The integration of advanced technologies is revolutionizing classrooms, significantly enhancing their intelligence, interactivity, and personalization. Central to this transformation are sensor technologies, which play pivotal roles. While numerous surveys summarize research progress in classrooms, few studies focus on the integration of sensor and AI technologies in developing smart classrooms. This systematic review classifies sensors used in smart classrooms and explores their current applications from both hardware and software perspectives. It delineates how different sensors enhance educational outcomes and the crucial role AI technologies play. The review highlights how sensor technology improves the physical classroom environment, monitors physiological and behavioral data, and is widely used to boost student engagements, manage attendance, and provide personalized learning experiences. Additionally, it shows that combining sensor software algorithms with AI technology not only enhances the data processing and analysis efficiency but also expands sensor capabilities, enriching their role in smart classrooms. The article also addresses challenges such as data privacy protection, cost, and algorithm optimization associated with emerging sensor technologies, proposing future research directions to advance educational sensor technologies.

Research into new solutions for wearable assistive devices for the visually impaired is an important area of assistive technology (AT). This plays a crucial role in improving the functionality and independence of the visually impaired, helping them to participate fully in their daily lives and in various community activities. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of the literature published over the last decade on wearable assistive devices for the visually impaired, retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) using CiteSpace, to provide an overview of the current state of research, trends, and hotspots in the field. The narrative focuses on prominent innovations in recent years related to wearable assistive devices for the visually impaired based on sensory substitution technology, describing the latest achievements in haptic and auditory feedback devices, the application of smart materials, and the growing concern about the conflicting interests of individuals and societal needs. It also summarises the current opportunities and challenges facing the field and discusses the following insights and trends: (1) optimization of the transmission of haptic and auditory information while multitasking; (2) advance research on smart materials and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration among experts; and (3) balance the interests of individuals and society. Given the two essential directions, the low-cost, stand-alone pursuit of efficiency and the high-cost pursuit of high-quality services that are closely integrated with accessible infrastructure, the latest advances will gradually allow more freedom for ambient assisted living by using robotics and automated machines, while using sensor and human–machine interaction as bridges to promote the synchronization of machine intelligence and human cognition.