Twin sisters in Shelton who were born blind are using a new technological assistive device from California's Aira company to do things like read restaurant menus and navigate tight spaces.

Barbara Lombardi and Betsey Doane -- who were both born blind -- use pairs of Wi-Fi connected glasses, capable of contacting Aira agents for assistance with tasks that require another set of eyes.

The devices are designed for the blind and people with very low vision. They include cameras that the agents can access.

The sisters, ham radio operators for roughly the past six decades, say that before they began using Aira's glasses their communications were solely by touch and sound.

"It's life-changing, absolutely life-changing," says Doane, who is a professor at Housatonic Community College. "I was at a conference recently...and I navigated the hotel. There were 1,600 teachers, and of course I had some help, but really I just navigated fine."

Aira released the devices this year. The Shelton sisters are among more than 1,000 people in the country who use the service so far.

"It's the freedoms we've never known," Lombardi says. "It's fantastic."