Mozambican student invents smart glasses to help the visually impaired
A young Mozambican inventor has invented a smart pair of glasses designed to support people with visual impairments move around without assistance.
Joao Rego, an electronic engineering student and worker, has developed “Vision Hope,” a pair of smart glasses equipped with obstacle detection sensors that allow users to move around independently, without the need for human assistance.
"Vision Hope is a form of assistive robotics. It enables visually impaired individuals to go from one place to another without relying on others," Rego explained in an interaction with the AFP.
Rego’s invention first gained public recognition in 2022 during the “Jovem Creativo” (Creative Youth) competition, where he emerged as one of 15 winners out of more than 4,000 applicants, claiming a top spot in the Technological Innovation category.
What began as a simple prototype has since evolved into a fully patented product. He said that "In 2023 and 2024, we entered the registration phase. The smart glasses are now patented, and the intellectual property has been secured.”
“Technology developed abroad might not fit our local reality,” he said. “So why not build something that works for us in Mozambique, a technology that starts here and grows to serve Africa and beyond?” he added.
The Vision Hope system is ingeniously designed and includes over 60 insulated cables wrapped in traditional Mozambican capulana fabric, all leading to a portable pouch. The pouch has a battery, a controller, a GPS unit, and a dedicated charge controller.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
