Multiglass is a Vietnamese technology startup founded in 2017 with the mission of developing solutions to support people with disabilities and improve traffic safety. On its innovation journey, Multiglass has taken a path that is both compassionate and challenging: creating technologies that allow people with disabilities to operate computers using only eye and head movements, while also developing features that detect drowsy drivers to help prevent traffic accidents.
The original idea behind Multiglass arose from a critical yet overlooked need in society: how to enable people with disabilities to independently access technological devices. While traditional tools like a mouse and keyboard continue to pose significant barriers for individuals with limited mobility, the founding team developed a minimalist yet breakthrough prototype—a smart glass device integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and retinal recognition. This allows users to interact with computers through blinking and head movements. A blink with the left eye acts as a left mouse click, a blink with the right eye corresponds to a right-click, and head movements control the cursor on the screen.
Multiglass’s initial product can be considered an MVP—minimum viable product—targeting a specific user group with clear needs. The combination of minimalist hardware and finely tuned software algorithms has resulted in a relatively smooth user experience, opening up significant commercialization potential in organizations supporting people with disabilities, rehabilitation centers, and special education schools.
But the team didn’t stop there. They also identified another major issue that their technology could address: driver drowsiness. By applying eye-tracking technology and fatigue expression analysis, Multiglass smart glasses can detect early signs of sleepiness and issue sound or vibration alerts to warn drivers. This feature is especially useful for transportation companies, ride-hailing services, and long-haul fleets—groups at high risk of accidents due to driver inattention. Compared to fixed in-vehicle solutions (such as cabin-monitoring cameras), Multiglass offers advantages in portability and user personalization, while also being less invasive of personal privacy.
Throughout its development, Multiglass has made a strong mark on Vietnam’s startup ecosystem. The startup won First Prize at TECHFEST Vietnam 2019—one of the country’s largest startup technology events—for the innovation and social value of its product. In November 2019, Multiglass participated in the ASEAN Korea Startup 2019 event in South Korea. Through this event, the company was introduced by Lotte Accelerator to a South Korean government investment fund and secured an investment worth “several million USD” as well as a business collaboration opportunity with SK Telecom in the Korean market.
With the vision that “No one is left behind,” Multiglass is steadily realizing its dream of a more inclusive society—where technology serves equality and safety. In a world facing challenges such as an aging population, rising traffic accidents, and growing needs for specialized care, solutions like Multiglass are not merely tech products, but part of a future that embraces compassion and sustainability.
