Argentine and Paris Saint-Germain soccer star Lionel Messi has joined forces with assistive devices start-up OrCam to provide visual assistance to the blind population in Ethiopia.
The country’s first lady’s office donated the sophisticated vision aid device to 2,000 people last year, and Messi announced on social media that he was honored to collaborate with the company to help more people in Ethiopia who are visually challenged.
According to OrCam, its visual aid device technology enhances the lives of those who are blind, visually impaired, and have reading challenges.
The device uses Artificial Intelligence technology, which is fitted to the frame of spectacles, enabling visually challenged persons to read and identify colors as it reads them out loud to the user.
The OrCam MyEye glass, however, is prohibitively expensive for many people, with a single gadget costing more than $4,000.
Impaired eyesight is one of the most serious public health issues in Ethiopia, with one study estimating that 1.18% of the population is blind.
Time magazine rated the technology one of the year’s most significant innovations, and Messi has joined the initiative to help bring this technology to more people in need in Ethiopia.
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Joseph Omoniyi
- Tags: Ethiopia, Lionel Messi, Viaul Assistance
