By ERIN BEGGS & MIKE WILEY
Contributor and Publisher
For the blind and visually impaired, an increasingly visually-based, high tech world is a growing challenge. However, East County’s Patrick Burton has tackled that challenge using the latest technology combined with a caring commitment to making life better for the visually impaired.
For Burton, technological innovation is not just about creating something new—it’s about creating something meaningful, impactful, and transformative for those who need it most. Burton hopes to make the world more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
Burton is CEO and one of the four co-founders of Benvision. Benvision’s Gofundme page describes the work of Burton and Benvision, “Inspired by the late Ben Underwood, who taught himself echolocation when cancer took his eyesight away, our mission was to create a more inclusive and beautiful world through combining music with the concept of echolocation, resulting in our first prototype of BEN (the Binaural Experience Navigator).”
Working through melody
Here’s how it works: By utilizing musical cues, Benvision communicates information to the visually-impaired user. For example, a melodic sound means an “alive object,” an object that is alive, such as a person or an animal. This is important as an “alive” object may be moving, something the visually impaired person must be aware of. A different “ambient sound” can communicate that the object is not alive and is likely stationary. The pitch of a sound can communicate the size of the object — the lower the pitch, the bigger the object. Volume can communicate distance. Other sounds can indicate the intractability or the direction of the object.
Benvision co-founder Soobin Ha said, “With musical cues, we can give more information to the user including the position of the objects and the size of the objects and the textures of the objects.”
Burton said, “We thought that if the human brain is already capable of using a technique like echolocation, then surely we can meet it somewhere half-way with this incredible technology at our hands and allow people to extrapolate nuanced meaning from musical-based spatial audio cues.”
Dr. Cal Roberts, host of the On Tech and Vision podcast, praised Benvision’s approach, noting how it uses sound in the same way “Peter and the Wolf” tells a story through musical cues: “Once you understand the premise, you can see the entire scene in your mind.”
Burton expanded on the two ways Benvision assists the visually impaired. He said, “Basically it has two different modes of operation. One is object-based where trees or plants will have their own sound. Pieces of furniture, like refrigerator or sink or a toilet, they all have different sounds assigned to them. That aids in finding household objects or other landmarks around a space. Then the other mode that it uses is based on something called Visual Positioning System, VPS, kind of like GPS, but it’s a little bit more precise. With VPS, we basically go into a space, and we create a 3D digital scan, kind of like a digital twin.”
The team then inserts audible digital waypoints that the visually impaired person can use to navigate the space more easily using audio cues.
A Vision of Psurpose
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” — Thomas Edison
Benvision’s story is rooted in an annual event put on by the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology called the “MIT Reality Hack.” This event challenges innovators to use new technologies to solve real-world problems. The event focuses on using two emerging technologies — augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR). (Augmented Reality puts graphical data about the environment that a user can see on their smart phone or smart glasses. Virtual Reality typically uses headsets to completely recreate an environment for the user.)
Participants include developers, designers, and engineers from around the world who come together for five days to collaborate and solve real-world problems using cutting-edge immersive technology. To even be included in the event is seen as a hallmark of innovation and creativity. Burton’s team secured a win in the Inclusion Track in 2023 with their project, a project which laid the foundation for creating Benvision.
For Burton, participating in the MIT Reality Hack wasn’t just a platform to showcase his technical expertise; it was a formative experience that reinforced his belief in innovation as a tool for empowering people.
Building BenVision: A Team Effort
Burton’s co-founders shared his vision of making technology accessible, intuitive, and most of all, useful.
Today, Benvision has two main products:
• BEN (The Binaural Experience Navigator) is under development. BEN offers intuitive, binaural audio cues that help users navigate their surroundings seamlessly. By creating a 3D audio map of an indoor or outdoor space, like rooms and parks, using musically-based spatial audio, BEN provides precise directional feedback, helping users perceive their surroundings. BEN was the winner of the MIT Reality Hack 2023 Inclusion Track.
• They have also developed a product called Speakaboo. Speakaboo provides real-time audio transcriptions of text-based content. Currently serving over 3,000 users worldwide, Speakaboo enhances access to information for individuals seeking auditory support when reading documents, emails, or articles. Speakaboo was a nominee for Developer of the Year 2024 at AppleVis.com, a prominent community for blind tech users.
Viddyscribe project
Working with Aaditya Vaze, Burton also has developed another award-winning tool called ViddyScribe.
Developed and co-founded by Burton and Vaze, ViddyScribe is a web-based tool designed to improve video accessibility for people with vision impairments, non-native speakers, and anyone who benefits from visual summaries and captions. By utilizing advanced AI, ViddyScribe automatically generates audio descriptions and creates concise video summaries. This tool serves educators, students, and content creators who need reliable, accessible captioning for digital media. ViddyScribe was the winner of Best Web App at the Google Gemini API Developer Competition in November 2024.
The Hull Foundation: A Partnership of Purpose
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
One of the most meaningful chapters in Burton’s journey has been his collaboration with the Hull Foundation, located in Sandy. The foundation is an organization dedicated to empowering people who are blind or visually impaired. The Hull Foundation provides services designed to foster independence, confidence, and community for individuals dealing with vision loss.
From Volunteer to Advocate
Burton’s involvement with the Hull Foundation began with a simple desire to learn. He started as a volunteer, attending retreats and workshops to better understand the daily challenges faced by people with vision loss. Immersing himself in conversations with participants, he listened to their stories and observed how they navigated their surroundings.
“Volunteering was essential,” Burton explained. “I didn’t want to design something based on assumptions—I wanted to build solutions rooted in real experiences.”
His time as a volunteer with Hull deepened his empathy for those with significant visual impairments. It helped him to realize the need for new, intuitive, user-friendly tools.
Recognizing that the Hull Foundation’s community could offer invaluable feedback, Burton worked closely with the community to test Benvision’s apps and refine their features. He sought their input during development to ensure that the technology met their needs. This hands-on experience has laid the foundation for an ongoing partnership with the Hull Foundation.
New tools enrich lives
The assistive tools developed by Burton and his team have had a profound impact on the Hull Foundation’s community. Participants have shared how these tools enhanced their independence and confidence. Shanell Matos, a volunteer from the Lighthouse Guild, noted on the On Tech and Vision podcast: “The nice part is that every sound they’ve created feels instinctual. A water drop sounds like a water drop—so when you think of water, you immediately consider where it would be in the room.”
The Ripple Effect of Innovation
By equipping blind and visually impaired individuals with the tools they need to thrive, Burton and the Foundation enable participants to move toward greater independence. This also positively impacts their families, friends, and communities.
The Hull Foundation’s help with technology training, mobility workshops, peer support groups, and immersive retreats, aligns with Burton’s vision.
Accessibility is a priority
Patrick Burton remains steadfast about using technology to make an increasingly visual world accessible to the blind and visually impaired. His work with the Hull Foundation has deepened his belief that innovation is most powerful when it serves humanity.
Reflecting on his journey, Burton said, “Innovation isn’t about fame or recognition—it’s about finding solutions that make people’s lives better.”
The Hull Foundation continues to expand its reach, driven by a culture of compassion and innovation. Their partnership with Burton exemplifies what’s possible when technology and empathy intersect. The Foundation’s ongoing initiatives, coupled with Burton’s dedication to empowering individuals, is a beacon of hope and progress for the visually impaired community.
Innovation and empathy
Patrick Burton’s story is a reminder that innovation driven by empathy and purpose can transform lives. His partnership with the Hull Foundation in Sandy, and his work at the MIT Reality Hack, show how new technology can help bridge gaps and open doors to greater independence and opportunity. Hopefully, blindness will someday be cured. But in the meantime, Burton is helping to pave the way for a more accessible life right now for the visually impaired.
For those inspired by Burton’s journey and the Hull Foundation’s mission, donations can make a real difference. To support their work, visit hullflc.org and contribute to their efforts in fostering independence and empowerment for the visually impaired community. HVN