Apple Vision Pro gains wheelchair control, on-device speech recognition and vehicle motion cues

Vision Pro now life-enhancing technology

Apple announced new features for users to control power wheelchairs with Apple Vision Pro using their eyes. A new power wheelchair control feature leverages the precision eye-tracking system on Apple Vision Pro to offer a responsive input method for compatible alternative drive systems.

Also announced is on-device speech recognition whereby subtitles are generated privately and appear automatically for uncaptioned videos on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro.

Moreover, Vehicle Motion Cues come to visionOS, which can help reduce motion sickness for people who use Apple Vision Pro as a passenger in a moving vehicle. Vision Pro will also support face gestures for performing taps and system actions, plus a new way to select elements with one’s eyes while using Dwell Control.

“The option to control my power wheelchair on my own is gold to me,” said Pat Dolan, founder of GeoALS and a member of Team Gleason’s patient advisory board, who has lived with ALS for 10 years. “With this new feature, Apple is developing life-enhancing technology for the people who need it most.”

Source: Apple Newsroom

NB: We have not yet arrived at WWDC yet Apple unveils huge new accessibility features powered by Apple Intelligence and reveals Vision Pro functions that will change lives. The Vision Pro remains the most remarkable machine I've ever seen or heard of. It is S tier.

Be sure to read the full release in the linked page from the Apple Newsroom. I chose to focus on the Apple Vision Pro portions but much more is being announced.

I chose the AVP because I had read some false claims made about it being deprecated. The latest announcement highlights Apple moving the product in yet another unforeseen direction: helping people with disabilities. To commit to this level of development speaks volumes.

Noteworthy is also in-vehicle use--something that until now has not seen much attention. I have tried motion cues with the iPhone. It's pure magic.

Medical professionals are paying attention even if the cynics aren't.