Chatty robot dog to help people with sight loss to “live life confidently”
FVSC Ambassador Laura Cluxton and her dog Sadie with Dr Wasim Ahmad at the Hunterian. Credits: Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
University of Glasgow experts are currently developing robot guide dogs to assist 2m people with sight loss across the UK.
Two leading charities, Forth Valley Sensory Centre (FVSC) Trust and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland, have partnered with the experts of James Watt School of Engineering in the development.
The RoboGuide is an AI-powered walking, talking four-legged robot which aims to help visually impaired people move more independently through museums, shopping centres, hospitals and other public places in the future.
Dr Olaoluxa Popoola, principal investigator of RoboGuide, said that current assistive robots are limited by the technology they use.
“Robots which use GPS to navigate, for example, can perform well outdoors, but often struggle in indoor settings, where signal coverage can weaken,” he added.
“Others, which use cameras to ‘see’, are limited by line of sight, which makes it harder for them to safely guide people around objects or around bends.”
The RoboGuide uses a series of sensors mounted on the robot’s exterior to accurately assess and map its surroundings.
The newly developed software allows the dog to learn the best routes between locations and interpret the sensor information, in real-time, to help avoid moving obstacles.
The chatty robot possesses the ability to understand and respond to the user’s questions and comments.
Co-investigator on the project, Professor Muhammad Imran said: “In Glasgow, we’re pioneering world-changing technologies that hold the potential to transform lives and reshape societal norms.
“This achievement was made possible through collaboration with industry and charity partners and co-creating the design with the invaluable input of end users.”
In December, the RoboGuide was tested in Scotland’s oldest museum the Hunterian.
Volunteers from the partnered charities FVSC and RNIB Scotland used the RoboGuide to find their way around the first floor of the museum. The robot dog was able to provide interactive spoken guidance on six of the exhibits.
Dr Wasim Ahmad is pleased to be working closely with the charities in real world environments and using their feedback to better the technology being used.
“Ultimately, our aim is to develop a complete system which can be adapted for use with robots of all shapes and sizes to help blind and partially sighted people in a wide range of indoor situations,” he explained.
“We hope that we can create a robust commercial product which can support the visually impaired wherever they might want extra help.”
Jacquie Winning MBE, chief executive of the FVSC, believes that this project will “improve the independence and confidence of people with sensory loss and make sure they can live their lives to the full”.
“Mobility is a big issue for the blind and partially sighted community,” she added.
“RoboGuide is a wonderful solution to that problem, and we are delighted to help test this innovative and creative robot.”
Director of RNIB Scotland, James Adams said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the research and development of technology that could be part of making the world more accessible and empowering blind and partially sighted people to live their lives confidently.”
The completed project aims to help support 2.2bn people around the world with a complete version of the technology in years to come.
