Robot dogs powered by AI to guide blind people? Yup, they're a thing now
Guide dogs that also talk could be the future, very soon
Quick Summary
Researchers at Binghamton University have come up with a robot dog that's AI powered, to help guide blind people.
The dog responds to commands, offers verbal guidance, and can literally help people find where they need to go.
One jump forward in AI that could really help a lot of people has just been shown off in the form of a robot guide dog.
Unlike current animal guide dogs, this robot can also talk, to share surroundings with the person, as they walk along. This could potentially enable a lot more freedom and independence – as well as spontaneity – to the visually impaired.
Article continues below
How does the robot guide dog work?
This robot is built using ChatGPT-4, meaning the dog can be conversational. This allows the robot to go beyond what animal guide dogs can offer their human friends.
All this means the robot can describe the trip before it begins, offering possible routes and even arrival times. Then, during the journey, the robot can give real-time spoken feedback about the environment and obstacles they encounter along the way.
The system was tested by seven legally blind participants who navigated a large multi-room office environment. The feedback was positive with the participants saying they preferred this combined approach to travel over current blind dog offerings.
If and when these AI powered guide dogs become available to the public has yet to be announced. But it could change the lives of many when they finally arrive.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.