Chinese scientists use AI to help visually impaired to ‘see', explore the world
Chinese scientists say they have developed a wearable artificial intelligence system that can help visually impaired people to navigate their way around the world.
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An AI algorithm analyses real-time footage of the environment and gives the user concise directional prompts via bone conduction headphones, according to a paper published on Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Machine Intelligence.
Artificial skin sensory motors on each wrist monitor the user's surroundings and vibrate an alert if they detect potential obstacles on either side, it said.
The system was developed by engineers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, East China Normal University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in collaboration with researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology at Fudan University.
'This research paves the way for user-friendly visual assistance systems, offering alternative avenues to enhance the quality of life for people with visual impairment,' they wrote.
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Lead author Gu Leilei, an associate professor with Shanghai Jiao Tong University's School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, said that the AI-powered system was designed to optimise the user's experience through intuitive cues.
'Lengthy audio descriptions of the environment can overwhelm and tire users, making them reluctant to use such systems,' Gu said.
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