Two college students have designed game-changing AI-powered glasses — powered by your body.
After watching their grandparents suffer from severe visual impairments, Stanford University finalists Daniel Kim and Arjun Oberoi came up with an ingenious idea for the global innovation competition Red Bull Basement.
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While smart glasses are already on the market, Kim and Oberoi's Argus prototype is on a different level thanks to its revolutionary Wi-R technology, which transmits data using a person's skin.
For users with a condition like macular degeneration, for example, a quick question about what's in front of them or what medication they're carrying will receive a quick and detailed response from the built-in AI via a small speaker on the frame.
The two computer experts won the US national title at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.
They will compete in the World Championships in Tokyo early next month, joining fellow innovators from around the world.
Winners will spend a few weeks training in Silicon Valley and accelerate their innovations.
The Stanford duo faced stiff competition from students with similarly brilliant minds, who unleashed their concepts in front of a panel of experts that included MIT alumna and Netflix science star Emily Calandrelli.
But Argus was in a class apart.
Instead of connecting the glasses to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, they use Wi-R.
The technology has been around for a decade, though recent advances have been made by computer experts at Purdue University, which, according to Oberoi, have development tools “in the wild.”
The human body is well equipped to carry electrical signals. But now, with the use of Wi-R technology, these signals can remain within range of the body.
Kim explained to the American newspaper “The Sun” that the devices can transmit electrical signals “using the skin as a transmitter.”
The two-part visual aid includes a computer unit and a camera that can fit in a pocket.
They work together and are activated by voice command.
It can then answer questions about the surrounding environment, read text, and even recognize faces.
The students claim that the combination of Wi-R and edge AI processors will make their devices “10 times less expensive, as well as lighter and with all-day battery life.”
“When you have something an inch away from the skin, you can have a signal going from our computer unit to the camera unit, which allows us to be 100 times more efficient and energy efficient than Wi-Fi,” Kim said.
“So you're able to keep the camera module battery very lightweight, which is really important to make sure it's comfortable and doesn't cause any discomfort.”
Each of the 10 teams — whittled down from more than 15,000 submissions — spoke for 10 minutes at MIT, explaining their vision and the business potential of their creations.
Princeton computer science students Foys Aladdin and Brian Shi have created a comprehensive program to help immigrant families complete essential documents in their native languages.
Meanwhile, Myrna Jaber and Isabella Herrera Nunez from Georgia Tech presented an engaging, AI-powered real-time meal planner to help combat the global food waste problem.
However, Argos' high-tech eyewear was the deserving winner, with the finals taking place in Japan next.
Kim and Oberoi's plan has been two years in the making, and now they aim to conquer the world.
Global Champions will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles and Silicon Valley for a three-week immersive experience in partnership with Plug and Play VC.
They will connect with top venture capitalists to help them turn their products into reality.
“All of us have personal ones like this that would help them in their daily lives,” Oberoi said.
“Winning gives us so many opportunities to connect with people at the forefront of industries, which are problems we're also trying to solve. It's amazing.”
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