Tokyo Event Introduces High-Tech Products for Visually Impaired

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:38 JST, October 27, 2025

A voice control TV by Sony Corp. is one of the products on display at an event for visually impaired people in Sumida Ward, Tokyo.

Sight World, which was held earlier this month, showcased products equipped with the latest technology.

Thirty-nine companies and organizations participated in the event at the Sumida Sangyo Kaikan building, including major electric appliance makers and car manufacturers. They introduced products and services designed for visually impaired people to enjoy their daily life.

Wireless earphones by Sony do not cover the user’s ears completely, allowing ambient noise to be heard. The earbuds can pair with a walking assistance app that provides the user with voice guidance for walking, such as the direction to the destination, any obstacles on the route and the color of a traffic light ahead.

Flat-screen TV Bravia, also from Sony, comes with a talk-back system that reads out the TV program listing and an auxiliary function for the user to control the volume and change channels with their voice.

“Normally, I ask my family to read out the display, but this helps me control things whenever I want,” said a man who tried the function.

At Sony, employees with disabilities have joined production development from this fiscal year. The company has thus begun considering production designs for all its products that, in principle, allow anyone with or without disabilities to use them.

Daihatsu Motor Co., which is developing a device placed on the shoulder to assist with walking, introduced a voice alert function for it. The function uses a camera and image recognition technology to provide voice alerts about obstacles, such as a utility pole. Tanita Corp., which took part in Sight World for the first time, exhibited a voice-operated body composition analyzer.