Treviranus, Butler & Fruchterman at Sight Tech Global

Sight Tech Global will be launching the week following Thanksgiving, specifically on December 2nd and 3rd, and this is the ideal moment to secure a complimentary pass! The schedule for this virtual, worldwide event focusing on AI-driven technology and accessibility solutions for individuals with blindness or visual impairments continues to expand with exciting additions.

We are pleased to announce the addition of two new sessions, along with the introduction of our host for Sight Tech Global, Will Butler. Butler is a vice president at Be My Eyes and the presenter of the well-known Be My Eyes and 13 Letters podcasts. He will be managing the Sight Tech Global virtual environment, providing ongoing commentary on the sessions and introducing speakers and moderators. Be My Eyes is also serving as the attendee support partner for Sight Tech Global, with volunteers available to answer any questions that may arise during the event.

Butler will be joined by several moderators from TechCrunch, including Matthew Panzarino, Megan Rose Dickey, Kirsten Korosec and Devin Coldewey.

Here are details regarding the two newly added panels:

AI, Fairness and Bias: How technologists and advocates can work together to ensure AI benefits, rather than disadvantages, people with disabilities

While artificial intelligence technologies, such as natural language processing and computer vision, clearly offer significant potential for enhancing accessibility, there are also instances where these technologies introduce biases against individuals with disabilities by comparing them to established “norms” within databases. This panel will examine specific examples of this occurring – in areas like employment software, benefit assessments, or even autonomous vehicles – and explore strategies for addressing these issues from their inception.

Jutta Treviranus, Director of the Inclusive Design Research Center

Lydia Brown, Policy Counsel, Privacy and Data Project

Moderator, Jim Fruchterman, Founder, Benetech

Inventors at Work: Three innovative approaches to assistive technology

Throughout history, inventors have been motivated to dedicate their talents to assisting individuals who are blind. Consider pioneering figures like Louis Braille and Ray Kurzweil, for example. Today’s forward-thinking innovators have access to affordable sensors, rapid data networks, and cloud-based data processing and computing capabilities, enabling them to achieve more than ever before. This session will feature three founders who will present products that are either currently available or soon to be released, with the potential to significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Keith Kirkland, Wayband

Karthik Mahadevan, Envision Glasses

Andreas Forsland, Cognixion

Moderator, Ned Desmond

Sight Tech Global is organized by the nonprofit Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, an organization that has been serving individuals in the San Francisco Bay area for 75 years. All revenue generated from the event, which is entirely volunteer-run, will be used to directly support the Vista Center’s programs for people who are blind or have low vision. We extend our gratitude to the sponsors who are supporting Sight Tech Global, including Waymo, Salesforce, Mojo Vision, Ford, Vispero, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Comcast, accessiBe, Eyedaptic, APH, Humanware, Verizon Media and TechCrunch. Sponsorship opportunities remain available.