Visually Impaired Runners Use AI Smart Glasses for London Marathon Training
Visually impaired athletes like Tilly Dowler and Sha Khan are incorporating AI-powered smart glasses into their preparation for the London Marathon. The devices provide real-time audio feedback to aid navigation and tracking. Experts highlight benefits and challenges, including reliability in crowded events.
winnipegfreepress.comLONDON — Tilly Dowler ran past Buckingham Palace during training in London, closing in on her goal of completing the London Marathon despite her visual impairment. Dowler, who has Stargardt disease and about 10% useful vision, began running in 2025, starting with a couch to 5K program and building up to marathon distance.
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She is preparing to run the London Marathon with her boyfriend as her guide, using AI-powered smart glasses to help her navigate and track her progress, @ABC reported.
“They are AI assisted,” she said. ” She said the glasses allow her to combine audio feedback with guidance from her running partner. “I can put my music on but still be able to listen to my guide runner,” she said. Dowler is among a growing number of visually impaired runners using AI-enabled smart glasses, which are wearable devices that combine standard consumer products with cameras, microphones, and open-ear speakers.
These smart glasses can be controlled with voice, buttons, or simple gestures and use artificial intelligence to interpret surroundings and provide audio feedback, @ABC reported. The most well-known smart glasses are from Meta in partnership with Ray-Ban and Oakley. More than 7 million pairs of Meta Ray-Bans were sold in 2025.
But they’ve also stirred privacy worries, including being used to film people without their knowledge as well as concerns that Meta was sending the video to human reviewers for AI training. Sha Khan lost around 90 percent of his vision in 2021 due to retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. Khan uses AI smart glasses as part of daily life and training, @ABC reported.
“It’s like literally a part of me now,” he said. ” Khan also relies on his guide dog, Moby, in his day to day life, using him for navigation outside of running. He said the hands free nature of the glasses is especially useful because it allows him to stay focused on working with Moby without needing to handle a phone.
