Blind man can now ‘see’ and read thanks to amazing new technology
A MAN who lost his sight 23 years ago is now able to identify what is in front of him, read various
documents with some special spectacles that use Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Now a pensioner, Jim Welch from Crook, set up the charity, ‘Blind Life in Durham’ in 2004 when he
realised the difficulties faced, including isolation, of those who have lost their sight. In 1991, he
suffered a spinal disorder and had two operations, which left him a wheelchair. Jim was born with
sight in only one eye although his parents and medical staff weren’t aware of it until years later
when a teacher at his primary school noticed something was wrong.
Having sight in only one eye didn’t stop him from living life to the full, probably because he didn’t
know any better. He finished school, he went into the world of work and he passed his driving test.
His family were business people and owned a haulage removal business and motor car garage where
Jim was to become a motor mechanic. He loved cars and he loved driving.
He married his wife, Margaret, and they have two adult children and two grandchildren. It is
Margaret who was by his side through the trauma of sight loss and she has been there with him
when they founded the charity and has helped to run it. She is his mainstay, always there and always
supporting him and so she continues to support him and help where she can.
At first, the loss of sight was both bewildering and frightening: the couple didn’t know anyone else
with sight impairment. But with help from Social Services coupled with Margaret’s determination,
after just a couple of months, Jim began to think positive and to basically make the best of a bad job.
Some research was done into what was available for people with severe vision impairment and sight
loss within the county with the result that wasn’t very positive.
Although total blindness came as a huge blow to Jim, he refused to give in and continued to serve
his local community and local county too on a variety of panels and committees. He wanted – and
succeeded – to continue his community and charity work.
Margaret, meanwhile, was researching how other sightless folk spent their time: she looked for
clubs and societies and found one in Willington. They joined and being the couple they are, ended
up running it!
They had the idea of setting up their own organisation and received help from the Community
Development Workers at Wear Valley District Council, Craig Morgan and his successor, Retty
Wynyard, who offered advice on how to put policies together and so forth. That is when Blind Life in
Durham was born – registered as a charity in 2004.
The charity is a friendly, pro-active group of blind and partially sighted people that meet regularly
at events where they enjoy chats and plenty of laughs. It provides monthly talks on a range of
subjects, social events; days out together; accessible New Age Kurling and New Age Bowls and
Boccia. Blind Life in Durham have taken part in New Age Kurling Competitions around the country.
Jim said after he and Margaret founded the charity: “Losing your sight is like bereavement, not
just for the person but also their family. It is hard to explain unless you experience it. The only word
to describe it is, ‘devastating’. For me it came after a long fight against having to use a wheelchair as
I injured my back during my 14 years working as an HGV fitter. I had always been a very active
person until then. I got that far down that there was only one way to go and that was – up. Blind
Life in Durham is a lifeline for me. I couldn’t have done any of it though without the support from my
wife Margaret. She works tireless voluntary hours, together with other volunteers to help the
organisation progress.”
As he was a member of various panels, including those dealing with equality and especially equal
access for such organisations as the Police and Criminal Justice System as well and Health Watch, Jim
needed to learn how to work a computer as a blind person. It was Margaret who suggested he
learned to touch type.
“He needed to learn that skill so he could use the computer himself,” said Margaret who again
was his support network along with son, Colin and daughter, Alison. “So, we went to Bishop
Auckland College for help.”
They went to the Royal Corner Outreach Centre in Crook where Jim was aided by tutor, Joan
Moss.
“I learned how to use software,” recalled Jim. “ I became adept in working computers with the
help of those programmes that spoke to me!”
He was so good that he won a regional award and it wouldn’t be the last as he steamed ahead,
determined to enjoy life and to help others like himself in the process. There was acknowledgement
from DCC Education Department and Community Action with awards. There were also some
remarkable opportunities that he and Margaret grabbed with both hands.
These included a course offered by Sailability at Scaling Dam Reservoir, a charity run by the Royal
Yachting Association that is basically boating for people with disabilities. The charity’s Patron is HRH
The Princess Royal who Jim had the pleasure of meeting. He was also invited to Downing Street to
meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who he and Margaret had tea with before accompanying him
to one of the 2012 Olympics Women’s Volley Ball matches.
“We have certainly had some wonderful experiences,” said Jim. “None so special as the invitation
to HM The Queen’s Garden Party one year.”
Jim continued his work outside of Blind Life, sitting on more panels. He is a very busy man who
works hard for his local area, never letting his disability affect him but now he has some new
spectacles, the world is his oyster.
It was at an exhibition held in St James Park, Newcastle where the couple attended that they
found some vision impaired equipment.
Jim takes up the story: ‘This man asked me to try some specs on with built-in headphones and
handed me a piece of A4 paper telling me to look towards it. The specs then began reading out
everything that was printed on it! The demonstrator told me, in answer to my questions, that these
spectacles could read a shop sign from across a street and also read out destinations on buses.”
Jim and Margaret were amazed but the price was too much and they didn’t take it any further.
Until, Margaret had a spell in hospital and they heard about similar glasses again – Ray Ban Meta,
which is a range of smartglasses created by Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica . They include two
cameras, open-ear speakers, a microphone, and touchpad built into the frame. They are the latest in
a line of smartglasses released by major companies. By this time, the price had reduced to just £345.
Jim puts them on and gives simple commands like ‘Meta, Look and See’ and he is instantly given a
description of what is around him. It will describe the furniture, the colours, people, animals –
anything that would have been in his line of sight. It can read documents, books, letters etc and it
can also make phone calls via What’s App on his mobile phone. In fact, it works from a phone APP.
“I asked it once what was on my plate before I ate my dinner and it replied, ‘Looks like chicken
kievs, savoury rice and chips on your plate’ – and counted the chips! It can even determine between
a cup of black coffee or black tea.
“It really is amazing and life-changing. I can listen to music using them and if I am out walking I will
ask it what is front of me – if it replies a tree, I can ask it what type of tree. It can even tell me what
kind of money note I have – recognising the difference between a fiver and a tenner, for example.”
These incredible glasses can also take videos that Jim can download on to his mobile phone and
when he plays it back, it gives a running commentary. And it all works from Artificial Intelligence.
“I never thought for one moment after losing my sight that I would ever be able to do things I can
now. It really is life-changing”, concluded Jim.
Artificial Intelligence, certainly in this instance, is nothing to worry about and the creators are to
be applauded. It has changed the lives of both Jim and Margaret for the better.
