NYU Langone researchers build AI-powered tools to improve accessibility for blind people
Vision-impaired New Yorkers are getting some high-tech help navigating the city.
Tucked away inside NYU Langone on Manhattan's East Side is a workspace that looks more like a technology lab than a medical office.
It's there that Dr. John-Ross Rizzo, who is legally blind, and his team are developing the next generation of technology for people with vision loss.
The mission is to make everyday tasks more accessible while giving users greater independence.
One of the team's creations is Shopscout. It's a wearable backpack with a camera that helps blind shoppers in a grocery store navigate and find specific products.
"People are like, well, you have Instacart these days, so the blind should just go online, but that doesn't support autonomy or agency," Rizzo said. "And I have to be honest with you, I like to pick my own damn produce."
Audio beeps guide the shopper's hand closer to the product they are looking for.
"You could almost think of it like playing Marco Polo as a child, like hot or colder, right? And so, I'm listening to the sensory cues, and I'm trying to make sure I get closer to Marco," Rizzo said.
Another tool is called Commute Booster. It's a smartphone app that reads MTA signs to help users navigate the subway.
NYU Langone's Dr. Giles Hamilton Fletcher said subway stations can be confusing due to the high volume of noise. The lab built a makeshift subway station to test it.
With the app, users take a photo, and they will be instructed where they are and where they need to go.
"We found that with blind and low-vision travelers, they were able to complete their journeys 33% faster using Commute Booster," Fletcher said.
Finally, there's Unav, which is an indoor navigation app that maps entire buildings. It's basically an indoor GPS that doesn't need a cell signal. Users can snap a picture and the app will tell them where they are and guide them to their destination.
The technology isn't just for people who are blind. It can eventually help seniors or anyone struggling to navigate hospitals or confusing spaces.
Rizzo said the blind community often experiences the future first.
"Dictation services, for example. So you've probably used dictation on your phone. Guess where that was developed? An accessibility lab. You'll probably go home tonight, and you're gonna use an electric toothbrush. Guess where that was developed? An accessibility lab," he said.
The team's mantra is that when you design for disability, you design for everyone.
