Revolutionary AI glasses by University of Northampton graduate to transform independence for visually impaired
'We are proud to be contributing to the UK’s growing leadership in assistive technology'
Mavis Technologies, a Northampton-based assistive technology company founded by University of Northampton graduate David Sikharulidze, is set to transform the lives of blind and partially sighted people with the launch of its revolutionary AI smart glasses, Mavis Viaro and Mavis Itero.
Launched officially this month, the AI smart glasses feature a range of life-enhancing capabilities that will provide increased independence and confidence for people who are blind or have low vision.
Designed through lived experience and developed specifically for blind and partially sighted users, the technology addresses a rapidly growing and underserved need in the UK and beyond. An estimated two million people in the UK currently live with significant sight loss, a figure expected to rise to more than four million by 2050. At the same time, traditional support solutions remain under pressure, with long waiting lists for guide dogs and many mainstream technologies still not built with visual impairment as the primary user need.
Mavis Technologies was created to solve that gap. Founded in Northampton by visually impaired computer scientist and engineer David Sikharulidze, the company was born from both academic research and personal determination. Living with high myopia and a lifelong risk of retinal detachment, David understood first-hand the daily barriers faced by people with sight loss. What began as research into smart glasses as assistive technology during his second master’s studies evolved into a company with a clear mission: to build bespoke, life-enhancing solutions for the visually impaired community.
Today, the Northampton-based Mavis team is focused on creating category-leading assistive smart glasses that support safer navigation, better communication, and more confident independent living, with ambitions to scale first across the UK and then globally.
A major differentiator for the business is that Mavis Viaro and Mavis Itero will be manufactured in the UK, reinforcing the company’s commitment to British innovation, quality, and homegrown technology leadership.
Key product capabilities will aid the user in the following areas:
Obstacle detection: patented laser technology providing warnings in less than half a second
Environmental awareness: real-time description of surroundings
Navigation: turn-by-turn guidance
Reading and information access: printed text read aloud instantly
Facial recognition: identifying familiar faces
Communication: making and receiving calls and messages
Remote assistance: enabling friends or family to support users through video calling
David Sikharulidze, CEO and Founder of Mavis Technologies, said: “Our mission at Mavis Technologies is clear: to become one of the leading manufacturers of assistive smart glasses, first in the UK and then globally, empowering visually impaired individuals with greater independence, dignity, and confidence.
“The problem we are solving is urgent and deeply personal. Millions of people in the UK live with sight loss, and driven by an ageing population, diabetes, and delayed treatment, that number is expected to increase by 27% to 2.8 million by 2035. Many people think guide dogs are the answer, but the reality is that the average wait time is 16 to 18 months, with around 900 people currently waiting.
“We built Mavis through lived experience, listening directly to those who are blind or have low vision, in a country where one in 30 people in the UK suffer sight loss, and combining that insight with cutting-edge AI and practical usability.
“As a company committed to inclusive innovation, we are proud to be contributing to the UK’s growing leadership in assistive technology.”
With a compelling market need, differentiated UK manufacturing, and innovation grounded in lived experience, the launch of Mavis Viaro and Mavis Itero marks a significant step forward in redefining independence for blind and partially sighted people, while signalling the strength, scalability, and long-term potential of British-born assistive innovation.