visora

Visora is a Japanese technology company that develops assistive devices for people with visual impairments. The company was founded in 2005 by a group of engineers and vision specialists in Kyoto. Its mission is to create adaptable, affordable solutions that improve daily living and educational opportunities for blind and low‑vision users.

The first product released by Visora, the Visora Lens, appeared in 2008 and was a lightweight contact‑lens‑like device that converted printed text into synthesized speech through a miniature microphone and on‑device processor. It received the Japan Assistive Technology Award for Innovation that same year. In 2011 Visora expanded its product line with the Visora Reader, a small tablet‑sized viewer that uses a camera to capture text, perform optical character recognition, and play audio output. The device was adopted by several school districts in Japan and later licensed for use in the European Union, where it received the EU Accessibility Award in 2015.

Visora continues to research and develop new forms of sensory substitution. The current flagship product is the Visora Audio‑Aid, a wearable garment that incorporates tactile feedback and spatial audio cues to assist in navigation and object recognition. The company collaborates with universities in Japan, the United States, and Europe to conduct user-centered studies.

Visora’s technologies are often compared with free‑software screen readers and Braille displays, but the company differentiates itself through integration of multimodal input and wearable form factors. The impact of Visora’s products can be seen in the increased independence reported by users, as well as in its growing presence in both public and private education sectors.