Blind Level Tech

Where accessibility meets innovation. Hosted by Evan Starnes, Blind Level Tech explores the latest in assistive technology, accessible design, and everyday tools that empower the blind and low-vision community. Each episode dives into real stories, expert insights, and practical solutions—from screen readers and AI tools to mobility tech and inclusive apps. Whether you’re blind, low vision, a professional in the accessibility space, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping lives, this show offers fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways. Produced by Aftersight, Blind Level Tech is more than a tech podcast—it’s a platform for inclusion, discovery, and possibility.

  1. 1d ago

    The Future of Low Vision Tech: Inside Innovega’s Smart Glasses

    Episode Summary  What if one pair of glasses could replace the magnifiers, phone tricks, telescopic lenses, and other tools many people with low vision rely on every day?  On this episode of Blind Level Tech, Jonathan Price sits down with Corrinalyn Guyette, Strategic Growth and Partnerships at Innovega, and Joseph, Innovega’s Chief Marketing Officer, for an in-depth look at the company’s upcoming vision-enhancement technology.  Innovega’s smart glasses are not designed to cure blindness or restore vision. Instead, the company says they are designed to enhance a person’s existing functional vision through features including magnification, zoom, brightness and contrast adjustments, color inversion, and a camera-driven display. The team explains why a person’s diagnosis alone may not determine whether the glasses will be useful, and why the better question is whether tools such as magnification, contrast enhancement, or zoom already provide benefit.   Corrinalyn and Joseph also share stories from early demonstrations, including users being able to read, recognize family members, watch television, play cards, and interact with their surroundings in new ways. Much of the conversation centers on a word that has repeatedly surfaced during Innovega's testing: hope.   The conversation gets into the nuts and bolts as well: Innovega's Founder Series preorder, anticipated early-2027 shipping, phone compatibility, the wired first-generation design, screen mirroring, AI features under development, microphones and speakers, and the company's longer-term work involving smart contact lenses.   Jonathan also asks an important accessibility question: how does a company developing promising technology make sure the people who could benefit from it can actually afford it? Innovega discusses HSA/FSA eligibility, potential sponsorship opportunities, work with low-vision clinics, and other possible pathways intended to broaden access.  This episode is a detailed look at emerging low-vision technology, what it can potentially do, what it cannot do, and why Innovega believes listening directly to the blind and low-vision community is essential to developing it.   Credits  Host: Jonathan Price Guests: Corrinalyn Guyette and Joseph — Innovega Producer: Jonathan Price Podcast: Blind Level Tech Organization: Aftersight   Contact & Resources  Aftersight Website: aftersight.org Email: jonathan@aftersight.org  Innovega Website: innovega.io Email: social@innovega.io  Innovega also directs listeners to its website for information about its Founder Series, consultations, webinars, preorder information, and applications for in-person demonstrations.  (00:00) - Welcome to Blind Level Tech & the Search for a New Host (00:55) - Meet Corrinalyn Guyette and Joseph from Innovega (02:15) - What Is Innovega Trying to Solve? (05:36) - Building Vision Technology People Actually Want to Wear (07:02) - What the Smart Glasses Can and Cannot Do (08:01) - Turning Everyday Low-Vision Tools Into Wearable Technology (10:04) - A Hands-On Look at the Glasses (11:23) - Who Could Benefit from Innovega? (15:20) - Corrinalyn’s Most Impactful Demonstration (17:51) - Joseph on Testing, Emotion, and Hope (20:36) - How User Feedback Is Shaping the Technology (24:28) - Vision Loss, Isolation, and Staying Engaged With Life (26:52) - Features Requested by the Low-Vision Community (27:09) - Price, Preorders, and Expected Availability (30:27) - Android, iPhone, Computers, and Screen Mirroring (32:57) - How AI Could Be Used in the Glasses (34:22) - Built-In Microphones and Speakers (34:46) - Where Innovega Goes From Here (36:40) - Funding the Technology and Expanding Access (39:48) - Making Vision Technology More Affordable (40:01) - The Future of Innovega Smart Contact Lenses (41:10) - How Innovega Is Listening to the Community (42:37) - How to Learn More, Preorder, or Schedule a Consultation (44:19) - Accessibility, Research, and Asking Better Questions (46:09) - Applying for an In-Person Demonstration (47:12) - Refunds and Final Thoughts (47:40) - Closing and More from Aftersight ★ Support this podcast ★

  2. Sep 9

    Accessibility Isn’t an Option: How Liam Erven Builds Games Everyone Can Play

    Summary  Blind programmer and game developer Liam Erven joins Jonathan Price to explore what accessible technology looks like when inclusion is built into the foundation rather than added at the end.  Liam shares how he created Super Liam, the first audio-based side-scrolling platform game designed for blind players, and how a childhood idea eventually became something meaningful to gamers around the world. He explains how audio positioning can replace visual information, why developers must understand their audience, and how thoughtful testing catches barriers sighted development teams may never notice.  Jonathan and Liam also discuss artificial intelligence, game modification, screen-reader-first design, quality assurance, and what aspiring programmers should learn before asking AI to build an application. The central lesson is simple: technology works best when developers communicate clearly, test with real users, and treat accessibility as a genuine need rather than an optional feature.  Credits  Show: Blind Level Tech Host: Jonathan Price Guest: Liam Erven Produced by: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight  Contact Information  Learn more about Liam’s accessible games and software at LWorks.net.  Interested in auditioning to become the next host of Blind Level Tech? Contact Jonathan Price at jonathan@aftersight.org.  For questions, guest suggestions, or feedback:  Email: feedback@aftersight.orgWebsite: aftersight.orgChapters  ★ Support this podcast ★

  3. Aug 18

    Meet My Menu: Mmmm Tasty!!!

    Episode Description  Restaurant menus are supposed to tell you what you can eat. But when the website is inaccessible, the PDF won’t work with a screen reader, or there isn’t a braille menu available, something as simple as ordering dinner can turn into a guessing game.  On this episode of Blind Level Tech, Evan talks with Avital “Avi” Drel, creator of Meet My Menu, a tool designed to give blind and low-vision diners a more independent way to access restaurant menus.  Avi explains how conversations with blind users around the country revealed just how inconsistent menu accessibility can be, from inaccessible restaurant websites to screen readers forcing users through an entire menu from beginning to end. Meet My Menu combines accessible menu formatting with an AI voice agent that can answer natural questions about dishes, prices, ingredients, and other information pulled directly from the restaurant menu.  For users who prefer not to use voice, menus can also be presented in a consistent structure designed to work with screen readers and braille displays, including headings and expandable sections. And restaurants may only be the beginning. Avi talks about expanding the same accessibility concept into conferences, theater programs, events, and other information that can be difficult to access independently.  Guest  Avital “Avi” DrelCreator of Meet My Menu  Links  Meet My Menu: meetmymenu.comWeb App: app.meetmymenu.com  (00:05) - — Welcome to Blind Level Tech (02:30) - — Avi’s technical and business background (04:12) - — Where the idea for Meet My Menu came from (05:06) - — Why restaurant menus remain an accessibility problem (07:08) - — Meet the AI waiter (09:30) - — Screen readers and braille displays (10:51) - — Creating one consistent accessible menu format (11:40) - — Expanding beyond restaurants (12:41) - — Is Meet My Menu free? (14:11) - — Where to find Meet My Menu (15:53) - — Closing thoughts ★ Support this podcast ★

4.7
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Where accessibility meets innovation. Hosted by Evan Starnes, Blind Level Tech explores the latest in assistive technology, accessible design, and everyday tools that empower the blind and low-vision community. Each episode dives into real stories, expert insights, and practical solutions—from screen readers and AI tools to mobility tech and inclusive apps. Whether you’re blind, low vision, a professional in the accessibility space, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping lives, this show offers fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways. Produced by Aftersight, Blind Level Tech is more than a tech podcast—it’s a platform for inclusion, discovery, and possibility.

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