Lions Visual Independence Foundation is an Australian not for profit charity wholly owned and operated by Lions International who have committed to this initiative of empowering Australians living with blindness and low vision through assistive technology.

They are governed by an executive team of Lions supported by a technical advisory committee. This committee consists of Vision Australia, Guide Dogs Victoria, GS1 Australia and Matthews Australas.

The aim of the Foundation is to "bring happiness to the blind and low visioned Australians through the use of assistive / adaptive technology"

In recent times, technology has developed to empower the blind and low visioned live a more independent life. The sad thing is that this technology costs and many potential beneficiaries are low income Australians managing on a blind pension who have no means of affording assistive technology.

The ID Mate Summit talking barcode scanner is their first product which provides blind and low visioned Australians with a greater sense of independence and empowerment to choose and identify items in their daily lives. It can be sued to identify food, clothes, music, medications and anything that a barcode can be attached to. Complete with a massive onboard database of common products, the ID mate can personalise information such as adding

details for medication dosages and warnings or even adding cooking instructions to food items.

You can experience the joys of an ID mate demonstration through your local blindness agency. In remote areas, the Foundation may have recipients willing to show you their own personal ID mate

Through the grants program, many Australians in need of this technology have been able to access grants to reduce the cost to an affordable level.

For further information, visit www.visualindependence.org.au, telephone 1300 787 469, email Info@visualindependence.org.au  or mail enquiries to P.O. Box 2307 Kew 3101