Sony Debuts Camera Kit For The Visually-Impaired To See And Capture The World

For the visually-impaired, photography might not have been a hobby that was the first choice. Sony, however, believes otherwise. Its latest kit now allows those who previously could not participate in the pastime to pick up a camera and literally see the world in a new light through the viewfinder.
 
The new DSC-HX99 RNV is a camera kit that consists of two parts. One is the device itself which is the Cybershot DSC-HX99 released in 2018, which has an 18-megapixel backside illuminated sensor, image stabilization, and a 24mm to 720mm zoom lens.  The next portion, admittedly the most exciting aspect, is the Retissa Neoviewer developed by QD Laser in Japan. 

What this does is project a digital image directly into the retina of the user via the viewfinder. With this retinal projector, people with poor vision can see landscapes and faces, read signs, and take pictures and videos.
 
Dr Mitsuru Sugawara, the president and CEO of QD Laser, states that “the laser retinal projection of Retissa Neoviewer is a completely new technology that has been put to practical use for the first time in the world.”

It should be noted that this might not work for all varying degrees of visual disabilities. However, the company encourages people to try it out before buying it.
 
But for those it does work for, the camera not only helps them see things but is also equipped for high-speed shooting, high-performance autofocus, and can capture in RAW.
 

Sony also remarks that it wants the camera kit to be accessible to anyone. Keeping that in mind, it aims to bear most of the cost of the device and will be selling it for US$600 this coming summer.
 
 
 
[via Engadget and PetaPixel, images via Sony]