A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
People who are blind or have low vision often rely on assistive technology to access information and participate fully in the workplace, and many may benefit from new technology like smart glasses and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for work. Smart glasses can assist with reading, object identification, scene description, and navigation, while GenAI can generate text, images, audio, and other content through natural language prompts. Previous research has found positive benefits of smart glasses and other wearables, as well as GenAI, for daily functioning and quality of life. However, little is known about how these technologies are being used on the job.
In a recent NIDILRR-funded study, researchers at the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment of People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision looked at surveys conducted in 2021 and 2024 with responses from more than 300 workers with visual disabilities in the US and Canada who were part of a long-term study of workplace technology use. The researchers wanted to see if the use of wearable technology changed over time for people with visual disabilities, whether they were using smart glasses, and how and why they were using them. The researchers also explored what GenAI tools people with visual disabilities were using at work, how often, and any positive impacts. Finally, they wanted to see who is likely to adopt these technologies at work.
Participants’ average age was about 47 years, and most were Caucasian, female, and totally blind. The results were as follows:
- Workplace use of wearable devices increased from 5.4% to 10.2% from 2021 to 2024. Almost exclusively, smart glasses were the wearable reported in 2024.
- The most common use of smart glasses was reading. Other uses included object identification, remote visual assistance, scene description, and navigation.
- About half of smart glasses users reported using them multiple times per day or throughout the day, both at work and outside of work. The most common reasons for adopting smart glasses were useful features, affordability, hands-free operation, ease of use, and being a mainstream device. Most rated them as important, very important, or essential to functioning at work.
- Two-thirds of participants reported using GenAI at work, both generally and integrated into other assistive technology. Most said they use it multiple times per month. The most used tools were Be My AI, Seeing AI, Picture Smart AI in JAWS, and ChatGPT.
- Nearly three-quarters of participants who used GenAI reported its positive impacts on their lives including improved access to visual information, greater accessibility, and increased independence. Many participants also reported general benefits, including quicker access to information, improved productivity, and assistance with creating written materials.
- Men, participants with higher incomes, those with more severe visual disabilities, and those with higher self-rated assistive technology skills were more likely to use smart glasses at work. Both men and women with more severe visual disabilities were more likely to use GenAI at work. Other characteristics were not associated with likelihood of using GenAI at work.
The authors noted that releases of more affordable mainstream devices in late 2023, which lowered cost barriers and offered features that users found valuable, could contribute to increase in adoption of wearable devices from 2021 to 2024. They also noted that GenAI use among workers with visual disabilities was substantially higher than in the general population and suggested this may be due in part to the integration of GenAI into commonly used assistive technologies, as well as the unique accessibility benefits GenAI provides for accessing visual information in general.
According to the authors, smart glasses and GenAI could improve access to information and support greater independence and efficiency among workers with visual disabilities. The authors recommended that vocational rehabilitation agencies and other service providers consider smart glasses as a potential workplace accommodation, particularly for reading, and consider GenAI as an added tool to increase both accessibility and work productivity for their clients. Future research may examine adoption trends, training needs, and the long-term workplace benefits of these emerging technologies.
To learn more:
The RRTC on Employment Among People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision continue to explore changes in workplace technology. Their Accessibility Workarounds Recommended by Blind and Low Vision Workers (PDF) tipsheet includes many suggestions from study participants on managing inaccessible software, digital documents, and signing a PDF.
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Universal Access to ICT (TRACE RERC) is studying how people with disabilities can leverage and personalize GenAI for accessibility. Their Future of Interface website explores current technologies and what new interfaces may be on the horizon.
To learn more about this study:
McDonnall, M.C., Boydstun, J., & Steverson, A. (2025). Use of wearable devices and generative AI in the workplace by people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231216757