How to harness technology for social good?(II)

【Editor’s note: At the 8th China International College Students’ ‘Internet+’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Zhejiang University clinched a record-high 13 gold medals. Among them, the “Where: Your Digital Twin Guardian” team won the gold medal in the Undergraduate Creativity Category and participated in the Global Finals as the only Undergraduate Creativity Category team. The “Vision Tech—A Digitalized Reconstruction of Braille Information for the Underlying Logic” team won the gold medal in the Youth’s Red Dream-building Tour Category. Where is the wellspring of their inspirations? What is the secret to their success? Let’s hear their stories.】

Open a new smart “vision” for visually impaired people

This is an intelligent reader the Tech Vision team develops for the visually impaired. Unlike other readers for the visually impaired on the market, it is very easy to operate. At the bottom of the reader is an array of dynamic dots presenting Braille in real time. Not only is this Braille readable, touchable and audible, but it can also be translated.

User interface of the Tech Vision

“We want to address a real problem and satisfy the real demand of society,” says WANG Feifan, a postgraduate student at the School of Medicine. At first, the news story about a blind child who could only read Braille with his lips because his hands had no sense of touch captured their attention. Since then, the team has been collecting information in an effort to understand the visually impaired and their real needs. During this process, they have finally come up with a unique idea—bridging the digital divide by means of digitalized Braille. In this way, the visually impaired are empowered to gain access to information.

Technology is a top priority in developing a Braille digital intelligent device. To eliminate this real bottleneck, the team develops the world’s first dot simulation technology in accordance with the principle of the electromagnetic drive with weak magnetic levitation, successfully converting traditional paper-based Braille into dynamic digital Braille. It is noteworthy that the team also develops their own natural language processing algorithm, which can complete the Chinese-English Braille conversion quickly. Other multi-lingual versions are already well underway. In addition, the team pioneers in synchronizing visual, auditory and tactile information, which allows users to hear, touch and see Braille.

WANG Feifan, a team member, is developing new technology.

Their research doesn’t stop at the technological level. After demonstrating the feasibility of this device, the team designs relevant techniques, manufactures prototypes, offers customers free trials, discover and solve problems, and improves the device accordingly. So far, the device has been iterated to the third generation. It has been promoted in 67 blind schools and Braille libraries in 21 provinces and municipalities and has won universal acclaim.

“The Internet+ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is in essence a test of practicality and technology. We are fortunate to win the gold medal because of our commitment to public welfare—developing a product for the real benefit of the visually impaired,” says WANG Feifan. The award is a testament to their original aspirations and technological strength, reinforcing their belief that their project is valuable. 

Offline promotion of the intelligent reader

The competition also marks a very good beginning. WANG Feifan expresses his hope that their project can be put on the market, thus benefiting more visually impaired people.

Photo credit: The Tech Vision team