Getting around a college campus when you can’t see the building signs, room numbers, or even the person waving at you from across the quad-that’s the daily reality for visually impaired students. But two AI-powered tools are changing what’s possible: Microsoft’s Seeing AI and OrCam’s wearable devices.
This guide walks you through setting up and using both tools effectively on campus. if you’re a student with vision loss, a disability services coordinator, or someone helping a friend, you’ll find practical steps to make campus navigation less frustrating.
Understanding What Each Tool Does Best
Before downloading anything, know what you’re working with.
Seeing AI is a free iPhone app from Microsoft. It uses your phone’s camera to describe the world around you-reading text aloud, identifying people, describing scenes, and even telling you what’s in a photo someone texted you. The catch - you need an iPhone. Android users are out of luck here.
OrCam MyEye is a different beast entirely. It’s a small camera that clips onto your glasses and whispers descriptions directly into your ear through bone conduction. Starting around $2,500, it’s expensive. But it leaves your hands free, which matters when you’re carrying a backpack and coffee while trying to find your chemistry lab.
but: these tools complement each other. Seeing AI excels at quick text reading and photo description. OrCam shines for hands-free, real-time navigation. Many students use both.
Setting Up Seeing AI for Campus Use
Download Seeing AI from the App Store-it’s completely free with no hidden subscriptions.
Step 1: Configure Your Channels
Open the app and you’ll see different “channels” for various tasks:
- Short Text: Reads signs, room numbers, door labels instantly
- Documents: Scans full pages like syllabi or handouts
- People: Recognizes faces you’ve taught it
- Scene: Describes what’s happening around you
- Currency: Identifies paper money (surprisingly useful at campus vending machines)
Swipe left or right to switch between channels. Spend 10 minutes getting comfortable with this gesture before heading to campus.
Step 2: Train the People Recognition
This feature transforms campus life. Here’s how to set it up:
1 - open People channel 2. Tap “Add Person” 3. Ask your professor, TA, or friend to face you in good lighting 4. Hold your phone at chest level, about 2 feet away 5. The app captures their face from multiple angles automatically 6.
Do this for your professors during office hours, your roommate, classmates in study groups, and disability services staff. The app stores up to 100 faces. When you encounter these people later, Seeing AI announces their name as soon as it spots them.
Troubleshooting tip: Recognition works poorly in dim lighting or when people wear hats. If someone isn’t being recognized, ask them to remove sunglasses and face you directly.
Step 3: Practice the Document Scanning Technique
Reading printed handouts requires a specific technique:
1 - switch to Document channel 2. Place the paper on a flat, contrasting surface (dark table for white paper) 3. Hold your phone parallel to the paper, about 12 inches above 4. Listen for the guidance: “Move up… move left - hold steady” 5. When it says “Capturing,” freeze 6.
This takes practice. Your first few attempts will be frustrating. That’s normal. After a week of daily use, you’ll nail it in seconds.
Configuring OrCam for Classroom and Building Navigation
If you’ve invested in OrCam MyEye, here’s how to maximize it on campus.
Step 1: Attach It Properly
The magnetic clip attaches to most glasses frames. Position it on your dominant eye’s side-if you’re right-handed, clip it to the right side of your frames. This feels more natural when pointing at text.
The device should sit close to your temple, not sticking out awkwardly. Adjust until it feels balanced. An improperly positioned OrCam falls off at inconvenient moments. Ask me how I know.
Step 2: Learn the Gesture Commands
OrCam responds to simple gestures:
- Point at text: Reads it aloud immediately
- Point at a face: Announces the person (if previously saved)
- Double-tap the device: Activates time announcement
- Long press the button: Enters settings menu
Practice these gestures at home before class. The learning curve is about three days of consistent use.
Step 3: Save Important Campus Locations
OrCam can memorize and announce specific products and barcodes. Use this creatively:
- Save your student ID card so it announces “My student ID”
- Save classroom door signs so OrCam announces “Chemistry Lab 201” when you approach
- Save your locker combination lock for quick identification
The device stores these in its memory and announces them whenever it sees them again.
Practical Navigation Strategies That Actually Work
Having the technology means nothing without good strategies.
Finding Classrooms
Campus buildings follow patterns. Most number rooms by floor (200s on second floor, 300s on third). Learn your building’s pattern, then use Seeing AI’s Short Text channel to read door numbers as you walk down hallways.
Hold your phone at door-handle height, sweep it across each door you pass. The app reads numbers almost instantly. With practice, you’ll move through hallways at normal walking speed.
Managing Crowded Spaces
Dining halls and student unions present challenges. Here’s what works:
- Visit during off-peak hours first (2-4 PM for dining halls)
- Use Seeing AI’s Scene channel to get general descriptions (“A crowded cafeteria with people sitting at long tables”)
- Ask staff for orientation-most are happy to walk you through the layout once
OrCam can’t navigate crowds for you, but it can read menu boards and identify friends who are already seated.
Reading Whiteboards and Projections
Neither tool reads projected slides well. The angle, lighting, and distance create too many problems.
- Request slides from professors before class (disability services can help this)
- Sit in the front row, within 10 feet of the screen
- Use OrCam to read any printed handouts the professor distributes
- Record lectures for later review (get permission first)
Handling Unexpected Situations
A construction detour - a moved classroom. A cancelled office hours sign you didn’t see.
Seeing AI’s Scene channel provides context when you’re disoriented: “An outdoor area with construction barriers and a sign. " Then switch to Short Text to read the sign.
Don’t hesitate to ask passersby for help. A simple “Can you tell me what that sign says? " fills gaps that AI can’t.
Common Problems and Fixes
OrCam battery dies mid-day: The battery lasts about 90 minutes of continuous use. Carry the charging cable and grab 20 minutes of charging between classes. Some students keep a second battery.
Seeing AI struggles with handwritten text: It’s designed for printed text. For handwritten notes from classmates, ask them to photograph their notes and text you the images. Seeing AI reads text in photos reasonably well.
People recognition fails for one specific person: Some faces are harder to recognize than others. Delete that person’s profile and re-add them in better lighting. Outdoor, overcast days provide ideal conditions.
OrCam misreads text frequently: The camera might be dirty. Wipe it with a microfiber cloth. Also check that you’re pointing directly at the text-even a 15-degree angle reduces accuracy.
Making the Most of Campus Resources
Your disability services office is an ally, not a hurdle.
Request these accommodations:
- Priority registration (to schedule breaks between far-apart buildings)
- Extended testing time in quiet rooms with better lighting
- Digital copies of all course materials
- Permission to audio-record lectures
- A campus orientation walk-through with a mobility specialist
Most offices will also fund assistive technology if you demonstrate need. OrCam’s price drops to zero when your school covers it.
Final Thoughts on Building Independence
These tools aren’t perfect. Seeing AI sometimes misreads “Room 301” as “Room 801. " OrCam occasionally announces a stranger’s face as your friend because lighting was weird. Technology fails.
But the combination of AI assistance and human backup creates genuine independence. You’ll know which building you’re entering, what your professor wrote on the board, and whether that’s your friend or a stranger walking toward you.
Start with Seeing AI-it’s free and immediately useful. Add OrCam if budget allows and hands-free operation matters to you. Practice daily for at least two weeks before judging effectiveness. And remember that asking for help isn’t failure; it’s smart navigation.