TED@IBM
Chieko Asakawa: How new technology helps blind people explore the world
Filmed:
Readability: 4.1
1,390,823 views
How can technology help improve our quality of life? How can we navigate the world without using the sense of vision? Inventor and IBM Fellow Chieko Asakawa, who's been blind since the age of fourteen, is working on answering these questions. In a charming demo, she shows off some new technology that's helping blind people explore the world ever more independently ... because, she suggests, when we design for greater accessibility, everyone benefits.
Chieko Asakawa - Visionary inventor
Dr. Chieko Asakawa invents technology to make the visually impaired more independent. Full bio
Dr. Chieko Asakawa invents technology to make the visually impaired more independent. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:20
You might think there are
many things that I can't do
many things that I can't do
0
8056
3613
00:23
because I cannot see.
1
11693
1911
00:26
That's largely true.
2
14326
1648
00:27
Actually, I just needed
to have a bit of help
to have a bit of help
3
15998
2483
00:30
to come up to the stage.
4
18505
1834
00:32
But there is also a lot that I can do.
5
20363
2928
00:35
This is me rock climbing
for the first time.
for the first time.
6
23730
3412
00:39
Actually, I love sports
and I can play many sports,
and I can play many sports,
7
27166
4077
00:43
like swimming, skiing, skating,
scuba diving, running and so on.
scuba diving, running and so on.
8
31267
5382
00:49
But there is one limitation:
9
37382
1911
00:52
somebody needs to help me.
10
40145
1759
00:54
I want to be independent.
11
42514
2112
00:57
I lost my sight at the age of 14
in a swimming pool accident.
in a swimming pool accident.
12
45741
4703
01:02
I was an active, independent teenager,
13
50989
2624
01:05
and suddenly I became blind.
14
53637
2416
01:08
The hardest thing for me
was losing my independence.
was losing my independence.
15
56840
4064
01:13
Things that until then seemed simple
became almost impossible to do alone.
became almost impossible to do alone.
16
61600
5407
01:19
For example, one of my
challenges was textbooks.
challenges was textbooks.
17
67962
3741
01:24
Back then, there were no
personal computers,
personal computers,
18
72084
2750
01:26
no Internet, no smartphones.
19
74858
2437
01:29
So I had to ask one of my two brothers
to read me textbooks,
to read me textbooks,
20
77319
5433
01:34
and I had to create
my own books in Braille.
my own books in Braille.
21
82776
3476
01:38
Can you imagine?
22
86653
1353
01:40
Of course, my brothers
were not happy about it,
were not happy about it,
23
88603
3119
01:43
and later, I noticed they were not there
whenever I needed them.
whenever I needed them.
24
91746
3823
01:47
(Laughter)
25
95593
1001
01:48
I think they tried to stay away from me.
26
96618
3792
01:52
I don't blame them.
27
100434
1354
01:54
I really wanted to be freed
from relying on someone.
from relying on someone.
28
102581
3771
01:59
That became my strong desire
to ignite innovation.
to ignite innovation.
29
107160
3909
02:04
Jump ahead to the mid-1980s.
30
112100
2686
02:06
I got to know cutting-edge technologies
31
114810
2746
02:09
and I thought to myself,
32
117580
2097
02:11
how come there is no computer technology
33
119701
3619
02:15
to create books in Braille?
34
123344
2126
02:18
These amazing technologies
must be able to also help people
must be able to also help people
35
126288
4364
02:22
with limitations like myself.
36
130676
2399
02:25
That's the moment
my innovation journey began.
my innovation journey began.
37
133805
3812
02:30
I started developing
digital book technologies,
digital book technologies,
38
138686
3854
02:34
such as a digital Braille editor,
digital Braille dictionary
digital Braille dictionary
39
142564
5293
02:39
and a digital Braille library network.
40
147881
2746
02:43
Today, every student who is visually
impaired can read textbooks,
impaired can read textbooks,
41
151178
4368
02:47
by using personal computers
and mobile devices,
and mobile devices,
42
155570
3827
02:51
in Braille or in voice.
43
159421
2085
02:53
This may not surprise you,
44
161998
2136
02:56
since everyone now has digital books
in their tablets in 2015.
in their tablets in 2015.
45
164158
5060
03:01
But Braille went digital
many years before digital books,
many years before digital books,
46
169242
5847
03:07
already in the late 1980s,
almost 30 years ago.
almost 30 years ago.
47
175113
5232
03:13
Strong and specific needs
of the blind people
of the blind people
48
181242
3799
03:17
made this opportunity to create
digital books way back then.
digital books way back then.
49
185065
5643
03:23
And this is actually not
the first time this happened,
the first time this happened,
50
191343
5006
03:28
because history shows us
accessibility ignites innovation.
accessibility ignites innovation.
51
196373
6090
03:35
The telephone was invented
while developing a communication tool
while developing a communication tool
52
203467
4017
03:39
for hearing impaired people.
53
207508
1867
03:41
Some keyboards were also invented
to help people with disabilities.
to help people with disabilities.
54
209737
5420
03:48
Now I'm going to give you
another example from my own life.
another example from my own life.
55
216807
3477
03:52
In the '90s, people around me
started talking about the Internet
started talking about the Internet
56
220688
4263
03:56
and web browsing.
57
224975
1443
03:58
I remember the first time
I went on the web.
I went on the web.
58
226895
2872
04:02
I was astonished.
59
230148
1588
04:04
I could access newspapers
at any time and every day.
at any time and every day.
60
232352
4107
04:08
I could even search
for any information by myself.
for any information by myself.
61
236810
3856
04:13
I desperately wanted to help the blind
people have access to the Internet,
people have access to the Internet,
62
241175
5814
04:19
and I found ways to render the web
into synthesized voice,
into synthesized voice,
63
247013
5306
04:24
which dramatically simplified
the user interface.
the user interface.
64
252343
3770
04:28
This led me to develop
the Home Page Reader in 1997,
the Home Page Reader in 1997,
65
256685
5410
04:34
first in Japanese and later,
translated into 11 languages.
translated into 11 languages.
66
262119
4893
04:39
When I developed the Home Page Reader,
67
267784
2577
04:42
I got many comments from users.
68
270385
2929
04:45
One that I strongly remember said,
69
273909
2526
04:49
"For me, the Internet
is a small window to the world."
is a small window to the world."
70
277032
5248
04:55
It was a revolutionary moment
for the blind.
for the blind.
71
283185
2941
04:59
The cyber world became accessible,
72
287130
2177
05:01
and this technology that we created
for the blind has many uses,
for the blind has many uses,
73
289331
4670
05:06
way beyond what I imagined.
74
294025
1975
05:08
It can help drivers listen to their emails
75
296539
4146
05:12
or it can help you listen
to a recipe while cooking.
to a recipe while cooking.
76
300709
4273
05:18
Today, I am more independent,
77
306116
2510
05:20
but it is still not enough.
78
308650
2316
05:23
For example, when I approached
the stage just now, I needed assistance.
the stage just now, I needed assistance.
79
311668
5855
05:30
My goal is to come up here independently.
80
318412
3421
05:34
And not just here.
81
322147
1527
05:35
My goal is to be able to travel
and do things that are simple to you.
and do things that are simple to you.
82
323991
5819
05:42
OK, now let me show you
the latest technologies.
the latest technologies.
83
330638
2809
05:45
This is a smartphone app
that we are working on.
that we are working on.
84
333471
3524
05:50
(Video) Electronic voice: 51 feet
to the door, and keep straight.
to the door, and keep straight.
85
338625
3634
05:57
EV: Take the two doors to go out.
The door is on your right.
The door is on your right.
86
345702
3123
06:07
EV: Nick is approaching. Looks so happy.
87
355731
1938
06:09
Chieko Asakawa: Hi, Nick!
88
357693
1205
06:10
(Laughter)
89
358922
1001
06:11
CA: Where are you going?
You look so happy.
You look so happy.
90
359947
2143
06:14
Nick: Oh -- well, my paper
just got accepted.
just got accepted.
91
362114
2113
06:16
CA: That's great! Congratulations.
92
364251
1647
06:17
Nick: Thanks. Wait -- how'd you know
it was me, and that I look happy?
it was me, and that I look happy?
93
365922
3651
06:21
(Chieko and Nick laugh)
94
369597
1350
06:22
Man: Hi.
95
370971
1159
06:24
(Laughter)
96
372154
1717
06:25
CA: Oh ... hi.
97
373895
1151
06:27
EV: He is not talking to you,
but on his phone.
but on his phone.
98
375070
2317
06:36
EV: Potato chips.
99
384434
1182
06:45
EV: Dark chocolate with almonds.
100
393159
1603
06:48
EV: You gained 5 pounds since yesterday;
take apple instead of chocolate.
take apple instead of chocolate.
101
396155
3521
06:51
(Laughter)
102
399700
2166
06:54
EV: Approaching.
103
402456
1312
07:00
EV: You arrived.
104
408038
1176
07:02
CA: Now ...
105
410939
1239
07:04
(Applause)
106
412202
3928
07:08
Thank you.
107
416154
1191
07:09
So now the app navigates me
108
417369
2898
07:12
by analyzing beacon signals
and smartphone sensors
and smartphone sensors
109
420291
4016
07:16
and permits me to move around
indoor and outdoor environments
indoor and outdoor environments
110
424331
5136
07:21
all by myself.
111
429491
1588
07:23
But the computer vision part
that showed who is approaching,
that showed who is approaching,
112
431103
4848
07:27
in which mood -- we are still
working on that part.
working on that part.
113
435975
3506
07:32
And recognizing facial expressions
is very important for me to be social.
is very important for me to be social.
114
440251
6406
07:39
So now the fusions of technologies
are ready to help me
are ready to help me
115
447398
6166
07:45
see the real world.
116
453588
1680
07:47
We call this cognitive assistance.
117
455920
3229
07:51
It understands our surrounding world
118
459821
3319
07:55
and whispers to me in voice
or sends a vibration to my fingers.
or sends a vibration to my fingers.
119
463164
6217
08:02
Cognitive assistance will augment
missing or weakened abilities --
missing or weakened abilities --
120
470088
6064
08:08
in other words, our five senses.
121
476176
2631
08:11
This technology is only in an early stage,
122
479464
3311
08:14
but eventually, I'll be able to find
a classroom on campus,
a classroom on campus,
123
482799
4777
08:19
enjoy window shopping
124
487600
1754
08:21
or find a nice restaurant
while walking along a street.
while walking along a street.
125
489378
3861
08:26
It will be amazing if I can find you
on the street before you notice me.
on the street before you notice me.
126
494088
4627
08:31
It will become my best buddy, and yours.
127
499595
3787
08:36
So, this really is a great challenge.
128
504308
3590
08:40
It is a challenge
that needs collaboration,
that needs collaboration,
129
508395
3969
08:44
which is why we are creating
an open community
an open community
130
512388
2902
08:47
to accelerate research activities.
131
515314
2859
08:51
Just this morning, we announced
the open-source fundamental technologies
the open-source fundamental technologies
132
519192
4898
08:56
you just saw in the video.
133
524114
1627
08:58
The frontier is the real world.
134
526487
2764
09:01
The blind community is exploring
this technical frontier
this technical frontier
135
529878
4413
09:06
and the pathfinder.
136
534315
1706
09:08
I hope to work with you
to explore the new era,
to explore the new era,
137
536559
3738
09:12
and the next time that I'm on this stage,
138
540321
3087
09:15
through technology and innovation,
139
543432
2414
09:17
I will be able to walk up here
140
545870
2025
09:19
all by myself.
141
547919
1596
09:21
Thank you so much.
142
549539
1239
09:22
(Applause)
143
550802
5618
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chieko Asakawa - Visionary inventorDr. Chieko Asakawa invents technology to make the visually impaired more independent.
Why you should listen
Dr. Chieko Asakawa is an IBM Fellow who has been instrumental in furthering accessibility research and development for the past three decades. Challenging thinking on visually impaired technology usage, she leads the development in advancing web accessibility including digital Braille and voice browsers.
The government of Japan awarded the 2013 Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon to Dr. Asakawa for her outstanding contributions to accessibility research, including the development of a voice browser for the visually impaired. Today, with Carnegie Mellon University, she is working on how accessibility technologies can play a key role in the real world to help create opportunities for more people to actively participate in the society.
Chieko Asakawa | Speaker | TED.com