During a technology demonstration, Susan Mazrui, an Aria Explorer, shops for her daughter at a Sea-Tac Airport shop, with assistance over her cell phone.

The Port of Seattle recently introduced a pilot program for people who are blind or low vision that allows them to use a new technology to move more safely and independently through Sea-Tac Airport.

During the pilot program, there will be no cost to travelers to use the Aira service, which uses smart glasses and a cell phone mobile app to help them navigate from curb to gate.

This technology allows the user to speak to a certified live, human agent who can see the environment around the user in real-time. Agents then serve as visual interpreters for passengers to accomplish a variety of tasks in the airport—from viewing a flight information board to finding the cue line at a security checkpoint to verifying their luggage at a baggage carousel.

Sea-Tac is the first airport on the West Coast and is among the first airports in the nation to join the Aira Airport Network to provide this assistance.