UTS and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT develop future mobility tech

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Robotics Institute and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT have announced a partnership, with funding from TPG and the Australian Research Council, to build the next generation of mobility aids for people who are blind or have low vision. 

More than 80% of those living with low vision and blindness face regular navigation challenges in public that significantly impact their confidence and participation in society, according to new research by Ernst & Young commissioned by Guide Dogs NSW. 

The findings highlight the impact this new research project is set to have in enhancing independence and increasing access to the community.

Jodi Martin, General Manager Strategy & Innovation at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, said while Guide Dogs are the current gold standard for supporting independent, fluid travel, the 3-year project seeks to harness robotics to offer greater choice for the blind and low vision community. 

“The majority of Guide Dogs NSW clients currently use white canes, with around one in six going on to work with a Guide Dog, but over half use assistive technologies alongside canes and/or dogs,” said Ms Martin.

We’re interested in how advanced robotics, sensors and data algorithms can improve the lives of people with low vision and blindness and enable more independent, safe, and fluid mobility for the user.

Jodi Martin

“We’re interested in how advanced robotics, sensors and data algorithms can improve the lives of people with low vision and blindness and enable more independent, safe, and fluid mobility for the user. 

“This could be something that’s built into a cane, used alongside a Guide Dog, or as a separate visual aid that works independently of what’s already on offer. 

Professor Sarath Kodagoda, head of the UTS Robotics Institute, said the researchers are currently looking at ways to interpret data from sensors to execute tasks with robotics technology. 

“Navigation in complex, crowded environments are a challenge. We know that having your hands on a cane or a Guide Dog harness provides someone with a lot of contextual information with which to make their own decisions while path finding, identifying obstacles, and navigating weather and uneven terrain. 

“We’re going to have to think carefully about how to relay all that information to a person via the next generation of assistive technology without causing cognitive overload,” said Professor Kodagoda.

Ms Martin said the experience and input of Guide Dogs clients and staff with blindness or low vision will be crucial to the project’s success. 

“The way technology looks, moves, and interacts with the individual matters. If we get all those things right, people will want to use it,” she said.