TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Innovations and Products

Innovation of the Month: SignGlasses Brings Sign Language and Captions Into View

by Leave a Comment

Through SignGlasses smart glasses, a smiling woman is in view with a sign language interpreter appearing in the corner of the lens.

“If I could just put on glasses and everything was there, captions, interpreting, all of it, that would change everything,” says Dr. Ashley Walker, a Deaf pharmacist, educator, and advocate.

Thanks to SignGlasses, that dream is a little closer.

SignGlasses combines smart glasses with live sign language interpreting, captioning, and pre-recorded media, placing communication access directly in the user’s field of vision. Instead of looking down at a phone, tablet, or screen, a Deaf or hard-of-hearing visitor can see interpretation or captions overlaid on the environment around them.

From an Exhibit Tour to a New Approach to Access

Founded in 2017 at Brigham Young University, SignGlasses emerged from the challenges faced by Deaf individuals during an exhibit tour. Since then, feedback from the Deaf community has driven the pursuit to create a smarter solution that enhances communication access for all. 

The result is a system designed around a simple idea: accessibility should be available where the experience is happening, rather than requiring the visitor to interrupt that experience to access it.

That distinction can be particularly important in museums, attractions, theaters, and other environments where guests are constantly looking around, moving between exhibits, or watching a presentation.

How SignGlasses Works

SignGlasses’ patented technology connects smart glasses to its platform of professional interpreters and captioners.

With the glasses, users can receive live ASL interpretation or captions while continuing to look at their surroundings. The glasses are lightweight and portable, can accommodate prescription lenses, and can stream live interpretation. Pre-recorded media can also be stored on the device and synchronized with an experience without requiring Wi-Fi.

The platform supports two-way communication, allowing Deaf users to sign back and forth with an interpreter, who can also voice for the user when needed.

The Problem It Solves

For venues, providing an interpreter isn’t always as simple as having one available when a guest arrives. Traditional arrangements may require advance scheduling, and interpreters aren’t always available on short notice.

SignGlasses offers a simpler option.

A museum, attraction, theater, or visitor experience can provide smart glasses that allow guests to access interpretation or captions as they move through the experience. 

Options for Destinations

Pricing is customized according to an organization’s needs, and SignGlasses does not currently publish a standard price for its smart-glasses packages or services. 

Reach out to SignGlasses for more information or learn more on their website.

Innovation of the Month: Freedom Trax

by

Off-roading without leaving your wheelchair? Sounds impossible, but thanks to Freedom Trax any manual wheelchair on the market can now go wherever it wants.

Two men in manual wheelchairs fitted with Freedom Trax motorized tracks fist bump on a dirt trail with mountains in the background, demonstrating the off-road attachment in use on rugged terrain.

What is this Freedom Trax Thing?

When I first learned about these tank-style wheels that you can roll onto in your own chair, without having to transfer, it sounded too good to be true. When TravelAbility Ambassador, Kristy Durso, shared her vowel renewal photos of her rolling through the sand it was like science fiction becoming reality. 

Created by Erin and Dan Livingston of Tour Engineering in Golden, Colorado, Freedom Trax has opened up beaches, trails, snow, gravel, and other terrain that can be difficult or impossible to navigate in a traditional wheelchair. With backgrounds in engineering and manufacturing, the couple set out to tackle a problem that wheelchair users encounter again and again: traditional wheelchair wheels work well on pavement, but struggle just about anywhere else.

At its heart, Freedom Trax is about changing the question from “Is this terrain accessible?” to “Where do you want to go?”

The Problem it Solves

Their solution was a motorized track system that attaches to a manual wheelchair, transforming it into an off-road vehicle without requiring the user to transfer into a different chair. Instead of replacing the wheelchair, Freedom Trax works with it, using tank-inspired tracks to navigate terrain where standard wheels can sink or get stuck.

What started as an engineering solution has grown into a product used by wheelchair users across the world. Today, Erin and Dan still manufacture every Freedom Trax in-house in Golden, with a mission to make more of the world accessible and help people “seek the road less traveled.”

Instead of rolling from one accessible place to another, Freedom Trax users can now roll into just about any experience.

Use Cases

  • Outdoor recreation: Explore beaches, hiking trails, parks, campgrounds, fields, and other natural spaces.
  • Travel & Tourism: Bring your own wheelchair off the pavement and into destinations where traditional wheelchair wheels may struggle.
  • Adaptive sports: Freedom Trax can support activities including fishing, kayaking, skiing, surfing, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Everyday mobility: Navigate uneven grass, gravel, snow, and other challenging surfaces closer to home.
  • Families: Give wheelchair users more opportunities to participate alongside family and friends instead of watching an outdoor activity from the sidelines.

Freedom Trax Pricing

Freedom Trax currently offers two models. The FT 1 PRO is designed for standard manual wheelchairs, with tracks positioned underneath the chair for a narrower footprint, while the FTX offers additional stability and is designed to accommodate pediatric, tilt-in-space, and standard wheelchairs. 

Both models are joystick controlled, reach speeds of 4–5 mph, and offer up to eight miles of range per charge. The FT 1 PRO is currently priced at $7,999, while the FTX is $7,799

At its heart, Freedom Trax is about changing the question from “Is this terrain accessible?” to “Where do you want to go?”

Innovation of the Month: Be My Eyes on Meta AI Glasses

by

Be My Eyes has long been recognized for connecting people who are blind or have low vision with sighted volunteers through live video assistance (check out a throwback of their InnovateAble pitch here).

Now, through its integration with Meta AI Glasses, the company has taken accessibility a step further by offering hands-free, AI-powered visual assistance that allows users to receive information about their surroundings without holding a phone.

The combination of Be My Eyes and Meta AI Glasses creates a natural, seamless experience for travelers navigating unfamiliar environments. Whether locating a hotel room, identifying a gate at the airport, reading a restaurant menu, or finding an accessible entrance, users can receive spoken descriptions and guidance while keeping their hands free for mobility aids, luggage, or other tasks.

By pairing wearable technology with artificial intelligence and live human support when needed, Be My Eyes is expanding opportunities for more independent travel and everyday experiences.

Be My Eyes and Meta Launch New Accessibility Functions on Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses - Be My Eyes

The Problem Be My Eyes on Meta AI Glasses Solves

For travelers who are blind or have low vision, many everyday tasks still require assistance. Reading signs, locating landmarks, identifying products, or understanding unfamiliar surroundings often means stopping to pull out a smartphone or asking someone nearby for help.

While traditional Be My Eyes video calls have provided valuable support for years, they require users to hold and position a phone throughout the conversation. That can be difficult when carrying luggage, using a white cane, guiding a service dog, or simply navigating a busy airport or attraction.

With Meta AI Glasses, the camera moves from the user’s hand to their line of sight. Users simply ask a question naturally, and the glasses can describe what is in front of them, identify objects, read text, or provide contextual information. If artificial intelligence cannot fully answer a question, users can still connect with a live Be My Eyes volunteer or participating customer service representative for additional assistance.

The result is a more fluid, hands-free experience that supports greater independence without replacing human assistance when it is needed most.

Common Travel Applications

The technology has practical applications across nearly every segment of the travel industry, including:

  • Navigating airports, train stations, and cruise terminals
  • Finding hotel amenities, elevators, or guest room numbers
  • Reading restaurant menus or buffet labels
  • Locating accessible entrances and pathways
  • Exploring museums, attractions, and visitor centers
  • Identifying products in gift shops or retail stores
  • Receiving assistance through participating businesses in the Be My Eyes Service Directory

Because the experience is hands-free, travelers can remain focused on navigating their environment while receiving information in real time.

Options for Destinations

Destinations, attractions, hotels, and tourism businesses have several ways to support travelers using Be My Eyes and Meta AI Glasses.

One option is to join the Be My Eyes Service Directory, allowing blind and low-vision customers to connect directly with trained customer service representatives through the Be My Eyes platform. Whether a guest needs help locating an accessible entrance, confirming reservation details, or navigating a venue, businesses can provide personalized assistance through a familiar accessibility tool.

Organizations may also choose to purchase Meta AI Glasses for guest services, accessibility teams, or visitor information staff. The glasses can be used by guests during their stay for confident navigation.

Enterprise subscriptions to Be My Eyes are tailored to each organization based on size, support needs, and integration requirements. Meta AI Glasses are purchased separately 

As wearable AI continues to evolve, the combination of Be My Eyes and Meta AI Glasses demonstrates how technology can complement accessible design and excellent customer service. 

Find more accessibility tech to better welcome all in TravelAbility’s Accessibility Playbook.

Innovation of the Month: SignSafe Tech Translates Text to Speech

by

A park visitor scans the QR code on a community park rules sign with their smartphone, activating SignSafe's text-to-speech translation.

What if a simple QR code not only translated text to speech, but could do it in any language, truly welcoming all to participate? This isn’t a literary fantasy, it’s SignSafe Tech’s innovation for inclusion.

The mission is simple: make public spaces more accessible and welcoming by embracing digital solutions that speak to all languages and backgrounds, bridging communities through tech that’s as inclusive as it is intuitive.

SignSafe Tech creates Text-To-Speech (TTS) on every sign, with over 240 language options, with the simple push of a button. No configuration, no app, no login. SignSafe automatically detects each device’s language and translates accordingly. Service includes analytics that can be used for safety, marketing, and overall enhancement of the patron experience. 

Plans vary, but start as low as $85 per sign, making it a practical solution for any type of destination.

↪Learn more about SignSafe Tech and start your free trial today.

Find more simple solutions and innovations for accessibility and inclusion in the Accessibility Playbook.

Product Comparison: All-Terrain Wheelchairs for Trails and Parks

by

Four people using various adaptive wheelchairs on a rocky forest trail with one person assisting another

No one wants to see the wilderness paved, yet we all agree that the great outdoors are for everyone.

The solution? An all terrain chair that makes it possible for people with mobility disabilities to navigate grass, gravel, bumps, inclines, and trails with typically inaccessible terrain. Find the best fit for your destination from these Accessibility Playbook options, then look into grant funding.

ProductTypeBest ForIndependenceTerrainTypical Price Range*
TrackchairPowered tracked wheelchair Destinations offering accessible trail experiences or rentals★★★★★
(Can be steered by joystick or remote)		Excellent on steep trails, mud, rocks, snow, and sand$13,800–$16,000+
Freedom Trax FT-1 ProMotorized track attachmentVisitors who already use a compatible manual wheelchair★★★★★
(User can roll their own chair onto the powered track platform)		Excellent on dirt, gravel, grass, roots, and moderate sandAround $8,000
GRIT Freedom ChairLever-drive all-terrain wheelchairActive users seeking independent off-road mobility★★★★★
(Arm powered by levers/handles)		Great on dirt trails, gravel, grass, and moderate obstacles$2,995–$5,495
Extreme MotusCaregiver-propelled all-terrain wheelchairParks offering guided hikes or experiences for visitors with limited upper-body strength★☆☆☆☆
(Pushed by caregiver)		Excellent on rugged trails, rocks, roots, sand, and snowAround $4,500

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Your name and email will never be sold to third parties.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Your name and email will never be sold to 3rd parties.