Children with disabilities learn to play building blocks with intelligent robots in Fuyan, Anhui. Photo: VCG

Editor's Note:

Large models, robots, intelligent manufacturing, autonomous driving... In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has frequently made headlines around the world. 

In real life, AI has permeated all aspects of human society, helping with scientific research in laboratories, assisting in the restoration of mysterious ancient scrolls at archaeological sites, and helping to find abducted children in the vast sea of humanity. The development of technology has also brought challenges in various aspects such as in ethics and law. Many experts advocate that humans should see technology as a tool created for the ultimate purpose of serving humanity, making life and work more efficient and comfortable. 

In light of this, the Global Times has launched the "AI empowers industry, improves people's livelihoods" series, showcasing the tremendous energy and broad prospects that AI brings across every aspect of society. 

This is the fourth installment in this series. It focuses on the people with disabilities, who are starting to live a better, more convenient life with the help of AI technology. Behind them are an increasing number of Chinese tech companies and social organizations, which make joint effort in offering those in need more creative and user-friendly AI products and services.

A rehabilitation robot is displayed at a technology exhibition held in Beijing on March 13, 2024. Photo: VCG

When Yong Yong (pseudonym) navigates through the bustling exhibition hall, a soothing voice whisperers in his ear, guiding him past obstacles and pointing out objects in his path. Wearing a special pair of glasses, Yong Yong walks around on his own, overwhelmed by a newfound sense of freedom and independence - "as if I was not blind," he said with a smile.

Yong Yong, 30, was born with severe visual impairment. As his eyes can perceive only faint light, in the past decades, Yong Yong has rarely visited public places without his crutches.

But now, he can walk almost as unaided as people with regular sound and vision, being able to avoid obstacles with the help of the glasses on his nose, which can dynamically recognize the objects around and remind him by voice.

These special glasses were one of highlight products being showcased at a recent exhibition of innovative auxiliaries for the people with disabilities. At the exhibition, which was held in South China's Guangdong Province in May, many Chinese tech firms brought the AI products they developed specifically for people with disabilities, expecting to equip those in need with AI-powered "eyes" "ears" "mouths" or "limbs."

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that there had been 85.9 million people with disabilities in China by 2023. The rapid development of China's AI technology is trying to reduce the inconvenience of people with disabilities in this country, and help them to live as able-bodied individuals to the maximum extent.

"As a developer of AI products, I deeply feel about the tremendous changes AI technology is bringing to the lives of people with disabilities," said Li An, whose team developed the glasses trialed by Yong Yong at the May exhibition.

"Every time I see our products truly helping them, I feel doubly gratified and proud," Li told the Global Times.

A user with a visual disability tries "vision-helper AI glasses." Photo: Courtesy of Li An

Feeling connected

Li is the director of a Chinese tech startup named Shenzhen Bixin AI Company, which spent more than six months in developing the "vision-helper AI glasses," with the aim to enable visually impaired people to "see" surroundings when walking alone on the street.

Based on large language and auditory models, the glasses, equipped with hardware including a microphone, speaker and camera, possesses human-like abilities of hearing, speaking, and seeing.

By taking photos or directly asking questions to the glasses, a user can clearly know the objects around, such as obstructions on the road, the names of the road, roadside stores and bus stations, and even the plants in the flower beds, Li explained.

So far, more than 100 users have experienced the glasses, which, as some of them said, was like "a useful and convenient assistant." Li said the current 1.0 version of the glasses can only provide information based on questions, but it is expected to be developed into "a 2.0 version that has a real-time voice reminding function" in the near future.

On many occasions, Li invited people with a visual impairment to try the glasses, collected their feedback, and drove them home in person. He said he is delighted to see AI products help visually impaired people become more independent in their life.

"Moreover, AI technologies promote their connection to the world," Li told the Global Times. "AI not only offers them conveniences, but also brings them dignity and more opportunities to participate in social activities on an equal footing."

For individuals with visual or hearing impairments, AI can serve as a new window for them to get closer to people, and feel more connected to the world they live, he said. 

In 2023, China's tech giant NetEase, together with a welfare foundation for people with disabilities, launched a "Life's First Words" voice restoration program. By uploading a two-minute voice clip without complete semantics, the hearing-impaired users can have their words spoken in their own voices through AI-generated speech based on typed text. According to a NetEase report in 2023, this product is available in China for hearing-impaired individuals free of charge, helping them to communicate with the world without barriers and share their emotions by saying their "first words."

A survey showed that 67 percent of the people with hearing impairment were willing to try this voice restoration technology, reported Qianjiang Evening News in July 2023. 

"They said, their 'life's first words' would be 'Thank you.'"

A man tries an AI-powered uninterrupted care system specifically designed for suffers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their families. Photo: Courtesy of SenseTime

Small groups matter

Apart from benefiting people with disabilities, a number of Chinese AI products and technologies are also trying hard to relieve burden for their families, particularly those who have to spend a lot of time and energy looking after their loved ones, and those who have lost the ability to care for themselves.

The "Ice Bucket Challenge," a previous viral social media campaign that involved dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads, raised public awareness for the Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and brought wide attention to sufferers of the condition. 

ALS is severe progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of muscle control and eventually paralysis. With the gradual development of the disease, the patients gradually lose their speech and mobility. Severe patients have difficulty in breathing, swallowing and expectoration, which may lead to death if not treated in time. 

For the caregivers of ALS patients, they have to check the patient's breathing status every once in a while (even as short as half an hour or 10 minutes in the late stage of the disease). This creates a heavy burden for both patients and their caregivers.

Some Chinese tech enterprises have tried to make a change, by designing AI-powered uninterrupted and meticulous care systems specifically for ALS patients and their families. AI software company SenseTime, for instance, is among the first in domestic AI industry that developed an intelligent nursing system that provides 24-hour contactless care for ALS patients.

Apart from monitoring the physiological indexes of patients in real time, the system is equipped with functions including emergency warning, active calling, sleep analysis, and abnormal statistical detection, introduced Sun Qigong, director of the system's program.

Based on computer vision technology, the system can keenly capture the painful expressions of patients who have lost speech and mobility, and timely notify nursing staff to deal with the critical situation within three seconds to avoid the risk of patients' lives, Sun said.

"Every alert from the system could potentially save a life," Sun told the Global Times.

The system had been applied on a philanthropic basis across more than 60 families among 17 Chinese provinces and regions as of the end of 2023, according to Sun. "We also cooperate with several commonweal organizations and donate them such caring system equipment, so as to let the system benefit more people," he added.

June 21 marks the world's Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Day. Sun said that considering the cost-effectiveness, some companies are hesitant to engage in developing similar AI caring products for the small number of ALS patients. "But the desire of this small group to live a relatively dignified and decent life matter as well," he noted.

"We hope that through our efforts, we can offer a helping hand to the ALS patients and their families, who may be sometimes ignored by the mainstream technology development," he told the Global Times.

An AI-powered robot guide dog is displayed at a technology exhibition held in Beijing on March 13, 2024. Photo: VCG

Joint efforts

At the May exhibition in Shenzhen, visitors with disabilities like Yong Yong tried many AI-powered auxiliaries, such as a portable bath machine for people with extremity disabilities, and an AI brain computer interface electric wheelchairs.

Most exhibitors bringing the AI auxiliaries there were from Shenzhen No-Barrier Incubation Space, a project under local non-profit public institution Shenzhen Comprehensive Service Center for Disabled Persons.

Established in 2020, the 1,600-square meter incubation space was China's first exemplary base specifically to support the innovative development of enterprises and organizations engaged in barrier-free industry, introduced Chen Jinzhou, director of the auxiliary device development department under the service center.

To help people with disabilities and promote the development of barrier-free industry requires the joint efforts of a number of parties, Chen said. "Therefore, we launched the incubation space project to help cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship programs in the fields such as intelligent rehabilitation AIDS, medical rehabilitation, and special education," Chen told the Global Times.

The space helps connect them with investors, organizes auxiliary device exhibitions for them, and provides them with many free services such as entrepreneurial guidance, professional consultation and road show opportunities. Over the past three years, the settled enterprises have obtained 559 patents, including 119 utility model patents and 102 invention ones, according to Chen.

Li's company and his "vision-helper AI glasses" team were among the latest batch that settled the incubation space in April. 

"From helping people with visual, hearing or physical impairments, to improving cognitive impairment and mental health, AI will have a lot to offer," he said.