Camera-packing AI wearable speaks out the sights to blind users
White canes are positive for serving to blind customers make their manner down streets and hallways, however they actually cannot inform these customers what objects, indicators or scenes are in entrance of them. That is precisely what the Seekr is designed to do, nevertheless, utilizing a heapin’ serving to of AI.
The Seekr machine, which is being commercialized by Hong Kong startup Vidi Labs, was a current recipient of a CES 2025 Innovation Award. It received a Hong Kong Techathon award three years in the past, when nonetheless in prototype kind.
Vidi Labs director Turzo Bose was impressed to create the gadget in 2020 in the course of the pandemic. He realized that resulting from social distancing precautions on the time, his visually impaired grandfather could not get along with sighted individuals who would describe issues to him whereas out and about. What his grandpa wanted was a tool that will do the job.
The result’s the matchbox-sized Seekr, which may be clipped onto the consumer’s clothes or held in a single hand.
Seekr
It is geared up with a depth-sensing digicam, microprocessor, battery and Bluetooth module, amongst different electronics. The machine is paired with a paid iOS/Android app on the consumer’s smartphone, which in flip relays artificial voice cues by way of a third-party Bluetooth earpiece.
Customers can swap between 4 AI-based working modes, all of that are activated by urgent a button on the Seekr to take a photograph.
Scene mode, appropriately sufficient, describes the fundamental scene in entrance of the consumer. The voice cue would possibly say “Two folks sitting on a bench at your 12 o’clock,” as an example.
Depth mode, however, guides the consumer’s hand towards an merchandise that they are attempting to know. Grocery store mode identifies the kind of product photographed (bread, apples, and so forth), and Textual content mode reads out textual content on indicators, packaging, menus, and so forth.
It ought to be famous that partially sighted customers who’re capable of work their cellphone’s touchscreen can get by utilizing simply the Seekr app and the cellphone’s digicam. The Seekr itself makes issues simpler, although, and is designed to be much less daunting for aged customers who aren’t snug with smartphones.
Potential patrons can register for updates by way of the Seekr web site. There isn’t any phrase on when the machine might be obtainable for buy, however we’re informed it is going to value 6,000 Hong Kong {dollars} (roughly US$770) – that worth features a one-year subscription to the app.
Supply: Seekr
