AI-powered smart glasses enable visually impaired runners to compete in London Marathon by converting real-time camera feeds into spoken directions

Visually impaired athletes are now using smart glasses that capture video through a front-facing camera, process it with AI, and deliver audio descriptions through built-in speakers — allowing runners to navigate marathon routes independently without a sighted guide.

Unlike traditional audio descriptions that require pre-recorded guides, these glasses analyze the environment in real time, so the AI can warn about hazards (curbs, obstacles), announce turn directions, and describe the course as it unfolds — giving runners the autonomy to pace themselves and choose their own path.

For the visually impaired, this removes a major barrier to competitive sports: previously, marathon participation required hiring or training a guide runner. Now athletes can register and race on their own terms, opening London Marathon and similar endurance events to a wider community of disabled competitors.