Steve Kelley
The new IrisVision Inspire is setting a new standard for comfort and video quality in a wearable. The Inspire pairs a smaller profile, lightweight virtual reality (VR) headset with a powerful smartphone to deliver performance in a comfortable wearable with some of the best image quality available, and integrates voice commands to make navigating the Inspire simple.
IrisVision uses a Samsung Galaxy S21 phone to power the Inspire, and removed the phone from the headset so the glasses are lighter and more comfortable. The headset connects to the phone's USB port with a cable. The phone is covered in a sturdy, clear case that can be connected to an included lanyard so the phone can be worn around the neck or shoulders. Once the phone is powered on, the Inspire can be operated with controls found and identified easily on the headset, or with a Bluetooth remote control, included. In addition, one of the most convenient features, is the ability to use voice commands to operate Inspire.
Getting Started
The Inspire ships in a hard cover carrying case and includes:
- Headset
- Phone
- Fast charger/stand
- Remote control
- Lanyard for the phone
- Head strap
- Detailed user guide
When powered on, the Galaxy phone opens to the pre-loaded Inspire software. Using the Android menu to open settings the user can connect to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth for both the remote control and earbuds (neither the headset nor phone use an audio jack). Like other Android phones, the Galaxy has an accessibility menu available in Settings to turn on magnification, contrast or TalkBack, if needed, during this setup. Following the directions in the user guide, the headset is plugged in and connected, and the remote is paired.
The remote is not essential for operation because all the controls are available on the headset. The remote is really handy though because it provides a trigger button that activates the listening mode for voice commands and a touchpad for swipe gestures that for some users will be easier to use than the controls on the phone.
The Inspire has a complete set of controls built into the headset. Two distinct buttons are beneath both the left and right display. A slide is beneath each lens to fine-tune focus for each eye. With the headset on, from left to right the controls are as follows:
- Cycle through primary menu items
- Select a menu item
- Cycle in reverse through secondary menu items
- Cycle forward through secondary menu items
How Does the Inspire Work?
Inspire provides a wide variety of viewing modes with the headset. The primary menu options include the following modes or apps, and each has its own secondary menu of options. Each secondary menu contains Voice Command as the first menu option, so at any one of the menus, Voice Command can be selected, and a verbal command used to navigate through the menus.
- Welcome includes global and device settings such as volume control, brightness, or the option to turn off either the right or left eye display.
- Scene is a full color display of the scene viewed through the headset which may be magnified up to 10 times.
- Bubble is similar to the Scene view and includes a bubble, or circular area within the scene which can be magnified while the rest of the scene remains unmagnified.
- Television provides a set of options to enhance the exposure, contrast, and brightness of another screen display, like a television, computer, or tablet.
- Reading Light provides color tints designed for reading, like yellow, green, and a dark mode that inverts the colors so black print on a white background is converted into white text on a dark background. Like the other modes, this contains a menu option for Flashlight On, which provides an additional light from the headset itself.
- RP, which stands for the eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa which limits the peripheral field of view. This mode is designed to narrow the field of view through the headset, similar to the way a prism might be used to enhance the view for a user with RP, glaucoma, or other similar eye conditions.
- Bioptic emulates bioptic glasses so that a smaller, rectangular, magnified view of a portion of the scene appears at either the top or the bottom of the display.
- OCR, or optical character recognition, is a mode that enables a picture of text to be taken and processed into digital text, which is then enlarged on the display and read out loud, with the words highlighted as they are read. OCR can be performed on the Inspire even when not connected to Wi-Fi.
- Outline light creates a live, high contrast outline of the scene viewed through the headset. Some of the menu options include changing the color of the outline, boldness, and magnification.
- YouTube provides enhanced viewing of YouTube videos. Searches are by voice command and search results displayed as menu items. When magnification is increased it is like watching the video on a virtual large screen—the user can move their head to view different portions of the magnified screen.
- Settings contains a variety of global device settings, including brightness, volume, field of view, audio speed, etc. Also, from Settings the Inspire can be put to Sleep or shut down.
Remote Control
The Inspire is navigated easily with the four buttons located below the display, as described above, with the notable exception of voice commands. Each secondary menu has Voice Command as the top menu option, but it takes a click or two to get there. The addition of a trigger switch on the remote enables the user to push the switch any time to make a voice command, so navigation can be much simpler with the remote. Some users will find the swipe gestures on the remote's small touchpad (side-to-side and up and down) easier than using the controls on the headset. For example the swipe gestures allow navigating the primary menu both forward and in reverse. Using the controls on the headset users navigate the primary menu moving forward only, which means going to the end of the menu and cycling back through options. The remote makes it easier to navigate back to a missed menu item.
Overall Impressions
IrisVision's Inspire includes a wide variety of modes for viewing. The Bioptic, Bubble, and RP modes are for a specific group of low vision users, who will find them uniquely designed for their needs. Overall, the image quality on the Inspire headset is quite good, thanks perhaps to the processing power in the Galaxy S21. Like other wearables, as the ambient light gets dim, the image does also pixilate. The headset is one of the most comfortable wearables, in part because the phone is not attached so it is lightweight, and it has a padded inner lining that blocks out additional light and keeps the image quality sharp. The flip side of the padded headset is that it is not really designed for users wearing glasses. Glasses may be accommodated by taking the removable lining out.
The speakers on the Inspire are located below and to the right of each display. As a result, they seem to be partially covered by the padded insert. For most users this will be inconsequential. For those with hearing loss, the speakers may be underpowered. Earbuds may be connected by Bluetooth for those needing more volume. This reviewer was able to connect hearing aids to the Galaxy, but the audio continued to be sent to the headset speakers. It is possible that there is an additional setting on the Inspire that was overlooked that would allow hearing aids to be used with the headset.
OCR on the Inspire is quick and accurate. This reviewer did notice a greater level of accuracy when the Inspire was connected to Wi-Fi. It is a bonus to have an onboard option so if Wi-Fi is unavailable, OCR is still accessible. One of the examples used during the review was a 3-column magazine article that has been problematic for other OCR software, and the Inspire managed it well. As is the case with other wearables, the optimal distance for capturing an image of a printed page in a magazine or newspaper is often more than an arm's length so it may be helpful to use a reading stand and place reading material a couple feet away when taking a picture for OCR. Once text is captured and processed, the OCR menu enables changing the text and background color for greater contrast and magnifying the text in the display. Text is highlighted as it is read out loud.
YouTube mode is an excellent feature, both for the ease of searching by voice, and the headset display that seems to create a virtual screen as the display is magnified so it feels as if you are looking at a large screen and can move your head back and forth to see different portions of the magnified image. Within YouTube a search term is spoken, and a list of search results is returned. Using the controls on the headset or the remote, the user scrolls through the list and selects the desired video which can be played or paused.
Lastly, for those users, like me, that find a comprehensive user guide a real bonus, the Inspire user guide included will not be a disappointment. Spiral bound, with stiff paper and large, bold print, this user guide covers the basics well, describes the various modes and their submenus, and provides a handy chart of the many voice commands that can be used to navigate the Inspire. The one drawback is that it is not included as a part of the software. Of course, once you have the Inspire up and running, you can just put the headset on and check out the user guide in the Reading Light mode or with OCR.
For more information about the IrisVision Inspire or to purchase the Inspire, go to the IrisVision website at IrisVision.com. Inspire can be purchased from the website for $3995, or for $125/month for 36 months.
