Vision Australia AI newsletter: July 2026

This month, we explore groundbreaking technology that is pathing the way to allow people who are blind or have low vision to live more independently. Plus, we find out what happens when AI gets it wrong, and we hear from a client that has found a way to join Zoom meetings completely hands free.

Phillips LED light bulb with motion sensor  

For those who want a simple automatic lighting system (without the AI voice assistant), then the Philips motion sensing light bulbs may be the answer.

These simple, easy to install light bulbs can detect movement, and will stay turned on for one minute unless they detect additional movement. These light globes could be helpful for low light areas in your home, plus you don’t have to fumble around trying to find light switches.

It’s important to get lighting right in your home to minimise the chancesof falls and maximise your usable vision. Vision Australia occupational therapists are specialists in lighting, so please reach out if you have any questions or would like a full lighting assessment completed.

Meta Glasses with Be My Eyes Groups calls now available in Australia

Be My Eyes is a service that is available with Meta AI glasses. It allows people who are blind or have low vision to connect with a fully sighted support person who assists them with completing tasks they otherwise would have had trouble doing.

Up until recently, when you used this feature, you were connected to a different support person every time. However, Be My Eyes group calls now allow you to add trusted people, like friends and family members, to a group, so that when you make a call, you know who the person is on the other end of the line.

If you need any assistance with setting up your own support network, please reach out to your Vision Australia adaptive technology specialist.

Glide – an AI powered mobility aid  

Glide is an AI powered mobility aid that physically guides blind users. Glide uses a combination of cameras, sensors and an intergraded AI wayfinding system to support people to move around independently and with confidence.

To find out more about Glide and other mobility aids on the market, please reach out to our orientation and mobility specialists.

First we had driverless cars and now autonomous aircraft is on the way  

Once only dreamt up in science fiction, fully autonomous vehicles could become reality in Australia within the next ten years. Autonomous vehicles remove the need for a driver, potentially allowing for more independent travel for people who are blind or have low vision.

Tesla Cyber-cab moves closer to Australia

Tesla’s Cyber-cab is a two-seater fully autonomous vehicle that uses Tesla’s self-driving technology and is primarily designed for ridesharing. The Cyber-cab has recently been spotted in New Zealand, so once more trialling and testing is complete, the Cyber-cab will hopefully make its way across the ditch to Australia.

Wisk accelerates autonomous air taxi testing

Not impressed by self-driving cars? Fair enough, you still get stuck in traffic. But do you know what doesn’t get stuck in traffic? Autonomous aircraft like what Wisk is currently developing.

Wisk is a subsidiary of Boeing, and has two fully autonomous aircrafts. They recently flew one of these aircraft for the first time, marking a major step forward in its testing. Wisk is working on bringing autonomous electric air taxis to South‑East Queensland, but there is no clear timeline for this.

Spotlight of the month: Replace your kettle with the accessible hot water dispenser

The accessible hot water dispenser is a simple and safe way to instantly get boiling water without needing to lift or poor from a kettle. It has a simple and sleek design with one raised button on the top.

If you have any questions about safe pouring, please reach out to our occupational therapists.

AI fails: When AI goes wrong  

Angela Lipps, a Tennessee grandma, recently spent close to six months in prison after AI powered facial recognition software incorrectly linked her to bank fraud in Fargo, North Dakota.

Lipps was charged with four counts of unauthorised use of personal identifying information and four counts of theft. She claimed that she had spent most of her life in Tennessee. This highlights the importance of why we shouldn’t fully rely on AI and should use other resources alongside AI tools.

Readers stories

Diane joins Zoom meetings hands-free.

Diane shared that she really enjoys the regular Vision Australia online sessions, but often finds it difficult to use the provided Zoom meeting link.  After hearing this, the team helped her create a new phone contact called ‘Vision Australia Zoom meeting’.

This contact contains all the Zoom dial-in details, meaning Diane now simply has to say, "Hey Siri, call Vision Australia Zoom meeting," and Siri uses AI-powered voice recognition to automatically connect Diane to the meeting.

Diane says this made joining her weekly meetings so much quicker and easier, and she no longer needs to ask for assistance.

Share your experiences

Have you tried AI or smart tech in your daily life?

Share your experience and help others discover new ways to build confidence and independence.

You can get in touch with us via [email protected].