Fwd: [braille-n-teach] FW: [ww4b] -L] Visionauta: a real-time visual assistant for blind people, built by a blind former Google engineer

[Anne Ward]

Forwarded Message:
Subject: [ww4b] -L] Visionauta: a real-time visual assistant for blind people, built by a blind former Google engineer

Dear Editor,

My name is Jonathan Santos, I'm a blind software engineer, formerly at Google and Samsung.

I'm writing to kindly ask whether you might help spread the word about Visionauta, a completely free, non-profit accessibility app that uses artificial intelligence to give more autonomy to blind and low-vision people in their daily lives. I believe this app and its story could be of interest to your audience.

Please find the press release below with more details.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

São Paulo, June 24, 2026

AFTER ANDROID SUCCESS, VISIONAUTA ARRIVES ON IPHONE, BRINGING AUTONOMY TO PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

Jonathan Santos, a blind software engineer who worked at Google and Samsung, announces the launch of the iOS version of Visionauta, a free app that uses artificial intelligence to help blind and low-vision people with everyday tasks. The app is now available on the App Store.

The release follows the success of the Android version, launched in early 2026, which became a major hit within the visually impaired community, reaching thousands of users and earning very positive reviews. Now, that full set of features is available to iPhone users as well.

Visionauta works as a portable visual assistant. Simply point the phone's camera to read text aloud, identify banknotes, find lost objects, or ask questions about the surroundings.

One of Visionauta's standout features — available on both iOS and Android — is Real-Time Conversation: a mode in which the user talks to the artificial intelligence by voice, naturally and continuously, while it describes the surroundings and answers questions instantly — as if there were, right beside them, an assistant who can see for them.

"Bringing Visionauta to the iPhone was a constant request from the community. The success on Android showed there is a real need, and now no one is left out because of the platform they use." — Jonathan Santos

The idea emerged during his Master's degree in Computer Engineering at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, in the Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence courses.

"I thank professors Ismar Frango and Nizam Omar, who encouraged me to turn an academic project into a real tool for the community." — Jonathan Santos

APP FEATURES

The app features include: Real-Time Conversation with the AI by voice, offline text reading, recognition of banknotes in several currencies (Brazilian Real, US Dollar, Euro, Mexican Peso, Yen, Canadian Dollar, and Australian Dollar), electronic magnifier with high-contrast modes, voice-command object finder, and an AI assistant that describes scenes and answers questions. The iOS version is fully integrated with VoiceOver and the iPhone's accessibility features.

ABOUT THE DEVELOPER

Jonathan Santos is a software engineer specialized in Artificial Intelligence who worked at Google and Samsung. A researcher and PhD candidate in Computer Engineering at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, he is also a guest university professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo, where he teaches Generative Artificial Intelligence Applied to Healthcare. He is blind and dedicated to developing accessibility technologies that promote independence for people with visual impairments.

INFORMATION

App: Visionauta
Price: Free
Platforms: iOS and Android
Download iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/visionauta/id6780104967
Download Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=br.com.alphamob.aie
Press Release Online: https://www.tensorial.com.br/visionauta/press-release/?lang=en
Media Kit: https://www.tensorial.com.br/visionauta/press-release/visionauta-media-kit-en.zip
Contact: con...@tensorial.com.br <mailto:con...@tensorial.com.br>

###
_._,_._,_