Advances in Substitutive Technologies for Supporting Visually Impaired Individuals
Gia Gupta
21/07/2026
Visual impairment is a significant public health issue, with over 253 million people in the world affected. These individuals face major limitations on their independence, mobility and daily social functioning. The evolution of assistive technology (AT) for blind and low vision (BLV) individuals has progressed from the basic devices like a white cane and braille reader, to more intelligent and technologically advanced wearable systems and multimodal sensor-fusion devices. The objective of this review is to critically compare commercially available assistive devices, experimental research-based assistive systems and the new hybrid technologies for BLV individuals. By evaluating these three categories, the review aims to identify their respective strengths, limitations, and future research opportunities for improving accessibility, usability, and independent living. This paper evaluates the AT landscape which consists of 3 major segments: commercial devices, experimental research systems and hybrid technologies. While traditional methods are reliable and cost effective, they do not provide environmental information or physical access. Research based systems in turn have demonstrated improved spatial navigational skills, object recognition, better contextual understanding and also demonstrated greater abilities in the area of haptic feedback. Experimental algorithms use commercial consumer electronic devices that give rise to hybrid systems that are less costly, more resilient, scalable and less cognitively demanding. The comparative study of the existing technologies reveals a high degree of accuracy, latency and contextual sensitivity, yet the technology is still not affordable, accessible and ready to be deployed. The review reflects the latest developments in clinical and laboratory research and highlights the role of user-centered and cost-effective assistive ecosystems integrated and working together. Moving forward, further developments in sensor fusion, wearable technology, and adaptive AI systems are expected to bring about improved autonomy and quality of life for BLV individuals in the future.