Meta Donates 1,000 Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses to Singapore Organisations

Meta announced in Singapore a donation of 1,000 Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to organisations serving people with disabilities, as well as Gardens by the Bay.

The recipients are the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, Guide Dogs Singapore, the Singapore Disability Sports Council and Gardens by the Bay. Meta is also providing US$30,000 for accessibility training.

The announcement was made at an accessibility showcase co-hosted by Meta and the Singapore Disability Sports Council. Attendees included members of the disability community, athletes, staff from partner organisations and government officials.

Training for people with visual impairment

Meta’s grant will support the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped in developing and delivering a free programme. It will cover object identification, text reading and voice commands to help users apply the glasses safely in daily situations.

Meta said the glasses can help people who are blind or have low vision read text, identify objects and receive descriptions of their surroundings. Representatives of the organisations pointed to potential uses supporting independence, learning, work, sport and participation in community life.

Building accessibility at Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay will explore how the glasses could complement existing initiatives for visitors with visual impairment, including sensory tours and a pilot robotic guide dog project.

The event was attended by Eric Chua, Singapore’s Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Social and Family Development; Singapore Disability Sports Council president Teo-Koh Sock Miang; Paralympian Theresa Goh; and representatives of the partner organisations.