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Heavy and cumbersome low vision headsets weighed down by smartphones impose a burden on patients that can undermine their motivation to use them regularly. A new low vision wearable from IrisVision, called Inspire, allows the phone to remain in the wearer’s pocket rather than housed inside the headset, reducing its weight to half that of the company’s previous model, a press release explains.

The device captures real-world images and remaps them in real time to functional areas of the patients retina, the company says. Software allows for improved visualization during distance, intermediate or near tasks and offers autofocus and 70° field of view with up to 14x magnification, according to IrisVision. The company website also mentions that Inspire comes with unlimited cellular data connectivity and includes a hands-free voice control function to give commands such as “reading mode,” “reduce brightness” or “zoom in.” The headset features a padded eye guard that can be used for full light blocking or removed for wearers who want a sleeker profile.

The IrisVision Inspire may offer a more patient-friendly solution to those with low vision, the company suggests.

For more information, visit www.irisvision.com.