Allison interviews Igor Feinberg from Case For Vision about their phone case that assists visually impaired people or those who suffer from age-related vision loss.
The Case For Vision is an innovative iPhone-based optical mechanical case that functions as a hands-free, high-quality magnifier. When used with the Case For Vision 2.0 specialized software app, it is a powerful magnification tool for people with vision loss.
The Case For Vision is designed to resemble a standard smartphone protective case and provides similar protection for the phone. It features stainless steel articulated legs and a custom-designed, optical-grade mirror module. The legs and mirror can be folded flush with the phone case when not in use for magnification.
To use the Case For Vision in magnifier mode, just unfold the two legs and set the phone case legs on top of the item that requires magnification. Using the iPhone’s camera, the app displays a stable and focused magnified video image, hands-free. The app allows the user to pan and zoom the image, adjust image contrast, turn on/off the camera’s flashlight, and freeze the image when desired. All images can be saved to the Photo Library.
To use the case in telescope mode, you simply unfold the stowed mirror on the back of the case, set the phone case legs on a stable surface, and view distant objects with pan and zoom control and audio/video record capability.
The Case For Vision is compatible with iPhone 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro, 16, and 16 Pro. Another version is compatible with iPad 11 Pro, 11 Air, and 11 (10th gen).
Learn more at https://www.caseforvision.com/
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Transcript of Interview:
Allison
One of the problems with having low vision is you’re maybe in a restaurant and you’re trying to read a menu, or maybe you’re at home and you’ve got something you need to read and there’s a lot of contraptions that are big, bulky setups that use separate displays, but Case for Vision has come up with a different solution, and I’m talking to Igor Feinberg about that. So you’ve got what looks like a big, bulky iPhone case in your hand.
Igor
Well, it actually looks like a protective case where you can insert your own iPhone, and then on the back of that phone, there are two legs that can be opened, and that case becomes a stand.
And then with the use of our application, also called Case for Vision, you will be able to magnify any printed material under the camera, or if you flip a hidden lens at the back of the case, it opens an optical mirror that acts as a lens, and I’ll show it on this. Let’s do the first thing first and then come back to it. Okay. Sounds good.
Allison
Okay, so what we have here is we’ve got just a standard iPhone, and it’s in the Case for Vision, and the legs stretch way out, and it’s standing up above a piece of paper, right?
Igor
Correct, correct. And then we are going to use our Case for Vision application.
Allison
Okay. Now I have two choices, magnifier or telescope.
Igor
Correct. And let’s start with the magnifier. You click on the magnifier, you have a printed material under the Apple iPhone camera.
Allison
Can I pinch to zoom?
Igor
Please do.
Allison
Oh, look at that. It’s in perfect focus because you’ve set that focal distance by the case, right?
Igor
Absolutely correct. You are absolutely correct. And then you will be able to pan live image, which is something very unique. Usually people freeze the image first, then they manipulate the image.
Allison
Right, so I’m watching live video essentially, right?
Igor
You are watching live video, and you can see the larger space than the width of 8.5 by 11 page.
Allison
So if I’m… Different kinds of low vision can see different kinds of contrast, so I’m guessing this contrast button is going to do something fun. So I’m going to tap it once.
Igor
And that is sharper, black on white.
Not grayscale anymore. If I click it again, I get white on black.
Igor
Correct.
Allison
And again…
Igor
Yellow on black. And then it comes back to…
Allison
Then back to grayscale. Yeah. No filter.
Igor
And if you are in a darker space, like a dark restaurant, you will be able to turn the flashlight on or off.
Allison
Now it’s lit up. It happens to be a fairly well lit place, but I can see definitely needing that all the time.
Igor
Right.
Allison
I see a snowflake. Can I poke that?
Igor
Please do, and that would enable you to freeze the image. And then of course you will be able to zoom in, zoom out.
Allison
Okay, but that’s a frozen… Okay.
Igor
Now imagine that you want to save that image. This is the icon to save the image, and it will save it right onto your photo library.
Allison
Okay, so if I want to come back to it…
Igor
It will save the image that has been saved.
Allison
Okay, I assume this is accessible with VoiceOver?
Igor
Yes, yes, it does. So if I want to now go to a telescope mode, and I can show you on this…
Allison
Okay, you got a second one?
Igor
I have the same second setup here. So the way I accomplish that is there is a hidden mirror at the back of the case.
Allison
Oh, I see. It’s flipped out on the back side of the camera lenses.
Igor
And what one can do is close that mirror and open that mirror. It opens that at 45 degrees, and you will be able to change the angle if you want to see any particular distance object. So imagine that you have students in school environment where they need to see whiteboard or blackboard. They will be able to see it magnified on this iPhone.
Allison
Okay so right now we’ve got it in the stand, but I would have those legs folded up and be looking…
Igor
No, you don’t have to. All you have to do is adjust the angle of the mirror.
Igor
Oh I see. We’re kind of looking at Steve close up. Move to the side a little bit, Steve. So now I’m trying to not see you. So I’m tilting the mirror.
Igor
That’s right. So let me do that. And that’s what you see.
Allison
I see. Okay, it’s a little bit hard to get the angle. Okay, there you go. And now I could zoom in and read something across the room.
Igor
And you can see across the room.
AllisonI see.
Igor
So it does everything that we just talked about in magnify function, but in addition you will be able to audio and video record whatever you see at a distance. So if I hit that record button, it is recording right now whatever is going on over there. And if I want to stop it, I just hit this again. It gives you a message. Would you like to save that or would you like to discard that?
Allison
That is really cool. So this is all built into the case. And are you shipping the case for Vision today?
Igor
We are absolutely shipping. Everything is available. One can buy it on our website, www.caseforvision.com.
Allison
And how much does it cost?
Igor
The cost is \$299.
Allison
That’s not bad.
Igor
And for the season period, we are offering $50 off.
Allison
Wow, that’s fantastic. And I assume the app is a free download?
Igor
The app is a free download from App Store. This is from Apple Store.
Allison
Is this only for iOS or is it for Android as well?
Igor
It’s iOS for now. This is the first product in the line of products. We have a similar arrangement with the iPad, specifically iPad 11 Pro, 11 Air, and 11 10th generation.
Allison
That’s a tough market. Apple keeps changing the size by a quarter of an inch on you.
Igor
But we realize that. So what we said with the case for Vision for the iPhones, if somebody changes the phone to the next model, they will bring us the existing case that they have been using. We will provide the new case free of charge.
AllisonDo a trade-in.
One time free upgrade.
Allison
Wow, that’s fantastic.
Igor
That is only one time.
Allison
You’ll have them hooked, Igor. This is fantastic. This is really, really interesting. I love this.
Igor
And of course, the same arrangement you can do with the scanning station that we created.
Allison
Oh, OK. You’ve got a scanning station over here. OK.
Igor You have that platform that we provide. And we have those plastic leg extensions to raise the phone higher so we can see the entire 8.5 by 11 page.
AllisonOh, I see.
Igor
We have particularly like scene AI application for optical character recognition. And that’s what one can use right away. All of it is also available.
Allison
All right. Very cool. Well, we’ll definitely send people to caseforvision.com.
Igor
Thank you so much.
Allison
Thank you.