ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chieko Asakawa - Visionary inventor
Dr. 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.

More profile about the speaker
Chieko Asakawa | Speaker | TED.com
TED@IBM

Chieko Asakawa: How new technology helps blind people explore the world

浅川智惠子: 新技术如何帮助盲人探索世界

Filmed:
1,390,823 views

科技是如何帮助改善我们的生活质量的?我们如何在没有视觉的情况下行走于世界?从14岁起就丧失视觉的发明家、IBM员工浅川智惠子,致力于解决这些问题。在她富有魅力的演讲中,她向人们展示了帮助盲人更加独立的探索世界的新技术。。。因为她提出,当我们在为残障人士做无障碍设计时,每个人都能从中得益。
- Visionary inventor
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威力 think there are
many许多 things that I can't do
0
8056
3613
可能你们认为有许多事情是我不能完成的
00:23
because I cannot不能 see.
1
11693
1911
因为我看不见
00:26
That's largely大部分 true真正.
2
14326
1648
很大程度上来说,这是事实
00:27
Actually其实, I just needed需要
to have a bit of help
3
15998
2483
比如像刚才我需要一些帮助
00:30
to come up to the stage阶段.
4
18505
1834
才能走上这个讲台
00:32
But there is also a lot that I can do.
5
20363
2928
但也有很多事情是我能够完成的
00:35
This is me rock climbing攀登
for the first time.
6
23730
3412
这个,是我第一次攀岩
00:39
Actually其实, I love sports体育
and I can play many许多 sports体育,
7
27166
4077
实际上我喜欢运动,我也能够完成很多运动
00:43
like swimming游泳的, skiing滑雪, skating溜冰,
scuba水肺 diving潜水, running赛跑 and so on.
8
31267
5382
例如游泳,滑雪,溜冰,
水肺潜水,跑步,等等。
00:49
But there is one limitation局限性:
9
37382
1911
但是总有一个限制:
00:52
somebody needs需求 to help me.
10
40145
1759
我需要旁人的帮助。
00:54
I want to be independent独立.
11
42514
2112
我想要自己来做。
00:57
I lost丢失 my sight视力 at the age年龄 of 14
in a swimming游泳的 pool accident事故.
12
45741
4703
在我14岁的时候,
一次游泳池里的意外让我丧失了视力
01:02
I was an active活性, independent独立 teenager青少年,
13
50989
2624
曾经的我是一个活泼和独立的人
01:05
and suddenly突然 I became成为 blind.
14
53637
2416
然后却在一瞬间变成了盲人
01:08
The hardest最难 thing for me
was losing失去 my independence独立.
15
56840
4064
对我来说最困难的事情是失去了独立的能力
01:13
Things that until直到 then seemed似乎 simple简单
became成为 almost几乎 impossible不可能 to do alone单独.
16
61600
5407
曾经看起来很简单的事情
都变得几乎不可能完成一样
01:19
For example, one of my
challenges挑战 was textbooks教科书.
17
67962
3741
举个例子,其中一个挑战就是读书
01:24
Back then, there were no
personal个人 computers电脑,
18
72084
2750
在那个时候,没有个人电脑
01:26
no Internet互联网, no smartphones智能手机.
19
74858
2437
没有网络,没有智能手机
01:29
So I had to ask one of my two brothers兄弟
to read me textbooks教科书,
20
77319
5433
所以我不得不请求我其中一个哥哥来读给我听
01:34
and I had to create创建
my own拥有 books图书 in Braille点字.
21
82776
3476
并自己把书翻译成盲文
01:38
Can you imagine想像?
22
86653
1353
你能想象这个画面吗?
01:40
Of course课程, my brothers兄弟
were not happy快乐 about it,
23
88603
3119
当然,我的哥哥们对此并不乐意
01:43
and later后来, I noticed注意到 they were not there
whenever每当 I needed需要 them.
24
91746
3823
后来我发现,
每当我需要他们的时候他们就不见人影了
01:47
(Laughter笑声)
25
95593
1001
(笑)
01:48
I think they tried试着 to stay away from me.
26
96618
3792
我想他们刻意离我远一点
01:52
I don't blame them.
27
100434
1354
我并不责怪他们
01:54
I really wanted to be freed释放
from relying依托 on someone有人.
28
102581
3771
我真心希望自己不需要依赖任何人
01:59
That became成为 my strong强大 desire欲望
to ignite点燃 innovation革新.
29
107160
3909
这变成我想要带来创新最强大的动力
02:04
Jump ahead to the mid-中-1980s.
30
112100
2686
直到80年代中期
02:06
I got to know cutting-edge前沿 technologies技术
31
114810
2746
我见识到了先进的科技后
02:09
and I thought to myself,
32
117580
2097
联想到了我自己
02:11
how come there is no computer电脑 technology技术
33
119701
3619
为什么没有一种电脑技术
02:15
to create创建 books图书 in Braille点字?
34
123344
2126
能用来生成盲文书籍呢?
02:18
These amazing惊人 technologies技术
must必须 be able能够 to also help people
35
126288
4364
这些令人惊叹的科技也应该能够用来帮助
02:22
with limitations限制 like myself.
36
130676
2399
像我一样有缺陷的人们
02:25
That's the moment时刻
my innovation革新 journey旅程 began开始.
37
133805
3812
那就是我创新历程的开端
02:30
I started开始 developing发展
digital数字 book technologies技术,
38
138686
3854
我开始开发电子书技术
02:34
such这样 as a digital数字 Braille点字 editor编辑,
digital数字 Braille点字 dictionary字典
39
142564
5293
比如电子盲文编辑器,电子盲文字典
02:39
and a digital数字 Braille点字 library图书馆 network网络.
40
147881
2746
和电子盲文图书网
02:43
Today今天, every一切 student学生 who is visually视觉
impaired受损 can read textbooks教科书,
41
151178
4368
在今天,每一个有视力障碍的学生都能
02:47
by using运用 personal个人 computers电脑
and mobile移动 devices设备,
42
155570
3827
通过个人电脑和移动设备
02:51
in Braille点字 or in voice语音.
43
159421
2085
来阅读盲文或听有声读物
02:53
This may可能 not surprise you,
44
161998
2136
你不会为此感到惊讶,
02:56
since以来 everyone大家 now has digital数字 books图书
in their tablets平板电脑 in 2015.
45
164158
5060
因为现在是2015年,
每一个人的平板电脑里面都有电子书
03:01
But Braille点字 went digital数字
many许多 years年份 before digital数字 books图书,
46
169242
5847
但是大约30年前,也就是80年代末,
03:07
already已经 in the late晚了 1980s,
almost几乎 30 years年份 ago.
47
175113
5232
电子盲文已经出现,这远早于电子书
03:13
Strong强大 and specific具体 needs需求
of the blind people
48
181242
3799
盲人的这种强烈和特殊的需求
03:17
made制作 this opportunity机会 to create创建
digital数字 books图书 way back then.
49
185065
5643
促成了早年电子书的发明
03:23
And this is actually其实 not
the first time this happened发生,
50
191343
5006
而且这并不是第一次出现这样的发明
03:28
because history历史 shows节目 us
accessibility无障碍 ignites点燃 innovation革新.
51
196373
6090
历史上就有为了方便残障人士
启发了创新诞生的例子
03:35
The telephone电话 was invented发明
while developing发展 a communication通讯 tool工具
52
203467
4017
电话的发明是为了开发一种
03:39
for hearing听力 impaired受损 people.
53
207508
1867
方便听力障碍人群交流的工具
03:41
Some keyboards键盘 were also invented发明
to help people with disabilities残疾人.
54
209737
5420
某些键盘也是为了帮助有残疾的人士而发明的
03:48
Now I'm going to give you
another另一个 example from my own拥有 life.
55
216807
3477
现在我来告诉你们一个我生活中的例子。
03:52
In the '90s, people around me
started开始 talking about the Internet互联网
56
220688
4263
在90年代,我身边的人开始谈论
03:56
and web卷筒纸 browsing浏览.
57
224975
1443
因特网和浏览网页
03:58
I remember记得 the first time
I went on the web卷筒纸.
58
226895
2872
我记得第一次上网时
04:02
I was astonished惊讶.
59
230148
1588
我惊呆了
04:04
I could access访问 newspapers报纸
at any time and every一切 day.
60
232352
4107
我能够每天随时浏览报纸
04:08
I could even search搜索
for any information信息 by myself.
61
236810
3856
我甚至能通过我自己搜索到任何信息
04:13
I desperately拼命 wanted to help the blind
people have access访问 to the Internet互联网,
62
241175
5814
我迫切的想要帮助其他的盲人上网
04:19
and I found发现 ways方法 to render给予 the web卷筒纸
into synthesized综合 voice语音,
63
247013
5306
我找到了能够把网页内容合成成声音的方法
04:24
which哪一个 dramatically显着 simplified
the user用户 interface接口.
64
252343
3770
这大大的简化了用户界面
04:28
This led me to develop发展
the Home Page Reader读者 in 1997,
65
256685
5410
这使我在1997年开发了"首页阅读器"
04:34
first in Japanese日本 and later后来,
translated翻译 into 11 languages语言.
66
262119
4893
并从最开始的日语普及到了11种语言
04:39
When I developed发达 the Home Page Reader读者,
67
267784
2577
当我在开发"首页阅读器"的时候
04:42
I got many许多 comments注释 from users用户.
68
270385
2929
我收到了许多来自于用户的建议
04:45
One that I strongly非常 remember记得 said,
69
273909
2526
其中有一个我印象深刻,他说:
04:49
"For me, the Internet互联网
is a small window窗口 to the world世界."
70
277032
5248
"对我来说,网络是打开世界的窗口。"
04:55
It was a revolutionary革命的 moment时刻
for the blind.
71
283185
2941
这对于盲人来说是一个革新的时刻。
04:59
The cyber网络 world世界 became成为 accessible无障碍,
72
287130
2177
网络世界变得触手可及
05:01
and this technology技术 that we created创建
for the blind has many许多 uses使用,
73
289331
4670
并且有许多的用户使用我们这项
本来是为盲人开发的技术
05:06
way beyond what I imagined想象.
74
294025
1975
多到超过我的预想
05:08
It can help drivers司机 listen to their emails电子邮件
75
296539
4146
它能够帮助司机阅读邮件
05:12
or it can help you listen
to a recipe食谱 while cooking烹饪.
76
300709
4273
它能在你做饭的时候帮你阅读菜谱
05:18
Today今天, I am more independent独立,
77
306116
2510
今天,我变得更加独立了
05:20
but it is still not enough足够.
78
308650
2316
但还远远不够
05:23
For example, when I approached接近
the stage阶段 just now, I needed需要 assistance帮助.
79
311668
5855
例如我刚刚要走上讲台的时候,
我还是需要协助
05:30
My goal目标 is to come up here independently独立地.
80
318412
3421
我的目标是靠我自己走上来
05:34
And not just here.
81
322147
1527
而且不仅仅只是走上这个讲台
05:35
My goal目标 is to be able能够 to travel旅行
and do things that are simple简单 to you.
82
323991
5819
我的目标是去旅行,
去完成对你们来说很容易的事情
05:42
OK, now let me show显示 you
the latest最新 technologies技术.
83
330638
2809
好了,现在让我来给你们展示一些最新的科技
05:45
This is a smartphone手机 app应用
that we are working加工 on.
84
333471
3524
这是我们目前正在开发的一个智能手机客户端
05:50
(Video视频) Electronic电子 voice语音: 51 feet
to the door, and keep straight直行.
85
338625
3634
(视频)电子语音: 距离门口51英尺,直行
05:57
EVEV: Take the two doors to go out.
The door is on your right.
86
345702
3123
电子语音:打开两扇门出去。门在你右边
06:07
EVEV: Nick缺口 is approaching接近. Looks容貌 so happy快乐.
87
355731
1938
电子语音:尼克正在朝你走来。
他看起来很高兴。
06:09
Chieko千惠子 Asakawa浅川: Hi你好, Nick缺口!
88
357693
1205
浅川智惠子:你好,尼克
06:10
(Laughter笑声)
89
358922
1001
(笑声)
06:11
CACA: Where are you going?
You look so happy快乐.
90
359947
2143
浅川智惠子:你要去哪儿?
你看起来很开心
06:14
Nick缺口: Oh -- well, my paper
just got accepted公认.
91
362114
2113
尼克: 啊,我的文章刚刚被接受啦
06:16
CACA: That's great! Congratulations祝贺.
92
364251
1647
浅川智惠子:真棒!祝贺你
06:17
Nick缺口: Thanks谢谢. Wait -- how'd你怎么 you know
it was me, and that I look happy快乐?
93
365922
3651
尼克: 谢谢。等等,你怎么知道是我,
并知道我很高兴的?
06:21
(Chieko千惠子 and Nick缺口 laugh)
94
369597
1350
(浅川智惠子和 尼克 大笑)
06:22
Man: Hi你好.
95
370971
1159
路人:你好
06:24
(Laughter笑声)
96
372154
1717
(笑声)
06:25
CACA: Oh ... hi.
97
373895
1151
浅川智惠子:你好
06:27
EVEV: He is not talking to you,
but on his phone电话.
98
375070
2317
电子语音: 他没有跟你讲话,他在讲电话
06:36
EVEV: Potato土豆 chips芯片.
99
384434
1182
电子语音: 薯片。
06:45
EVEV: Dark黑暗 chocolate巧克力 with almonds杏仁.
100
393159
1603
电子语音: 杏仁黑巧克力。
06:48
EVEV: You gained获得 5 pounds英镑 since以来 yesterday昨天;
take apple苹果 instead代替 of chocolate巧克力.
101
396155
3521
电子语音: 你比昨天重了5磅。
你应该拿起苹果,放下巧克力。
06:51
(Laughter笑声)
102
399700
2166
(笑声)
06:54
EVEV: Approaching接近.
103
402456
1312
电子语音: 正在靠近
07:00
EVEV: You arrived到达.
104
408038
1176
电子语音: 到达目的地
07:02
CACA: Now ...
105
410939
1239
浅川智惠子:现在。。。
07:04
(Applause掌声)
106
412202
3928
(掌声)
07:08
Thank you.
107
416154
1191
谢谢
07:09
So now the app应用 navigates可前往[ me
108
417369
2898
所以现在这个应用通过分析
07:12
by analyzing分析 beacon烽火 signals信号
and smartphone手机 sensors传感器
109
420291
4016
指标讯号和手机感应来引导我
07:16
and permits许可证 me to move移动 around
indoor室内 and outdoor户外 environments环境
110
424331
5136
并让我能够靠我自己在室内和之外
07:21
all by myself.
111
429491
1588
的环境间移动
07:23
But the computer电脑 vision视力 part部分
that showed显示 who is approaching接近,
112
431103
4848
但是指示我谁在靠近,
情绪如何的电脑视觉部分
07:27
in which哪一个 mood心情 -- we are still
working加工 on that part部分.
113
435975
3506
我们还在努力改进
07:32
And recognizing认识 facial面部 expressions表达式
is very important重要 for me to be social社会.
114
440251
6406
这个面部表情识别功能
对我的社交生活非常重要
07:39
So now the fusions融合 of technologies技术
are ready准备 to help me
115
447398
6166
所以,现在科技的融合已经帮助我
07:45
see the real真实 world世界.
116
453588
1680
看到了真实的世界
07:47
We call this cognitive认知 assistance帮助.
117
455920
3229
我们称它为认知协助
07:51
It understands理解 our surrounding周围 world世界
118
459821
3319
它帮助我们理解我们周围的世界
07:55
and whispers耳语 to me in voice语音
or sends发送 a vibration振动 to my fingers手指.
119
463164
6217
并且通过语音或者手指的震动来告诉我
08:02
Cognitive认知 assistance帮助 will augment增加
missing失踪 or weakened减弱 abilities能力 --
120
470088
6064
认知协助可以增强我们缺少或弱化的能力——
08:08
in other words, our five senses感官.
121
476176
2631
换句话说,就是我们的五官
08:11
This technology技术 is only in an early stage阶段,
122
479464
3311
这种科技还在初级阶段
08:14
but eventually终于, I'll be able能够 to find
a classroom课堂 on campus校园,
123
482799
4777
但最终,我能够找到校园里的一间教室
08:19
enjoy请享用 window窗口 shopping购物
124
487600
1754
能够享受橱窗购物
08:21
or find a nice不错 restaurant餐厅
while walking步行 along沿 a street.
125
489378
3861
或者在漫步的时候找到一间不错的餐厅
08:26
It will be amazing惊人 if I can find you
on the street before you notice注意 me.
126
494088
4627
在大街上我能够在你注意我之前就找到你,
那将是多么让人惊讶
08:31
It will become成为 my best最好 buddy伙伴, and yours你的.
127
499595
3787
它会变成我最好的伙伴,
也会是你最好的伙伴
08:36
So, this really is a great challenge挑战.
128
504308
3590
所以,这真的是一个挑战
08:40
It is a challenge挑战
that needs需求 collaboration合作,
129
508395
3969
一个需要合作的挑战
08:44
which哪一个 is why we are creating创建
an open打开 community社区
130
512388
2902
这个合作正是我们创造一个促进研究交流
08:47
to accelerate加速 research研究 activities活动.
131
515314
2859
的开放社区的目的
08:51
Just this morning早上, we announced公布
the open-source开源 fundamental基本的 technologies技术
132
519192
4898
就在今天早上,我们发布了开源的基础技术
08:56
you just saw in the video视频.
133
524114
1627
就是你们刚刚在视频里面看到的
08:58
The frontier边境 is the real真实 world世界.
134
526487
2764
前沿就是真实的世界
09:01
The blind community社区 is exploring探索
this technical技术 frontier边境
135
529878
4413
盲人团体正在发掘这一技术的前沿
09:06
and the pathfinder开创者.
136
534315
1706
和探路者
09:08
I hope希望 to work with you
to explore探索 the new era时代,
137
536559
3738
我希望和你们一起来探索这个新的纪元
09:12
and the next下一个 time that I'm on this stage阶段,
138
540321
3087
也希望下次当我站在这个讲台上的时候
09:15
through通过 technology技术 and innovation革新,
139
543432
2414
在科技和创新的帮助下
09:17
I will be able能够 to walk步行 up here
140
545870
2025
我能够完全靠我自己
09:19
all by myself.
141
547919
1596
走到这里
09:21
Thank you so much.
142
549539
1239
谢谢大家
09:22
(Applause掌声)
143
550802
5618
(掌声)
Reviewed by Fan Han

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chieko Asakawa - Visionary inventor
Dr. 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.

More profile about the speaker
Chieko Asakawa | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee