Intel AI-Powered Backpack Helps Visually Impaired Navigate World

Artificial intelligence (AI) developer Jagadish K. Mahendran and his team designed an AI-powered, voice-activated backpack that can help the visually impaired navigate and perceive the world around them. The backpack helps detect common challenges such as traffic signs, hanging obstacles, crosswalks, moving objects and changing elevations, all while running on a low-power, interactive device.

The World Health Organization estimates that globally 285 million people are visually impaired. Meanwhile, visual assistance systems for navigation are fairly limited and range from Global Positioning System-based, voice-assisted smartphone apps to camera-enabled smart walking stick solutions. These systems lack the depth perception necessary to facilitate independent navigation.

How It Works: The system is housed inside a small backpack containing a host computing unit, such as a laptop. A vest jacket conceals a camera, and a fanny pack is used to hold a pocket-size battery pack capable of providing approximately eight hours of use. A Luxonis OAK-D spatial AI camera can be affixed to either the vest or fanny pack, then connected to the computing unit in the backpack. Three tiny holes in the vest provide viewports for the OAK-D, which is attached to the inside of the vest.

A Bluetooth-enabled earphone lets the user interact with the system via voice queries and commands, and the system responds with verbal information. As the user moves through their environment, the system audibly conveys information about common obstacles including signs, tree branches and pedestrians. It also warns of upcoming crosswalks, curbs, staircases and entryways.

Credits: BharaniDharan K

Comments

WHY ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEAN ARE NOT MIXED?

Nearly 72% of the earth is filled with water and it is present with different names- oceans, seas, rivers. Why are they named differently? There are five oceans namely Artic ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean and Antarctic ocean . All the oceans are different in their physical and biological character called ocean clines. When we look at the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean junction, they do not mix. Is there any invisible Wall in between them? Many scientists have conducted research to solve this mystery. The Atlantic and Pacific Ocean have different chemical composition. The salinity of the water in the Atlantic Ocean is five times more than the Pacific Ocean. The density of water is also different, so even marine animals in Atlantic Ocean will not go to the Pacific Ocean. They cannot survive in other oceans. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet at Cape Horn. The narrow straight line formed by the water bodies is called Drake Strait. The Pacific Ocean is ...

How did fruits get their names?

There is a variety of fruits in today's world. Each fruit has a name and the names are derived from foreign languages - modern and ancient. Some of these fruits have names that don't go with the fruit also. The name gooseberry has nothing to do with geese. It was originally called gorseberry. 'Gorse' in Saxton (a language spoken by early germanic people) means 'rough'. This fruit grows on a rough or thorny shrub. Just like the gooseberry, the fruit strawberry has no connection with straws. Strawberry is the changed name of 'strayberry'. The strawberry runners stray in all directions and hence the name. Peaches have been around for thousands of years. This fruit made its way to Europe when the Romans were around. The Romans called it 'persicum' meaning 'Persian apples. It was traded by the Persians during that time. The national fruit of New Zealand kiwi was found in China. In other countries, it was called Chinese goo...

LEECH THERAPY

Early Egyptian, used leeches to treat the nervous system, abnormalities, dental problems, skin disease and infections. Nowadays mostly used in plastic surgery and microsurgery. The saliva of leech secretes peptides and proteins which prevent blood clot. These secretions also called anticoagulant to keep blood flowing will help to heal the wounds. This therapy is seeing a revival or renewal due to its simple and inexpensive means of preventing complications. These medicinal leeches most often come from Hungary or Sweden. Leech has 3jaws in them two tiny rows of teeth. They make a hole in a person skin and insert the anticoagulant through their saliva. Each leech allows extracting (up to 15ml of blood) for 30 to 45 minutes. Chemical derive from the saliva of leech made into pharmaceutical drugs that can treat hypertension, haemorrhoids, skin problems, arthritic appreciate treatment for common joint disease osteoarthritis, ci...

Home

Search This Blog