Georgia Aquarium adds new tech to help low-vision visitors see exhibits
(Courtesy of the Georgia Aquarium)
ATLANTA - Georgia Aquarium is rolling out a new accessibility feature for visitors with low vision through a partnership with Baltimore-based ReBokeh Vision Technologies.
What we know:
Beginning immediately, all guests and staff will have free, unlimited access to ReBokeh — a mobile app that lets users enhance and customize how they see the world around them using tools like contrast adjustment, zoom, color filters and lighting changes. The technology also includes an AI-powered feature that can answer questions about what the camera is seeing and translate signage into the user’s preferred language.
The Aquarium is now the first in the nation to offer ReBokeh’s software to onsite visitors. Officials say it will allow people who still have functional vision — roughly 90% of low-vision individuals — to experience exhibits visually on their own terms rather than relying solely on tactile or audio descriptions.
What they're saying:
"Our key mission is to unlock the ocean for all," said Sam Herman, Director of Guest Programs at Georgia Aquarium. "This partnership with ReBokeh is integral to our continued commitment to accessibility for all."
ReBokeh founder Rebecca Rosenberg, who has low vision herself, said being able to engage visually with exhibits "can be an incredibly powerful experience," and hopes other museums, zoos and public venues will follow Georgia Aquarium’s lead.