28-year-old from UP village creates AI-enabled eye-glasses to help visually impaired

Lakhimpur Kheri: Talent knows no boundaries. A testament to this is 28-year-old Muneer Khan from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, whose innovations and technical skills have gained him global recognition.

From a ‘smart water bottle’ to ‘smart soil testing device,’ and more recently, ‘AI-enabled eye-glasses,’ what makes his innovations stand out is their ability to improve everyday convenience for ordinary people.

Born in a humble and poor family in Kheri’s Gauriya village, Muneer lost his father when he was just one year old. His four older brothers and mother worked tirelessly to support his education.

After completing his primary education at the government-run school in his village, Muneer went on to study at a private inter-college and thereafter got admission at the Birla Institute of Applied Sciences in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand.

During his second year, Khan completed multiple research internships in France and Russia, which sparked his interest in artificial intelligence and sensor technology. After completing his master's from Columbia University, he founded Cadre Technologies (USA & India).

While at Columbia, Khan developed a ‘smart water bottle,’ named Hydrohomie, which helped detect dehydration levels and suggested immediate water intake. It earned him the ‘Best Project Award’ from the university.

He also designed a ‘smart soil testing device' for farmers in India which helps identify micro-nutrients in soil within minutes.

It won him the Young Scientist Award 2024, which was presented to him by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in July.

Now, Khan has turned his attention to helping the visually impaired with his latest innovation: AI-enabled eye-glasses, known as AI-Vision Pro.

Speaking to PTI over the phone from the USA on Monday, Khan said, “Artificial intelligence-equipped eye-glasses for the visually impaired will be unveiled at the Techfest, organized by IIT Bombay, from December 17 to December 19.”

“The AI-enabled VisionPro eye-glasses are a groundbreaking assistive device for visually impaired individuals, aiding them in their day-to-day lives and work,” he explained.

“Integrated with sensors, cameras, Nvidia Jetson processors, LiDAR technology, and AI model computation, the glasses provide real-time interpretation of the environment and surroundings,” he added.

He further explained, “When worn, the AI-enabled glasses help identify faces, differentiate between medicines and food items, assist in detecting obstacles while walking, alert users to risks while mapping surroundings, and read and interpret printed materials.”

Muneer also shared that “the organisers were thrilled to announce that the innovative glasses would be unveiled to the public for the first time during Asia’s largest TechFest at IIT Bombay, scheduled for December 17-19.”

“This event will mark a significant milestone in their mission to promote accessibility and independence for visually impaired individuals,” he said.