With the rapid pace of development in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, we have seen various tech giants and developers come up with new tools, apps, and accessories to help the blind community. Recently, we saw Google and Apple develop dedicated systems to help the visually-impaired. Now, an India-based developer has developed an AI-based backpack that helps blind people move around freely without any help from another person.
So, the way it works is pretty simple. The user, other than the backpack, has to wear a Bluetooth-enabled headset, a vest with the necessary sensors, and a fanny pack to store the battery and other equipment. The vest contains hidden Intel sensors and a front-facing camera to capture the surroundings.
The system is voice-based. So, when the user activates it by saying “Start”, it starts analyzing the surroundings and gives instant feedback to the user via the Bluetooth headset. Mahendran says that he primarily worked to shorten the lag time between the processing and the feedback delivery as delays can be often dangerous for blind or visually-impaired people. So, he used the Intel-powered Luxonis OAK-D unit that processes camera data instantly to provide zero-lag feedback.
Going into the future, Mahendran aims to develop his technology and continue working with the community. He is also planning to make all his data freely available for other researchers to use for their innovative projects. He also submitted a research paper about his project, which is currently awaiting review.
