Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Market

Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

Global demand for assistive technologies for visually impaired people stands at a market value of US$ 4.2 billion in 2023 and is extrapolated to rise at an astronomical 13.1% CAGR from 2023 to 2033. As such, the global assistive technologies for visually impaired market is forecasted to reach US$ 14.4 billion by the end of 2033.

Assistive technologies are those that are designed to help disabled and challenged people lead a normal and comfortable life. The number of people with disabilities has been increasing rapidly in recent years owing to rising cases of trauma and road accidents. The rising incidence of vision impairment and blindness around the world will also majorly influence shipments of assistive devices for visually impaired people in the future.

• As per a fact sheet published on the World Health Organization (WHO) website, an estimated 2.2 billion people are projected to have some sort of vision impairment.

An increasing aging population is also a prime contributor to surging demand for assistive products such as screen readers for the blind, computer screen magnifiers for visually impaired, low vision assistive devices, etc. in the future. The growing availability of novel assistive devices for blind people and frequent new launches of novel technologies are also projected to favour disable and elderly assistive technologies marketplace over the next ten years.

Supportive government initiatives to facilitate the development of novel assistive devices for the visually challenged and people with other disabilities are also expected to create new opportunities for suppliers of assistive technologies for the visually impaired going forward. On the contrary, the lack of awareness regarding certain advanced assistive devices and technologies is predicted to influentially hinder overall market growth potential over the coming years.

High costs of advanced assistive devices and a dearth of skilled professionals to train visually challenged people for the use of advanced assistive technologies are other challenges that companies operating in the assistive technologies for visually impaired industry space will have to face across the forecast period.

Report Attributes	Details
Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Market Size (2023)	US$ 4.2 Billion
Projected Market Value (2033F)	US$ 14.4 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	13.1% CAGR
Market Share of North America (2033F)	~40%
Asia Pacific Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	~14% CAGR
Key Companies Profiled	LS&S LLC Amedia Corporation Cambium Learning ViewPlus Dolphin Computer Access Ltd. VFO American Thermoform LVI Low Vision International HumanWare Group Access Ingenuity

How are Start-ups Working to Enhance the Lives of Visually Challenged People?

“New Companies Developing Innovative Technologies to Assist to Visually Impaired”

New manufacturers of assistive devices for visually impaired people are expected to invest in the integration of advanced technologies to create innovative solutions that aid the dim-sighted population.

• In October 2022, Eyedaptic, a new company founded in 2016 that developed a proprietary technology to aid visually impaired individuals, announced the launch of its new smart glasses to improve the sight of visually challenged people. The Eye5 is a wearable device that comes with AI-powered sight assistance.

Companies developing assistive technologies for the visually impaired are also focusing on bagging new capital to fund their business expansion efforts and compete with established market players.

• In February 2023, Purdue Ventures, an investment arm of the Purdue University-connected start-ups, announced that it has invested US$ 250,000 in an assistive educational technology company called Tactile Engineering Inc. This investment is part of the company’s US$ 1.5 million funding round. The company was estimated to use these new funds to expand its research and business scope.

India is anticipated to be a highly lucrative and opportune market for established as well as new producers of assistive technologies for visually impaired over the coming years owing to favorable government initiatives like Made in India and a growing number of people with vision impairment.

• As per statistics listed on The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) website, India is the leading country with the maximum number of individuals with vision loss at an estimated number of around 275 million people in 2020.

New companies are focusing on capitalizing on the high population of visually challenged people in India by developing and launching affordable devices for visually impaired individuals.

• Nexart, a start-up based in India, unveiled its mobile application called Eyewey which utilizes technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to assist visually challenged people. The company aims to make assistive technology affordable for disabled people and make their lives easier.

More new developments by start-ups and how they augment product standards and pricing trends have been explained in this newly published technologies for visually impaired market research analysis by Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider.

Country-wise Insights

Why is Japan a Prominent Market for Providers of Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired?

“Presence of Huge Senescent Population Creating Moneymaking Opportunities”

More than 30% of the Japanese population is of or over the age of 60 and this makes it a highly lucrative maker for all types of assistive technologies. Low-vision assistive devices and screen readers are some popular assistive products that are anticipated to witness high demand in Japan over the next ten years as the aging population increases.

People aged over 60 are more at risk of being affected by glaucoma, a condition that is one of the leading causes of blindness in elderly people around the world.

• As per the information listed on the Glaucoma Research Foundation website, the Japanese population has recorded a higher incidence of normal tension glaucoma as compared to other countries and accounted for more than 90% of glaucoma cases in the country.

The implementation of supportive government initiatives to improve the quality of life for the elderly people in Japan is expected to majorly influence sales of assistive technologies for the visually impaired over the next ten years.

Which European Countries Should Product Suppliers Invest In?

“Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Hungary to Be Prime Markets”

Sales of assistive devices for visually impaired people in Europe are anticipated to witness a bright outlook over the coming years owing to the rising focus on health and fitness and the increasing geriatric population in the region. Russia is anticipated to be a prime market in this region followed by Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary, and other countries.

Based on a general observation, it is found that Eastern European countries have a higher level of vision impairment as compared to Western European countries.

• As per the statistics listed on the European Blind Union website, over 30 million people in Europe have some sort of vision impairment or are completely blind.

Increasing aging population is projected to emerge as a prime trend for sales of assistive devices and technologies in European countries by the end of the forecast period.

Will the United States Be an Opportune Market in This Space?

“Rapid Adoption of Advanced Assistive Technologies”

The United States is anticipated to lead the sales of assistive technologies for visually impaired in the North American region across the forecast period owing to the rapid adoption of advanced assistive devices and easy access to assistive technologies in the country.

Favorable reimbursement, developed healthcare infrastructure, increasing availability of novel blind aid devices, and a growing aging population are other aspects that could bolster demand for assistive technologies for visually impaired people through 2033.

• As the statistics listed on the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) website, nearly 12 million people 40 years or older have vision impairment of some sort in the United States.

Category-wise Insights

What Makes Educational Devices & Software Important in Assistive Technology?

“Increasing Spending on Education around the World”

Based on product, assistive technologies for the visually impaired are segmented into educational devices & software, mobility devices, low-vision devices, and others.

Surging spending on education by the public as well as private educational institutions around the world is projected to be a key factor propelling sales of educational devices and software over the coming years. The increasing adoption of blind aid devices in academic learning and the growing availability of advanced braille devices for blind and visually challenged students are other factors that promote growth in this segment throughout the forecast period.

The launch of new initiatives and efforts taken by educational institutes to improve inclusivity on their campuses are also anticipated to uplift sales of text readers for the visually impaired, braille computers, etc. in the future.

• In 2023, ITMO University, a state-supported university located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, revealed that it would be launching its Programming for the Visually Impaired Master’s program. The program will be aimed at teaching IT specialists to develop assistive technologies and products that can be used by visually challenged people.

Competitive Landscape

Leading suppliers of assistive technologies for the visually impaired are focusing on launching new products that allow visually disabled people to enjoy all aspects of life just like normal people.

• In March 2023, Sony, a leading Japanese multinational organization, announced the launch of a new camera kit that is designed for visually impaired people. The new DSC-HX99RNV camera kit comes with a unique viewfinder and a compact camera.

Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Industry Research Segments

• By Product :

  • Educational Devices & Software
    • Braille Duplicators & Writers
    • Braille Computers
    • Mathematical & Science Devices
    • Reading Machines
    • Others
  • Mobility Devices
    • Canes
    • Others
  • Low Vision Devices
    • Smart Glasses
    • VTS Link
    • Magnifying Lenses
    • Others
  • Others

• By End User :

  • Blind Schools
  • Enterprises & Social Organizations
  • Personal Use
  • Federations & Hospitals
  • Others

• By Region :

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • APAC
  • MEA