West Bengal Engineers Develop AI Vision Blind Stick To Empower Visually Impaired

A walking stick for the blind, often known as a blind stick, just got revolutionised with artificial intelligence, enabling the visually impaired to perceive their surroundings without sight. Engineers from Chandannagar, West Bengal have developed this advanced AI-equipped blind stick, which functions as if by thought.

These engineers founded Conocemento, a company named after the French word for knowledge. Having acquired expertise, they are now inventing various solutions to benefit society. After creating anti-ragging kits, they have now introduced the AI Vision Blind Stick.

This versatile stick is designed to assist blind individuals in walking independently, navigating traffic signals, detecting dangers, recognizing currency, booking cabs, and alleviating loneliness by conversing, telling stories, singing, and providing news updates. A traditional walking stick is essential for a blind person to walk alone, and AI integration enhances their ability to perceive their environment.

The AI Vision Blind Stick, developed by the Chandannagar company, took around three months to create. It consists of a PVC pipe, battery, camera, circuit, and Bluetooth speaker. Users can connect ear pods or any Bluetooth device and use voice commands to interact with the AI system, named Vedid, which responds accordingly.

Young engineer Ayan Bagh explained that their motivation for creating the blind stick was not commercial. They intend to donate these sticks to schools for the blind and assist others who wish to create similar devices. Although their company engages in commercial software and hardware development, this invention stems from a sense of social responsibility.

Last year, a new AI-powered robot was invented to help people who are blind or visually impaired navigate and perform everyday tasks, from shopping to finding a place to sit.

Developed by a team of engineers at the University of Colorado, Boulder, the smart cane features a camera and computer vision technology to sense and catalogue the user’s surroundings. It then uses vibrations and spoken instructions to guide the user through a room.