Sight and Sound Technology is the UK's leading provider of hardware and software to the blind, visually impaired and those with learning and reading difficulties. Our podcast is another channel for us to communicate all our latest news, talk about our product portfolio and speak to the people for whom our products are making a life-changing impact.
This episode comes to you from the exhibition floor of the 41st Annual CSUN Assistive Technology conference, in Anaheim, California.
We catch up with Dave Williams from Dot Inc, Ron Dare from Eschenbach, Sile O'Modhrain from New Haptics and Jenny Axler from Selvas.
4 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 101: Jackie Brown and the RNIB NI Technology Fair
Welcome into a new season of podcast episodes from Sight and Sound Technology.
RNIB Northern Ireland are once again holding their technology fair. This year, the location is the Foyle Arina, in Derry, and the event takes place on Wednesday 11th February.
Stuart sits down with RNIB's Jackie Brown to find out all about it.
3 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
Episode 100: Celebrating our 100th episode and Vanessa Vigar returns to talk all things Ally Solos
In this milestone 100th episode of our podcast, Stuart celebrates seven years of the show by reminiscing about its origins and dipping into the very first episode from September 2018. Then its time to welcome back friend of the show Vanessa Viger, Chief Marketing Officer at Envision. Vanessa provides an overview of the new Ally Solos smart glasses, discussing their affordability, lighter design, and key features. The Ally Solos Glasses are designed to look like normal, lightweight everyday frames. They feature a camera on the left arm and battery-powered, removable stems that offer a 10-hour battery life with swappable arms for all-day use. They will be available in medium/large sizes and three colour options, complete with a folding case.
The glasses are offered at an early bird price of £380, normally around £532. This price includes a 3-year Ally Pro subscription worth around £200.
They connect via Bluetooth to a phone and can function as a headset for music and calls. They utilize existing Ally profiles/personalities across devices and employ multiple AI models for different tasks, focusing on accuracy over speed for safety. Unlike the hardware-focused Envision glasses, the Ally Solos adopt a software platform approach. Envision provides customer support, while Solos handles fulfilment.
These glasses are built with an accessibility-first approach, distinguishing them from general market products like Meta Ray-Bans. Key scenarios include reading menus, food packaging and signs, getting real-time descriptions of what’s around you, checking your calendar and even finding out what the weather forecast. They are also prescription and tinted lens compatible and aim to target a broader market, including the elderly, individuals with cognitive needs, and those seeking general convenience. Ally and Ally Solos Glasses users have complete control over their privacy since all Envision products are GDPR compliant and you are opted out of data sharing by default.
Inside a recent episode
Episode 102: Conversations from CSUN 2026
Published 18 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And in the case of Dottpad, there's over two and a half pounds and little pins that move up and down. And of course, we all have on our hands natural oils in our skin. There's dust and dirt in the environment, moisture. And so Dott, I think, have taken a very pragmatic decision to use what we call a cell protector. And this is just a very thin layer, like a very thin sheet that sits over the Braille Dott. You can still feel the Braille through this cell protector very easily. It doesn't impair your ability to read, but it just gives you an extra layer of protection in the same way that some people might use a screen protector on their smartphone or tablet. […]
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