honestly this is stupid. Another money grab. You'll never ever replace the cane.
Sent from my iPhone > On May 23, 2021, at 4:54 PM, Priscilla Garces (prisci) <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Hi everyone, > Thought this might be interesting to read. > > >> >> https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/25/innovations-ai-backpack-blind/ >> >> Researchers design an AI-powered backpack for the visually impaired >> Artificial intelligence researchers hope the bag will one day replace canes >> and guide dogs >> >> Dalvin BrownMarch 25, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EDT >> >> Researchers at the University of Georgia created an AI-powered backpack to >> help visually impaired people navigate the outside world. (Intel) >> Among the latest iterations of next-generation assistive accessories is a >> backpack powered by Intel’s artificial intelligence software. It’s designed >> to audibly alert wearers when they’re approaching possibly hazardous >> situations like crosswalks or strangers. >> >> The backpack, which has yet to be named, was revealed Wednesday but could >> face years of development before a consumer-ready version is launched. >> Still, the product offers a glimpse at what a future could look like as >> progress in AI and machine learning increasingly help people with vision >> issues better perceive their environments and, therefore, live more >> independently. >> >> The backpack was created by researchers at the University of Georgia, who >> took existing computer vision techniques and combined them into a system >> that seeks to replace the need for a cane or guide dog. >> >> Irony was really the driving force behind the idea, according to Jagadish K. >> Mahendran, the lead researcher at the University of Georgia who also >> specializes in computer vision for robots. >> >> What's next for wheelchairs? Maybe autonomy. >> >> “I met with my visually impaired friend, and she was describing problems to >> me that she faces daily. And I was struck: For the past few years, I’ve been >> teaching robots how to see things while there are people who cannot see >> things and need help,” Mahendran said. >> >> There’s nothing outwardly special about the backpack’s design: It looks like >> an ordinary gray knapsack with a small computer, such as a laptop, inside. A >> match-box-sized GPS unit is affixed to the outside. >> >> In a demonstration video, the user also wears a vest with tiny holes to >> conceal an embedded AI camera. When connected to the computer, the 4K camera >> captures depth and color information used to help people avoid things like >> hanging branches. The camera can also be embedded in a fanny pack or other >> waist-worn pouches. >> >> The spatial camera, built by the computer vision company Luxonis, can read >> signs, detect crosswalks and see coming changes in elevation. >> >> Bluetooth earphones allow the user to communicate with the system and vice >> versa. So the wearer can ask out loud for location information, and the >> system will tell them where they are. If the camera spots a threat like an >> incoming pedestrian, it can tell the wearer. >> >> It’s too soon to know how much such a device would cost consumers, but >> several start-ups and organizations are working to solve the same issues, >> and the tech doesn’t come cheap. >> >> WeWALK’s smart cane with obstacle detection sells for $600, 10 times as much >> as an ordinary white cane. OrCam MyEye Pro, a wireless smart camera that >> reads what’s in front of you, runs $4,250. >> >> Social media has upped its accessibility game. But deaf creators say it has >> a long way to go. >> >> Researchers at the University of Georgia went with a backpack design because >> it would help visually impaired people avoid unwanted attention. They used >> Intel’s Movidius computing chip because it was small and powerful enough to >> run advanced AI functions with low latency. >> >> The next step is to raise funds and expand testing. They hope to one day >> unleash an open-source, AI-based, visual-assistance system. The researchers >> have formed a team called Mira, made up of some visually impaired volunteers. >> >> “We want this solution to be inclusive and as transparent as possible,” >> Mahendran said. “Our main motto is to increase the involvement of visually >> impaired people in their daily activities and reduce their dependency on >> others.” >> > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > [email protected]. 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