Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: company bridges the digital divide with AI-based belt to help blind people navigate streets

Now that self-driving cars can rely on autopilot for navigation, one might wonder why visually impaired individuals in Hong Kong still depend on traditional tools such as white canes or guide dogs to move through their environment.

Recognising this deep digital divide, Florence Chan, CEO of AI Guided, has developed a navigation belt to assist visually impaired individuals safely traverse the streets of the city. The start-up she co-founded with chief technology officer Dr Steve Kong focuses on developing AI-enabled navigation solutions.

The latest iteration of the product, now in its 10th generation, is a device worn on the waist, mounted with two wide-angle cameras that capture and analyse images and identify objects using AI algorithms and computer vision.

AI Guided has been selected as a finalist for the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards 2023 in the category of Spirit of Innovation. The annual event, co-organised by the South China Morning Post and property developer Sino Group, honours the achievements of remarkable individuals whose endeavours may otherwise go unnoticed.

CEO Chan first recognised the importance of inclusivity in technological advancements when she was still a PhD student specialising in biomedical engineering. This realisation inspired her to shift her focus towards developing innovative solutions to empower visually impaired individuals with the tools they need to navigate the world.

“Why do most blind people still rely on white canes and a guide dog when they go out? Shouldn’t they have access to better options?” she said.

Noticing how assistive technologies for people with vision loss had not gained widespread popularity, Chan took it upon herself to break down the barrier.