Google launches Guided Vision in Gemini Live, a spoken camera guide for blind users

Guided Vision is built for people who are blind or have low vision, and Google says it also helps anyone who needs to read fine print in low light. The company previewed the feature in September, as part of its Android feature drop, and has now released it across compatible Android devices. The announcement does not mention iOS.

What it does with the camera

With Guided Vision turned on, you share your camera during a Gemini Live session. Gemini describes your surroundings aloud and answers follow-up questions about what the camera shows. If the camera points too high, too close, or off to one side, Gemini gives spoken cues: pan slowly to the right, tilt downward, or step back.

Google lists four everyday uses.

• Reading fine print and complex text, such as nutrition labels, appliance dials, and printed menus in dim light.
• Finding objects nearby, such as a dropped earbud on the floor or one jar in a crowded spice cabinet.
• Describing colors, patterns, and shapes, for example whether a shirt goes with a pair of trousers.
• Giving an overview of an unfamiliar space, a room layout, or the objects on a table.

How it was trained and tested

Google says it partnered with Aira to visually interpret data for a total of tens of thousands of hours. According to the company, more than 1,000 members of Aira's Trusted Tester network helped stress-test the model in daily routines, and Aira specialists helped establish and evaluate its safety guardrails. Google also says the feature supports conversations in multiple languages. It says testing included blind and low-vision communities in India, Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries. The post gives no accuracy figures.

Three ways to start it

Guided Vision runs on devices with Android 9 and above, in the regions and languages where Gemini Live is supported. Google advises updating both the Gemini app and the Android system software first.

• In the Gemini app, open your profile settings and switch on Use Guided Vision in Live. Then open Gemini Live and share your camera.
• In Android Settings, under Accessibility, Vision assistance, and Guided Vision, set up an accessibility shortcut: the floating accessibility button, a two-finger swipe, or both volume keys.
• In Google TalkBack, open the TalkBack menu with a three-finger tap and select Guided Vision.

What Google says it is not

Google states that Guided Vision can make mistakes, like any generative AI technology. It is not a medical device, a mobility aid, or a replacement for a white cane. It is not intended for navigation, safe-travel guidance, or obstacle detection, and Google tells users to keep relying on established mobility aids.