Patient Needs: The OrCam MyEye is a multi-functional device. As mentioned, reading is the number one issue of many of my patients. The Or- Cam device not only is an exceptional reader, but it can read off of any surface and on the go. Being portable and not dependent on Internet connectivity, it can be used anywhere. This also gives privacy whether a concern to the wearer, school or employer. MyEye can be used in school, work and for personal use. It also does not save the text; sorry students, cant save the test and send it to your friends. Psychological Aspects: Depression is something that needs to be dealt with by ev- eryone and something I pay attention to with my patients. Depression or lack of enjoyment in things can affect learning capacity and retention of information, making learning of any new technology seem daunting. So no matter what new device or technology I introduce, successful use can be hindered. An- other aspect of using a device is the aspect of appearing differ- ent. I feel the MyEye device has an aesthetically appealing and pleasing design, which blends in and does not stand out more than someone else’s blue tooth device. There are also no special glasses needed in order to attach the MyEye, not making you stand out or look different. Cognitive Ability: Since I see many low vision elderly patients this is something I need to pay attention to. However, I have found that sometimes I’m wrong and cognitive ability should not be a bias to introduc- ing something new. I believe and some studies have shown that cognitive ability should be taken as a case-by-case basis. What’s needed is a good demonstration and just see what someone is
Other features like facial and product recognition require that I enter the person or product in the system. This process is sim- ple and easy to do, only requiring about 20-30 seconds. So, the next time my friends or family come into the camera’s view, Or- Cam will tell me they are there. This has worked for patients from as far as ten feet away. OrCam can also be set to fully automatic mode and also tell you of unknown individuals recognizing their gender and if they are an adult or a child. OrCam already knows hundreds of thousands of bar codes so no need to enter it, un- less it is a specialty product or unknown barcode, then you can just simply enter it. It can also recognize money notes, which is already pre-programmed. For anyone who is bilingual, OrCam MyEye can auto-detect French and Spanish (US Version Only). Who is OrCam For? When I am considering a new device or technology for a pa- tient, I go through a technology assessment. This assessment includes; functional vision status, needs, psychological aspects, cognitive ability, home/social life, abilities and cost. Here’s the breakdown. Functional Vision Status: When I first introduced OrCam MyEye to my patients, people who were blind would say, “Oh this must be for people who are visually impaired”. People who were visually impaired would say, “Oh, this must be for people who are blind”. Well in fact, OrCam MyEye can be used and is for both. Much like magnification type devices need some residual vision to be used, the MyEye device does not depend on someone’s vision, allowing it to be used by someone who is blind or visually impaired. One side note I like about the technology for my patients is that the MyEye can still be a useful device even if vision declines.
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