Seventeen-year-old Alexander Du creates IRIS AI glasses for visually impaired
Alexander Du, a 17-year-old from Pennsylvania, created IRIS: smart glasses powered by AI that help blind and visually impaired people navigate their surroundings.
Inspired by his grandmother losing her sight, Du wanted to make something that could give people more freedom and confidence in daily life.
IRIS maps surroundings, Du wins awards
IRIS creates a 3-D map of what's around the user and guides them with vibrations, helping them avoid obstacles.
Du is also working on adding a voice assistant for city navigation.
His invention has already earned him major awards this summer, including the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony and Carnegie Young Leaders program, along with mentorship and funding to keep improving IRIS for even more people.