Engineers from the University of Colorado Boulder exploit the progress of artificial intelligence to develop a new type of cane for the blind and the disorders visually. The researchers say that their “intelligent” walking stick will one day help the blind to sail and perform daily: from the grocery store to the choice of a siege in a crowded cafe.
The team's cane looks like an ordinary red and white cane, but it also has some additions: using camera and computer vision technology, walking stick cards and catalog the world around it. He then guides users using vibrations in the handle and spoken directions, such as “reaching a little to your right”.
According to the developers of the “intelligent” walking stick: “AI and computer vision improve, and people use them to build autonomous cars and similar inventions, but these technologies also have the potential to improve the quality of life of many people”.
First, the research team explored the potential of technology using the “smart” cane to guide the user in a crowded place and help find an empty seat, for example, in a cafeteria.
Study of the subjects attached on a backpack with a laptop and picked up the smart walking stick. They moved to study the room with a camera attached to the cane's handle. Like an autonomous car, the algorithms that run inside the laptop identified the different objects in the room, then calculated the route to an ideal seat. The study showed promising results: the study participants were able to find an empty chair in 10 of the 12 trials with different levels of difficulty.
After that, the researchers adapted their device for different use. The new goal was to help blind or visually impaired people find and grasp products on store shelves with dozens of similar and similar appearance choices. They have created a product photo database in their software. The study participants then used the walking stick to scan the shelf, looking for the product they wanted.
It will take a while before the “intelligent” walking stick is in the hands of real users. But researchers also hope that their preliminary results will inspire other engineers to rethink what robotics and AI are capable of.
