COLUMBUS, Ohio & BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is starting a new partnership with EnChroma® to enhance color accessibility for visiting guests who are color blind. Starting July 10, COSI will make 12 pairs of special EnChroma glasses available for those who experience red-green colorblindness to borrow at no cost.
While people with normal color vision see over one million shades of color, those with red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) are estimated to see only about 10% of hues and shades. As a result, many colors can appear dull, muted, washed out and indistinguishable; purple looks blue, red seems brown, gray appears pink, and green and yellow can look similar.
EnChroma’s patented lens technology is engineered with special optical filters that help people with red-green color blindness see an expanded range of clear, vibrant colors. A study by scientists at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio illustrated the benefits of the glasses. EnChroma glasses are not a cure for color blindness and work for approximately 80% of people with red-green colorblindness. Results and reaction times vary.
“COSI takes pride in proving that Science is for Everyone in all its forms. Through our partnership with EnChroma, we continue to offer enriching experiences that transcend traditional barriers,” said Katherine Davis, manager of special education experiences and strategies at COSI. “By bringing solutions like EnChroma's color vision technology, we can make science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) more inclusive and accessible to a much broader audience.”
“With over 300 interactive experiences for guests to explore, including ‘The Nature of Color’ exhibition, COSI truly inspires interest in science, technology, engineering, art and math,” said Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma. “By being the first museum in Columbus to make EnChroma glasses available to its guests who are colorblind, COSI continues to demonstrate its commitment to inclusion and accessibility.”
One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%) are color blind. With over two million people visiting COSI annually, approximately 85,000 will be color blind. Among the 2.1 million residents in the Columbus metropolitan area roughly 91,000 are color blind; nearly 500,00 in the state of Ohio; 13 million in the US; and 350 million worldwide.
Founded in 1964 and celebrating 60 years, COSI makes science real and relevant for learners of all ages. Whether it is through fun hands-on experiences, creative media programming, distribution of science kits locally and around the globe or by hosting engaging community events and programs that promote accessibility and inclusivity, COSI demonstrates that “Science is Everywhere and for Everyone™.” In this spirit of inclusivity, COSI joins over 100 other museums worldwide in supporting guests with color vision needs by offering EnChroma glasses on loan at no charge. To see images of colorful exhibits at COSI as they appear to the color blind, click here.
EnChroma colorblind glasses can be borrowed at COSI’s main atrium desk when the museum is open, and the glasses can help 80% of people with deuteranomaly or protanomaly types of red-green color blindness.
Media Link Only: To download high quality images and videos from guests using EnChroma Glasses, please click here. Please credit all assets, “Courtesy of COSI.”
About COSI
COSI, voted the “#1 Science Museum in the Country” by USA Today’s 10Best for four consecutive years (2020-2023), is an esteemed science center that has delighted Central Ohio with all things science for 60 years, inspiring interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) topics and delivering experiential, “hands-on” learning opportunities. COSI has been awarded five Emmys for its effective science communication television and video productions impacting science literacy for people of all ages. As a trusted educational resource for families, schools and community partners, COSI is an essential element of our regional and national community, engaging millions of people annually through onsite, offsite and online experiences. Learn more at www.cosi.org.
About EnChroma
Based in Berkeley, Calif., EnChroma produces leading-edge eyewear for color blindness and low vision, and other solutions for color vision, sold online and through Authorized Retailers worldwide. Invented in 2010, EnChroma’s patented eyewear for color blindness combines the latest in color perception, neuroscience and lens innovation to improve the lives of people with Color Vision Deficiency around the world. EnChroma received an SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It earned the 2020 Innovation Award in Life Sciences from the Bay Area’s East Bay Economic Development Alliance. For more information call +1-510-497-0048 or visit enchroma.com.
