For "helping visually impaired people," a multi-level, integrated system can be established, covering aspects such as daily life, mobility, learning, and employment. Here is my analysis and recommendations:
1. Perception Assistance System
Goal: Enable visually impaired people to "perceive" environmental information.
AI Visual-to-Speech:
- Use cameras or smart glasses, with AI recognizing objects, text, colors, and facial expressions.
- Provide feedback to users via voice or vibration.
- For example: recognize road signs, products, traffic signals, or facial expressions.
Environmental Awareness:
- AI combined with sensors (ultrasonic, LiDAR) to detect the distance and direction of obstacles.
- Integrated with smart canes or wearable devices to guide safe paths.
2. Navigation and Mobility System
Goal: Enable visually impaired people to move safely and conveniently.
Dynamic Navigation:
- AI combined with GPS and map data to provide the best walking routes, avoiding obstacles, construction zones, or crowded areas.
- Provide directional guidance via voice or tactile feedback.
Public Transportation Assistance:
- Guide at stations/bus stops, with AI announcing train/bus schedules and platforms.
- Real-time updates on transportation status, alerting arrival or delays.
Social Navigation:
- Use AR/AI to recognize familiar people or friends, facilitating social interactions for the visually impaired.
3. Learning and Information Access
Goal: Reduce barriers for visually impaired people in acquiring knowledge and learning.
AI Speech Reading and OCR:
- Automatically convert books, documents, and web pages to speech.
- Can recognize charts and mathematical formulas, presenting them via voice or tactile methods.
Educational and Work Assistance:
- AI programming assistants and voice-based learning courses.
- Support for accessibility software operations, such as smart note-taking or workflow assistance.
4. Daily Life Smart System
Goal: Enhance self-care ability and quality of life.
Smart Home:
- Voice control of lights, air conditioning, and appliances.
- AI automatically reminds about ingredients, medications, schedules, etc.
Shopping and Finance:
- AI identifies products, prices, and labels.
- Assist visually impaired people in completing online shopping or banking operations.
5. Social and Psychological Support
Goal: Reduce isolation and improve social participation.
Virtual Assistants and Social AI:
- Voice interaction, reminders for daily tasks, and companion conversations.
- AI helps visually impaired people build social networks, recommending suitable activities or communities.
Mental Health Assistance:
- Voice-guided meditation, emotion recognition, and feedback.
- Automatically call support systems or family in emergencies.
6. Integrated Platform
Single Application Integration:
- Consolidate perception, navigation, learning, daily life, and social functions into one smart platform.
- Support synchronization across smartphones, smart canes, and wearable devices.
Open API and Community Co-Creation:
- Encourage third-party development of accessibility features, forming an ecosystem.