accusing her of filming them.

“Halfway through the walk I’ll have somebody grab me on the arm and say, ‘Oi, you just filmed me,’ because [the glasses] light up when they’re in use,” she said. “People automatically assume I’m recording them. It gets exhausting having to explain every time.”

Wait … people stop others in the street for this ? I get being concerned in toilets etc but in the street ? ffs

Anecdote, I understand her frustration somewhat, I was pointing my phone at the veggie chiller section in Woollies a couple years back on a Signal vid call to my gf to check with her to confirm what it was she wanted me to get and a 19yr old (estimate, I was 55) girl who was 2m or so away started literally shoving me and slapping me in the chest and yelling loudly “I was a pervert recording her.” I told her to “fuck off” even more loudly but didn’t push back; me 100kg 186cm, she 165cm 65kg or so, would have ended badly initially for her and then longer term for me if I’d shoved her in anger after being assaulted, it’s a bit of a shock being assaulted in a Woolies .

  • lifeinlarkhall@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    6 days ago

    Guide dogs are not easy to get. There are waiting lists. I know someone who had to wait for 2 years before they finally got a guide dog. Guide dogs are amazing but they take a lot of work to get that way. They say most of the dogs who start the training aren’t able to progress to become a guide dog. Then of course they are living animals and are subject to health issues that can put them out of work and of course they have a limited life which restarts the waiting process.

    If a product that can be bought quickly, work instantly, be fixed/replaced quickly can work for some vision impaired people as an accessibility aid that sounds a good use of this technology. The tech does need to have regulations around it but if it’s for anything I would think this would actually be the right thing to use it for. From what I’ve seen of how it can help as an accessibility aid, it shouldn’t need to actually record and keep any footage - so yes, limit shit like that because it’s not necessary. I think there are ways to make this a great accessibility aid without impinging on people’s privacy.

    I don’t think they would ever fully replace guide dogs as there are still differences and different needs within vision impaired people so having both options would still be needed.