UNIVERSITY experts have invented a robot guide dog to help people with sight loss navigate their way around Scottish streets.
Officially titled RoboGuide, but nicknamed Robbie, the robot hound is the brainchild of Dr Wasim Ahmad and his Glasgow University team from the James Watt School for Engineering, and is expected to be active in five years.
The robot hound is the brainchild of Dr Wasim Ahmad[/caption]
Furry friend meets the digital dog[/caption]
While Dr Ahmad is at pains to point out that his digital dog will never be a replacement for the real thing, he believes they can still help those in need.
He said: “Our objective is not to replace the guide dog because guide dogs offer companionship and people develop a bond with them.
“But Robbie can provide a complimentary support to blind people.
“First of all, there are only a handful of guide dogs available and there is a long list of people waiting for one.
“So in those circumstances, Robbie can temporarily support people for a short to mid-term period.
“There are also many people who don’t qualify for a guide dog, so again, this is where Robbie could help.”
Robbie was showcased at RNIB Scotland’s Inclusive Design for Sustainability Conference at Glasgow’s Science Centre this week.
The event was to explore how cutting-edge technology is transforming the lives of people with sight loss worldwide, demonstrating the latest advances in AI and cutting-edge technology.
And Dr Ahmad was keen to show how his AI pooch could help people.
He said: “There are currently a lot of apps available which can assist people getting from A to B outdoors.
“But when it comes to indoor navigation, these apps actually fail because the GPS coverage is poorer, making it difficult for visually impaired people to get around.
“AI and machine learning are inspired by human thinking and human behaviour and Robbie works in exactly the same way.
“He is also equipped with 3D scanners and cameras so if he goes to a new space, it takes between 10 to 15 minutes for him to scan the whole space and map it — but once mapped it can go anywhere autonomously.
“Robbie can also help you avoid dynamic or stationary obstacles. He can even describe the colour of things and what is in front of you.”
However, Robbie is still not programmed to help service-users to safely cross a road like a real guide dog.
Dr Ahmad said: “Our long-term objective is that Robbie will be able to do that.
“In trials Robbie has been in critical situations where he puts a person’s safety first to save them from harm.
“Safety is our utmost priority because these people are vulnerable.”
Robbie costs up to £12,000 to produce but Dr Ahmad hopes to drive those costs down over time.
But that is still just a fraction of the £38,000 it costs to expertly train a guide dog from pup into a partnership.
Dr Ahmad said: “There are many advantages as well. You don’t have to feed Robbie or clean up after him. Or take him out in the Scottish rain.”
The boffin says that eight out of 10 people with sightloss gave Robbie the thumbs-up in a recent trial involving volunteers from the UK’s leading sight loss charity — the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
Dr Ahmad said: “We had up to 10 people trying out Robbie in different scenarios at the Hunterian Museum and they loved it.
“I would have been happy if five had enjoyed using Robbie but we had positive feedback from eight out of 10 so I was really chuffed.”
Despite that, the RNIB wants to assure those with sight loss that they have no plans to replace real guide dogs with robo-mutts.
James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “RoboGuide is a brilliant innovation for blind and partially sighted people.
“They are not, however, ever going to replace real guide dogs who provide invaluable assistance for many people.”
