Ipplex, the holding company that serves as an umbrella company for iVisit, the video and mobile video company that works closely with the Wound Technology Network, has recently launched a new product, called LookTel for the visually impaired. LookTel, which used to be call SeeScan (see our original coverage from last year here) is an augmented reality scanning service that helps visually impaired and aging users to quickly detect and recognize specific objects, locations and more. Ipplex developed LookTel with NIH grants and in partnership with the Veterans Administration. LookTel has also garnered support from visually impaired advocacy groups.

Here's how the Ipplex describes LookTel: "An automated visual scanning service which increases the functional independence of visually impaired and aging users by providing a mobile system with which the person can easily and quickly detect and recognize specific objects such as packaged goods, money, CDs, text, barcodes, landmarks and almost all other objects around the user's home or work. Another component of LookTel offers a "virtual pair of eyes" via the use of a cell phone camera and data link to a remote assistant who can look at live images through that cell phone camera and then describe the person's surroundings, indicating the location of landmarks, pathways to destinations, or locating and recognizing object and print media. Based on several years of research under NIH grants and in partnership with the Veterans Administration, the services promise to be groundbreaking for visually impaired users."

For more on LookTel, be sure to watch this video demo: