Wearable AI Travel Assistant

Problem Statement

Due to the lack of affordable and easy-to-implement navigation systems for persons with visual impairment, they face challenges travelling independently, specifically with obstacle identification, route instruction, traffic light signal, and bus route number identification.

Solution

This wearable AI travel assistant by Nanyang Polytechnic offers a low-cost and easy-to-implement navigation system for persons with visual impairments.

As an enhancement of the e-Guide Dog funded during the first grant call of Tote Board’s Enabling Lives Initiative, the wearable AI provides navigation guidance from start point to destination in both outdoor and indoor environments by incorporating AI algorithm to:

- Identify and estimate the distance of environmental objects (e.g., terrain and steps), landmarks and obstacles

- Detect all bus service numbers available in Singapore

Outcomes

An effective system to guide persons with visual impairments independently and safely to their destinations in both outdoor and indoor environments.

At least 25,000 transferable images would be gathered by the end of the project for future development by third parties.

More about grantee

Nanyang Polytechnic is an Institute of Higher Learning established in 1992.

For this project, Nanyang Polytechnic is collaborating with Guide Dogs Singapore, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped and National Library Board.