FROM PERCEPTION TO AUTONOMY: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF MULTIMODAL AI IN VISION ASSISTANCE AND NEURAL RESTORATION (2020–2026)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/ts-v4i3y2026N05Keywords:
Multimodal AI, Vision-Language Models (VLMs/MLLMs), Visual Impairment, Assistive Technology, Neural Restoration, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), Retinal Prostheses, Haptic Wearables, Embodied Navigation, Cortical Implants.Abstract
This narrative review synthesizes 20 peer-reviewed and grey-literature sources (2020–March 2026) to chronicle multimodal AI’s evolution in vision assistance and neural restoration. From foundational vision-language models (CLIP, GPT-4V powering Be My AI) and conversational assistance, the field advanced to embodied wearables (.lumen haptic glasses with >97% accuracy and sub-second obstacle avoidance) and direct neural prostheses (PRIMAvera trial: +25.5 ETDRS letters gain, 84% regained reading; Neuralink Blindsight FDA Breakthrough Device). Across four phases—perception, conversational, embodied, and neural symbiosis—systems transitioned from reactive pixel-to-text mapping to proactive, intent-driven autonomy and cortical vision restoration, delivering unprecedented functional independence for the 2.2 billion people with vision impairment.
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