system
A system with GPS-enabled terminals and AI-driven servers converts surrounding information into Braille for real-time tactile display, addressing the challenge of visually impaired navigation by providing accurate and timely information.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-10
AI Technical Summary
Visually impaired individuals face challenges in obtaining real-time information about their surroundings in public places due to the unavailability or inefficiency of Braille guides, making it difficult for them to navigate safely and efficiently.
A system that includes a user terminal with GPS and Braille display capabilities, a server that collects surrounding information using AI, and converts it into Braille data for real-time display, allowing visually impaired users to obtain necessary information through tactile feedback.
Enables visually impaired individuals to quickly and accurately understand their surroundings, facilitating safe and efficient navigation without the need for manual search for Braille characters.
Smart Images

Figure 2026041587000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to a system. [Background technology]
[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a persona chatbot control method performed by at least one processor, the method including the steps of receiving a user utterance, adding the user utterance to a prompt including an instruction sentence related to a description of the chatbot character, encoding the prompt, and inputting the encoded prompt into a language model to generate a chatbot utterance in response to the user utterance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-180282 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] When visually impaired people try to obtain information in public places or new locations, they face the problem that there are cases where Braille guides are not available, or even if there are, it takes time to confirm their location. Furthermore, it is difficult for visually impaired people to obtain detailed information about their surroundings in real time, making it difficult for them to travel safely and efficiently. To solve this problem, a system is needed that allows visually impaired people to instantly obtain the information they need in an easily accessible way. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a system including: means for acquiring user location information; means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server; means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server; means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence (AI); means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data; means for transmitting the Braille data to a terminal; and means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device. This system allows users to quickly obtain surrounding information in real time without the need to search for Braille characters, enabling visually impaired people to travel more safely and efficiently.
[0006] "User" refers to an individual who is visually impaired and possesses a terminal with Braille display capabilities.
[0007] "Location information" is data indicating the user's current geographical location, and is generally obtained using GPS.
[0008] "Terminal" refers to a device owned by a user that has GPS and Braille display capabilities.
[0009] A "server" refers to a computer system that communicates with terminals via a network and processes information using Braille generation AI.
[0010] "Braille generation AI" refers to an artificial intelligence program that summarizes important information for the user based on the detailed information received and converts it into Braille data.
[0011] "Area information" refers to information about the area around the user's current location, including store information, traffic information, and facility guides.
[0012] "Braille data" refers to a data format in which information summarized by generative AI is converted into Braille.
[0013] "Braille display device" refers to a device that displays braille data in a form that can be read by visually impaired people through touch.
[0014] "Internet or dedicated database" refers to the information source that the server accesses to gather peripheral information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data processing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of main functions of a data processing device and a smart device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data processing system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of main functions of a data processing device and smart glasses according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data processing system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of main functions of a data processing device and a headset-type terminal according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data processing system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of main functions of a data processing device and a robot according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 shows an emotion map onto which multiple emotions are mapped. [Figure 10] 1 shows an emotion map onto which multiple emotions are mapped. [Figure 11] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing a processing flow of the data processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing in the data processing system in Application Example 1. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing in the data processing system according to the second embodiment when an emotion engine is combined. [Figure 14]FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing in the data processing system in Application Example 2 when an emotion engine is combined. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] An example of an embodiment of a system according to the technology of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0017] First, the terms used in the following description will be explained.
[0018] In the following embodiments, a coded processor (hereinafter simply referred to as a "processor") may be a single arithmetic device or a combination of multiple arithmetic devices. Furthermore, a processor may be a single type of arithmetic device or a combination of multiple types of arithmetic devices. Examples of arithmetic devices include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a GPGPU (General-Purpose computing on Graphics Processing Units), and an APU (Accelerated Processing Unit).
[0019] In the following embodiments, a coded RAM (Random Access Memory) is a memory in which information is temporarily stored and is used as a working memory by a processor.
[0020] In the following embodiments, the coded storage is one or more non-volatile storage devices that store various programs, various parameters, etc. Examples of non-volatile storage devices include flash memory (SSD (Solid State Drive)), magnetic disks (e.g., hard disks), and magnetic tapes.
[0021] In the following embodiments, a communication I / F (Interface) with a symbol is an interface including a communication processor, an antenna, etc. The communication I / F controls communication between multiple computers. Examples of communication standards applied to the communication I / F include wireless communication standards including 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication System), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.
[0022] In the following embodiments, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B." In other words, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Furthermore, in this specification, the same concept as "A and / or B" is also applied when three or more things are expressed connected by "and / or."
[0023] [First embodiment]
[0024] FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a data processing system 10 according to the first embodiment.
[0025] 1, a data processing system 10 includes a data processing device 12 and a smart device 14. An example of the data processing device 12 is a server.
[0026] The data processing device 12 includes a computer 22, a database 24, and a communication I / F 26. The computer 22 is an example of a "computer" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The computer 22 includes a processor 28, a RAM 30, and a storage 32. The processor 28, the RAM 30, and the storage 32 are connected to a bus 34. The database 24 and the communication I / F 26 are also connected to the bus 34. The communication I / F 26 is connected to a network 54. Examples of the network 54 include a WAN (Wide Area Network) and / or a LAN (Local Area Network).
[0027] The smart device 14 includes a computer 36, a reception device 38, an output device 40, a camera 42, and a communication I / F 44. The computer 36 includes a processor 46, a RAM 48, and a storage 50. The processor 46, the RAM 48, and the storage 50 are connected to a bus 52. The reception device 38, the output device 40, and the camera 42 are also connected to the bus 52.
[0028] The reception device 38 includes a touch panel 38A, a microphone 38B, and the like, and receives user input. The touch panel 38A detects contact with an indicator (for example, a pen or a finger) to receive user input by the touch of the indicator. The microphone 38B detects the user's voice to receive user input by voice. The control unit 46A transmits data indicating the user input received by the touch panel 38A and the microphone 38B to the data processing device 12. In the data processing device 12, the specific processing unit 290 acquires the data indicating the user input.
[0029] The output device 40 includes a display 40A and a speaker 40B, and presents data to the user 20 by outputting the data in a form of expression that the user 20 can perceive (for example, audio and / or text). The display 40A displays visible information such as text and images in accordance with instructions from the processor 46. The speaker 40B outputs audio in accordance with instructions from the processor 46. The camera 42 is a compact digital camera equipped with an optical system including a lens, aperture, and shutter, and an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor.
[0030] The communication I / F 44 is connected to a network 54. The communication I / Fs 44 and 26 control the exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 via the network 54.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows an example of the main functions of the data processing device 12 and the smart device 14.
[0032] 2, in the data processing device 12, a specific process is performed by the processor 28. A specific processing program 56 is stored in the storage 32. The specific processing program 56 is an example of a "program" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The processor 28 reads the specific processing program 56 from the storage 32 and executes the read specific processing program 56 on the RAM 30. The specific process is realized by the processor 28 operating as a specific processing unit 290 in accordance with the specific processing program 56 executed on the RAM 30.
[0033] The storage 32 stores a data generation model 58 and an emotion identification model 59. The data generation model 58 and the emotion identification model 59 are used by the identification processing unit 290.
[0034] In the smart device 14, the processor 46 performs the reception output process. The storage 50 stores a reception output program 60. The reception output program 60 is used in conjunction with the specific processing program 56 by the data processing system 10. The processor 46 reads the reception output program 60 from the storage 50 and executes the read reception output program 60 on the RAM 48. The reception output process is realized by the processor 46 operating as the control unit 46A in accordance with the reception output program 60 executed on the RAM 48.
[0035] Next, a description will be given of the specific processing performed by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart device 14 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0036] This system allows visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time using Braille. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[0037] The specific operation is as follows.
[0038] User
[0039] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0040] Terminal
[0041] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0042] The device periodically acquires the user's current location using the built-in GPS sensor.
[0043] 2. Location transmission:
[0044] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0045] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0046] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0047] server
[0048] 1. Receiving location information:
[0049] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0050] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0051] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0052] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0053] 3. Summary of information:
[0054] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[0055] Example: "You are currently at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[0056] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0057] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0058] Specific examples
[0059] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0060] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0061] The processing flow will be explained below.
[0062] Step 1:
[0063] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, which is done automatically and does not require any special operation on the part of the user.
[0064] Step 2:
[0065] The device sends the acquired location information to the server, using a communication protocol (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS) to transfer the data securely and quickly.
[0066] Step 3:
[0067] The server analyzes the location information received from the terminal and determines the user's current geographic location.
[0068] Step 4:
[0069] Based on the location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect information about the surrounding area related to that location. The collected information ranges from store location information, public facility guides, and traffic information.
[0070] Step 5:
[0071] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information using an AI text generation algorithm.
[0072] Step 6:
[0073] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that the user can read tactilely.
[0074] Step 7:
[0075] The server sends the generated Braille data to the terminal, using a communication protocol to ensure security during data transmission.
[0076] Step 8:
[0077] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[0078] Step 9:
[0079] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 8 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[0080] Through these steps, the system provides a mechanism for visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information safely and efficiently.
[0081] Example 1
[0082] Next, a description will be given of Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart device 14 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0083] There is a need for a means for visually impaired people to easily obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move, enabling them to act safely and efficiently. However, conventional systems require visually impaired people to perform numerous operations to obtain information about their surroundings, making it difficult to provide information in real time. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Braille conversion will be an appropriate summary or accurate. This has resulted in a lack of a system that can provide the visually impaired with the information they need in an accurate and timely manner.
[0084] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the first embodiment is realized by the following means.
[0085] In this invention, the server includes a means for collecting detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet based on location information, a means for inputting a prompt to the AI generating the information to instruct it to summarize the surrounding information, and a means for converting the summarized information into Braille. This allows visually impaired people to accurately obtain surrounding information in real time based on their current location and to act safely and efficiently.
[0086] "Location Information" means data indicating a user's current geographic location obtained using GPS or other location-determining technology.
[0087] A "server" is a central computer system that receives and analyzes data sent from terminals via a network and provides the necessary information.
[0088] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a visually impaired person that acquires location information and displays Braille.
[0089] "Braille data" is information that has been converted into a format that can be read by the sense of touch by visually impaired people.
[0090] A "Braille display device" is a device that displays Braille data in a discernible form.
[0091] "Nearby information" refers to information such as facilities, traffic conditions, and geographical features that exist near the current location.
[0092] "Generative AI" is an algorithm or system that uses natural language processing and machine learning to analyze, summarize, and generate collected information.
[0093] A "Braille conversion algorithm" is a computer program or method for converting text data into Braille data.
[0094] A "prompt sentence" is an input sentence to a generative artificial intelligence, and is a sentence that contains instructions to summarize and generate specific information.
[0095] "Scraping" is a technique for automatically collecting data from the Internet.
[0096] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time through Braille display. This system is mainly composed of three elements: the user, the terminal, and the server.
[0097] User
[0098] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0099] Terminal
[0100] Location information acquisition:
[0101] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0102] Sending location information:
[0103] The acquired location information is sent to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[0104] Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0105] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0106] server
[0107] Receiving location information:
[0108] The server receives the location information sent from the device and stores it in a database.
[0109] Collecting surrounding information:
[0110] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet, using scraping techniques or location-based APIs (e.g., Google® Maps API).
[0111] Summary of information:
[0112] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4 (registered trademark)), enters prompts, and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[0113] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[0114] Braille data generation and transmission:
[0115] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis), and the Braille data is then sent to the device securely using the HTTPS protocol.
[0116] Specific examples
[0117] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses its built-in GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the internet based on the user's current location. Specifically, it uses Python to obtain the necessary data using the Google Maps API and scraping technology. The generative AI model (GPT-4) then receives a prompt: "The user is at the first-floor entrance of the shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is on their left and what is on their right." This prompt generates a summary. The summary is then converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm such as Liblouis and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using its built-in Braille display device, allowing the user to easily access the surrounding information through their sense of touch.
[0118] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0119] The flow of the identification process in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0120] Step 1:
[0121] Obtaining location information
[0122] The device activates its built-in GPS sensor at regular intervals to obtain the user's current location.
[0123] Input: GPS sensor activation signal
[0124] Data processing / calculation: A GPS sensor is used to measure latitude and longitude information and generate current location data.
[0125] Output: Obtained location information (latitude and longitude)
[0126] Step 2:
[0127] Sending location information
[0128] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[0129] Input: Obtained location information (output of step 1)
[0130] Data processing / calculation: Data encryption and transmission processing using HTTPS protocol
[0131] Output: Secure location transmission to server
[0132] Step 3:
[0133] Receiving location information
[0134] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0135] Input: Location information sent via HTTPS protocol
[0136] Data processing / calculation: Decrypting received data and saving it to a database
[0137] Output: Location information stored in a database
[0138] Step 4:
[0139] Gathering surrounding information
[0140] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet.
[0141] Input: Location information stored in the database (output of Step 3)
[0142] Data processing / calculation: Obtaining surrounding information using scraping technology or location information processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API)
[0143] Output: Surrounding area information (facility information, traffic information, etc.)
[0144] Step 5:
[0145] Summary of information
[0146] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative AI model, which then summarizes the necessary information into concise text.
[0147] Input: Collected ambient information (output of step 4)
[0148] Data processing / calculation: Prompt sentences are used to input data to a generative AI (e.g., GPT-4) to generate summary information.
[0149] Output: Summarized text information
[0150] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[0151] Step 6:
[0152] Braille data generation
[0153] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis).
[0154] Input: Summarized text information (output of Step 5)
[0155] Data processing / computation: Application of algorithms to convert text information into Braille notation
[0156] Output: Braille data
[0157] Step 7:
[0158] Sending Braille data
[0159] The server transmits the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[0160] Input: Generated Braille data (output of step 6)
[0161] Data processing / calculation: Processing to encrypt data and send it safely using the HTTPS protocol
[0162] Output: Secure transmission of braille data to the device
[0163] Step 8:
[0164] Receiving Braille data
[0165] The terminal receives the Braille data sent from the server.
[0166] Input: Braille data sent via HTTPS protocol
[0167] Data processing / calculation: Decoding of received data
[0168] Output: Received braille data
[0169] Step 9:
[0170] Displaying Braille data
[0171] The terminal uses a built-in Braille display device to display Braille data to the user.
[0172] Input: Received Braille data (output of step 8)
[0173] Data processing / calculation: Braille display control signal generation
[0174] Output: Braille display with tactile feedback
[0175] This series of processes enables visually impaired people to obtain real-time information about their surroundings in Braille, enabling them to move around safely and efficiently.
[0176] (Application example 1)
[0177] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart device 14 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0178] There is a need for real-time information acquisition methods for visually impaired people to navigate safely and efficiently in public places and new environments, enabling them to easily understand their surroundings and take appropriate action.
[0179] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 1 is realized by the following means.
[0180] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence, means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for periodically acquiring the user's current location and providing information adapted to the user's means of transportation, and means for setting a destination by voice input using a voice recognition engine. This enables visually impaired people to acquire surrounding information in Braille in real time while traveling, and to easily set a destination or check their current location.
[0181] A "user" is a person who is visually impaired and needs to obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0182] "Location information" is data including the latitude and longitude of the current location obtained using a GPS sensor or the like.
[0183] A "server" is a computer system that analyzes data sent from a user terminal, collects and processes the necessary information, and returns it.
[0184] "Nearby information" is data relating to facilities, objects, traffic information, topography, etc. that exist near the user's current location.
[0185] "Generative AI" refers to machine learning models and algorithms used to analyze, summarize, and transform incoming information.
[0186] "Braille data" is text information that has been converted into a format that can be displayed on a Braille display device.
[0187] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a user for acquiring location information and displaying Braille data.
[0188] A "Braille display device" is a machine that allows visually impaired people to check written information by touch.
[0189] "Periodic" refers to an action that is repeated at regular intervals.
[0190] "Means of transportation" refers to the means of transportation used by the user, such as public transport or automobiles.
[0191] A "voice recognition engine" is a technology that converts voice input into text data.
[0192] A "destination" is a location that a user wishes to reach.
[0193] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to obtain information about their surroundings in real time through Braille displays. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[0194] User
[0195] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0196] Terminal
[0197] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0198] The device periodically determines the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor, and this location information is automatically sent to the server.
[0199] 2. Setting a destination by voice input:
[0200] Users can set their destination using a voice recognition engine, which converts their voice input into text using cloud-based speech recognition software (e.g., Google Cloud Speech-to-Text engine).
[0201] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0202] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Refreshable Braille Display).
[0203] server
[0204] 1. Receiving location information:
[0205] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0206] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0207] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet and dedicated databases, including floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0208] 3. Summary of information:
[0209] The server analyzes the collected surrounding information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4) and summarizes important information for the user in concise text. Specifically, it generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[0210] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0211] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0212] Specific operation example
[0213] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then retrieves the mall's floor map information from the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0214] Prompt Sentence Examples
[0215] The user launches the "BrailleDrive" app. The app sends current GPS information to the server and collects information about the surrounding area. The server then retrieves the shopping mall's floor map information from the internet and generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." This information is then converted into Braille data and sent to the Braille display device inside the car.
[0216] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0217] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0218] Step 1:
[0219] The device obtains location information from the built-in GPS sensor.
[0220] Input: Current location data (latitude, longitude) from the GPS sensor
[0221] Data processing or data calculation: Organizing the current location data and converting it into a format that can be sent to the server.
[0222] Output: Organized location information
[0223] Step 2:
[0224] The terminal transmits the acquired location information to the server.
[0225] Input: Organized location information
[0226] Data processing or data calculation: The location information is sent to the server in an appropriate format as an HTTP request.
[0227] Output: HTTP request with location information
[0228] Step 3:
[0229] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0230] Input: Location information included in the HTTP request
[0231] Data processing or data calculation: Extracting location information and converting it into a format that can be further processed inside the server.
[0232] Output: Extracted location information
[0233] Step 4:
[0234] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0235] Input:Location
[0236] Data processing or data calculation: Make an API request based on location information and collect surrounding information.
[0237] Output: Peripheral information data
[0238] Step 5:
[0239] The server summarizes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence.
[0240] Input: Peripheral information data
[0241] Data processing or data computation: Using generative AI models (e.g., GPT-4) to summarize peripheral information into what is important to the user.
[0242] Output: Summarized text information
[0243] Step 6:
[0244] The server converts the generated summary information into Braille data.
[0245] Input: Summarized text information
[0246] Data processing or data calculation: Using a Braille conversion algorithm, convert the summary text into Braille data.
[0247] Output: Braille data
[0248] Step 7:
[0249] The server transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0250] Input: Braille data
[0251] Data processing or data calculation: Generates an HTTP request to send the Braille data to the device in the appropriate format.
[0252] Output: HTTP request containing braille data
[0253] Step 8:
[0254] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device.
[0255] Input: Braille data sent from the server
[0256] Data processing or data calculation: Converting data to display properly on a Braille display device
[0257] Output: Braille information displayed on a Braille display device
[0258] These are the specific processing steps that take place between the user, server, and device, allowing visually impaired people to safely and efficiently obtain information about their surroundings in Braille in real time.
[0259] Furthermore, an emotion engine that estimates the user's emotion may be combined. That is, the identification processing unit 290 may estimate the user's emotion using the emotion identification model 59 and perform identification processing using the user's emotion.
[0260] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[0261] The specific operation is as follows.
[0262] User
[0263] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0264] Terminal
[0265] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0266] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0267] 2. Location transmission:
[0268] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0269] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0270] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0271] 4. Collecting Emotional Data:
[0272] Collects user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones.
[0273] server
[0274] 1. Receiving location information:
[0275] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0276] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0277] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0278] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0279] 3. Emotion recognition:
[0280] The server analyzes the received emotional data to determine the user's current emotional state.
[0281] The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[0282] 4. Summarizing and customizing information:
[0283] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information. This summary information is then customized based on the user's emotional state.
[0284] Example: "We are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend you use the rest area nearby."
[0285] 5. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0286] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0287] Specific examples
[0288] Imagine a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine their current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location, and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0289] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[0290] The processing flow will be explained below.
[0291] Step 1:
[0292] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, without the user having to perform any special operations.
[0293] Step 2:
[0294] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[0295] Step 3:
[0296] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal and identifies the user's current geographic location.
[0297] Step 4:
[0298] Based on the identified location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect surrounding information related to that location, including floor maps of the commercial facility, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0299] Step 5:
[0300] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and microphones to collect user emotional data, such as heart rate, skin temperature, and voice tone.
[0301] Step 6:
[0302] The device transmits the collected emotional data to a server, also using HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
[0303] Step 7:
[0304] The server analyzes the received emotion data to determine the user's current emotional state. The emotion engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors to classify the user's emotion.
[0305] Step 8:
[0306] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI) that extracts and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text information that is customized based on the user's emotional state.
[0307] Step 9:
[0308] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that can be read by the user tactilely.
[0309] Step 10:
[0310] The server then sends the generated Braille data to the device, again using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[0311] Step 11:
[0312] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[0313] Step 12:
[0314] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 11 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[0315] Examples:
[0316] Assume a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine the user's current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location. In parallel, the device collects the user's heart rate and voice tone and sends them to the server. The emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired" and uses AI to generate summary information such as "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily grasp their surroundings and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0317] Example 2
[0318] Next, a description will be given of Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart device 14 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0319] Conventional support systems for the visually impaired make it difficult for users to obtain peripheral information in real time, and the information is not customized to suit the individual user's condition. Furthermore, the provision of information via Braille display is limited, and convenience for users while on the move is not fully ensured. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information more smoothly and efficiently, and receive support tailored to their own condition.
[0320] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the second embodiment is realized by the following means.
[0321] In this invention, the server includes means for collecting peripheral information based on the user's location information, means for collecting and analyzing the user's emotion data to identify the emotion, and means for summarizing information based on the peripheral information and emotion data and converting it into Braille data, thereby enabling the user to obtain peripheral information corresponding to their own location information and emotional state in real time on a Braille display device.
[0322] "User" refers to anyone, including visually impaired people, who obtains surrounding information using a specified terminal.
[0323] "Location information" refers to information indicating a user's current geographical location obtained by a measurement means such as a GPS sensor.
[0324] "Terminal" refers to an electronic device carried by a user that includes GPS and Braille capabilities.
[0325] "Server" refers to a centralized computing device that receives, analyzes, and processes data sent from user terminals.
[0326] "Nearby information" refers to information about a location, including floor maps of commercial facilities related to the user's current location, store locations, traffic information, and the like.
[0327] "Emotion data" refers to data that indicates the user's emotional state, obtained based on the user's biometric information such as heart rate and skin potential, and tone of voice.
[0328] "Emotion engine" refers to software that analyzes collected emotion data and identifies a user's emotional state.
[0329] "Generative artificial intelligence (AI)" refers to algorithms or programs that summarize information based on received data and generate useful information for users.
[0330] "Braille data" means data that has been converted to provide tactile information to visually impaired persons using a braille display device.
[0331] "Braille display device" refers to a device that generates physical Braille characters based on Braille data, allowing users to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[0332] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[0333] User
[0334] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0335] Terminal
[0336] 1. Obtaining location information
[0337] The device obtains the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor (e.g., Ublox Neo-6m), which periodically provides the current latitude and longitude information.
[0338] 2. Sending location information
[0339] The dedicated app on the device (e.g., an ANDROID app) sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection. This transmission is performed using an HTTP request, and the location information is sent to the server in JSON format.
[0340] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data
[0341] The device receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch). The Braille display device displays the received Braille data as physical Braille information.
[0342] 4. Collecting Emotional Data
[0343] The device collects user emotion data through built-in biosensors (e.g., heart rate sensor, skin potential sensor) and microphone, allowing it to obtain real-time biometric information of the user.
[0344] server
[0345] 1. Receiving location information
[0346] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal. In this case, a web server such as Apache (registered trademark) HTTP Server is used, and the location information is stored in a database.
[0347] 2. Gathering peripheral information
[0348] The server uses the location information to collect surrounding information from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, it uses the Google Places API to obtain surrounding information such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0349] 3. Emotion recognition
[0350] The server analyzes the emotion data sent from the device and identifies the user's emotional state. It uses an emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson (registered trademark) Tone Analyzer) to analyze the emotion data and identify the user's emotional state, such as "tired" or "happy."
[0351] 4. Summarizing and customizing information
[0352] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative artificial intelligence (e.g., OpenAI (registered trademark) GPT-3 (registered trademark)), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[0353] Example: Prompt: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[0354] 5. Braille data generation and transmission
[0355] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0356] Specific examples
[0357] When a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired, the device uses its built-in GPS sensor to determine their current location and sends the location information to a server via a dedicated app. The server then uses the Google Places API to obtain the mall's floor map information and analyzes the emotion data using an emotion engine to determine "tired." It then uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as "You're currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." This information is then converted into Braille data using Braille Translator and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0358] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[0359] The flow of the identification process in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0360] Step 1:
[0361] Obtaining location information
[0362] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location. Specifically, the device uses the Ublox Neo-6m sensor to obtain the current latitude and longitude information. This data is collected at regular intervals.
[0363] Input: Current location data from the GPS sensor
[0364] Output: Obtained latitude and longitude information
[0365] Step 2:
[0366] Sending location information
[0367] The dedicated app on the device sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection, converts the location information into JSON format, and sends it to the server using an HTTP request.
[0368] Input: Latitude and longitude information (JSON format)
[0369] Output: Sends location information to the server via an HTTP request
[0370] Step 3:
[0371] Receiving location information
[0372] The server receives the location information sent from the device. The Apache HTTP Server receives the HTTP request and stores the location information in a database.
[0373] Input: Latitude and longitude information in the HTTP request
[0374] Output: Location information stored in a database
[0375] Step 4:
[0376] Gathering surrounding information
[0377] The server then uses the received location information to collect information about the surrounding area from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, the server uses the Google Places API to obtain floor maps of nearby commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0378] Input: User's location information (latitude and longitude)
[0379] Output: Collected surrounding information (floor map, store information, etc.)
[0380] Step 5:
[0381] Collecting Emotional Data
[0382] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and a microphone to collect user emotional data, including vital signs such as heart rate and skin potential, as well as tone of voice.
[0383] Input: Data from biosensors and microphone
[0384] Output: Acquired emotion data (heart rate, skin potential, tone of voice)
[0385] Step 6:
[0386] Sending emotional data
[0387] The app on the device then sends the acquired emotion data to a server via an internet connection, where it is also converted to JSON format and sent using an HTTP request.
[0388] Input: Emotion data (JSON format)
[0389] Output: Sends emotion data to the server via an HTTP request
[0390] Step 7:
[0391] Emotional Data Analysis
[0392] The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state. An emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) analyzes the emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state, such as "tired" or "happy."
[0393] Input: Emotion data
[0394] Output: Parsed emotional state
[0395] Step 8:
[0396] Summarizing and customizing information
[0397] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative AI model (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[0398] Input: Peripheral information, analyzed emotional state
[0399] Output: Summarized text information
[0400] Specific prompt example: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[0401] Step 9:
[0402] Braille data generation and transmission
[0403] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0404] Input: Summarized text information
[0405] Output: Braille data
[0406] Step 10:
[0407] Braille data reception and display
[0408] The terminal receives the Braille data from the server and displays it to the user. The terminal uses a Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch) to provide the received Braille data to the user as physical Braille, allowing the user to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[0409] Input: Braille data
[0410] Output: Physical Braille displayed by a Braille display device
[0411] (Application example 2)
[0412] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart device 14 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0413] Conventional navigation systems for the visually impaired can obtain the user's current location and provide surrounding information, but they only provide uniform information without considering the user's emotional state. This makes it difficult to obtain appropriate information according to the user's situation and emotions. There is a need to solve this problem and provide more personalized assistance.
[0414] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 2 is realized by the following means.
[0415] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence (AI), means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for collecting user emotion data using a biometric sensor, and means for customizing information based on the collected emotion data. This makes it possible to provide personalized information based on not only the user's current location but also their emotional state.
[0416] "User"
[0417] A person using a device with GPS and Braille capabilities, including a visually impaired person.
[0418] "Method of obtaining location information"
[0419] is a device or system that uses a built-in GPS sensor to determine a user's current location.
[0420] "Method of sending location information to a server"
[0421] is a function for transferring acquired location information to a server via a communication means (e.g., the Internet or a mobile network).
[0422] "Means of gathering peripheral information"
[0423] is a system or program that retrieves related information such as commercial facilities and traffic information from the Internet or a dedicated database based on received location information.
[0424] "Method of summarizing using generative artificial intelligence (AI)"
[0425] It is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected peripheral information and outputs necessary and appropriate information for the user as concise text data.
[0426] "Method for converting summary information into Braille data"
[0427] is a program or device for converting generated concise text information into Braille notation.
[0428] "Means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal"
[0429] is a communication means for transferring the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[0430] "Method of displaying on a Braille display device"
[0431] is a device that physically displays received Braille data in raised form, allowing users to read it with their fingertips.
[0432] "Method of collecting user emotional data using biometric sensors"
[0433] is a device or system that detects a user's emotional state from their physiological responses and voice.
[0434] "A way to customize information based on emotional data"
[0435] is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected emotional data and changes the content and priorities of the information provided depending on the user's current emotional state.
[0436] This invention is a navigation system for the visually impaired, which aims to provide real-time surrounding information in Braille using the user's location information and emotion data. This system is mainly composed of a user, a terminal, a server, and an emotion engine.
[0437] User
[0438] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions. The user does not need to perform any special operations and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move.
[0439] Terminal
[0440] The device comes with the following features:
[0441] 1. Obtaining location information: The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0442] 2. Sending location information: The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0443] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data: Receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0444] 4. Emotional data collection: Collect user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[0445] server
[0446] On the server side, the following happens:
[0447] 1. Receiving location information: The server receives the location information sent from the device.
[0448] 2. Collecting surrounding information: Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database, such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0449] 3. Emotion Recognition: The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's current emotional state. The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[0450] 4. Information Summarization and Customization: The server inputs the collected surrounding information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), which extracts the information necessary for the user and summarizes it into concise text information. Furthermore, the summary information is customized based on the user's emotional state. For example, it generates a message such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. You seem tired, so we recommend using the nearby rest area."
[0451] 5. Generating and transmitting Braille data: The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is transmitted to the terminal.
[0452] Specific examples
[0453] For example, imagine a user arrives at a large shopping mall and feels a little stressed. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0454] Prompt Sentence Examples
[0455] "The user is in a large shopping mall. The emotion sensor detects that the user is feeling stressed. The user's current location is the first floor entrance of the shopping mall. Generate information to provide to the user in Braille."
[0456] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0457] Step 1:
[0458] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0459] (Input) Location information from the GPS sensor
[0460] (Processing) Read location information and identify current location
[0461] (Output) Current location information obtained
[0462] Step 2:
[0463] The acquired location information is sent from the terminal to the server.
[0464] (Input) Acquired current location information
[0465] (Processing) Send location information to the server using network communication
[0466] (Output) Location information sent to the server
[0467] Step 3:
[0468] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0469] (Input) Location information sent to the server
[0470] (Processing) Query the database based on the location information and collect related surrounding information
[0471] (Output) Collected surrounding information
[0472] Step 4:
[0473] The device collects user emotional data using biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[0474] (Input) Emotion data from biosensors and microphones
[0475] (Processing) Analyze data from sensors to identify the user's emotional state
[0476] (Output) Identified emotional state data
[0477] Step 5:
[0478] The server analyzes the received emotional data and surrounding information and uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to summarize the information necessary for the user.
[0479] (Input) Collected surrounding information and identified emotional state data
[0480] (Processing) Use AI models to extract and summarize the necessary information into concise text data
[0481] (Output) Summarized information text
[0482] Step 6:
[0483] The generated summary information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm.
[0484] (Input) Summarized information text
[0485] (Processing) Converts text data into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm
[0486] (Output) Braille data
[0487] Step 7:
[0488] The generated Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0489] (Input) Braille data
[0490] (Processing) Sending Braille data to the terminal using network communication
[0491] (Output) Braille data sent to the device
[0492] Step 8:
[0493] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to obtain the information tactilely.
[0494] (Input) Braille data sent to the terminal
[0495] (Processing) Physically displaying braille on a braille display device
[0496] (Output) Displayed braille information
[0497] These steps allow users to receive real-time information about their surroundings in Braille while on the move, and the information is personalized based on the user's emotional state.
[0498] The specific processing unit 290 transmits the result of the specific processing to the smart device 14. In the smart device 14, the control unit 46A causes the output device 40 to output the result of the specific processing. The microphone 38B acquires audio indicating a user input regarding the result of the specific processing. The control unit 46A transmits audio data indicating the user input acquired by the microphone 38B to the data processing device 12. In the data processing device 12, the specific processing unit 290 acquires the audio data.
[0499] The data generation model 58 is a so-called generative AI (Artificial Intelligence). An example of the data generation model 58 is ChatGPT (registered trademark) (Internet search engine).<URL: https: / / openai.com / blog / chatgpt> ), Gemini (registered trademark) (Internet search <url: https: gemini.google.com ?hl="ja">) and other generation AIs. The data generation model 58 is obtained by performing deep learning on a neural network. A prompt including an instruction is input to the data generation model 58, and inference data such as voice data indicating voice, text data indicating text, and image data indicating an image is also input. The data generation model 58 performs inference on the input inference data in accordance with the instruction indicated by the prompt, and outputs the inference result in a data format such as voice data and text data. Here, inference refers to, for example, analysis, classification, prediction, and / or summarization.
[0500] In the above embodiment, an example in which the specific process is performed by the data processing device 12 has been given, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the specific process may be performed by the smart device 14.
[0501] [Second embodiment]
[0502] FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a data processing system 210 according to the second embodiment.
[0503] 3, the data processing system 210 includes the data processing device 12 and smart glasses 214. An example of the data processing device 12 is a server.
[0504] The data processing device 12 includes a computer 22, a database 24, and a communication I / F 26. The computer 22 is an example of a "computer" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The computer 22 includes a processor 28, a RAM 30, and a storage 32. The processor 28, the RAM 30, and the storage 32 are connected to a bus 34. The database 24 and the communication I / F 26 are also connected to the bus 34. The communication I / F 26 is connected to a network 54. Examples of the network 54 include a WAN (Wide Area Network) and / or a LAN (Local Area Network).
[0505] The smart glasses 214 include a computer 36, a microphone 238, a speaker 240, a camera 42, and a communication I / F 44. The computer 36 includes a processor 46, a RAM 48, and a storage 50. The processor 46, the RAM 48, and the storage 50 are connected to a bus 52. The microphone 238, the speaker 240, and the camera 42 are also connected to the bus 52.
[0506] The microphone 238 receives instructions and the like from the user 20 by receiving voice uttered by the user 20. The microphone 238 captures the voice uttered by the user 20, converts the captured voice into audio data, and outputs it to the processor 46. The speaker 240 outputs audio in accordance with instructions from the processor 46.
[0507] Camera 42 is a small digital camera equipped with an optical system including a lens, aperture, and shutter, and an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and captures images of the surroundings of user 20 (for example, an imaging range defined by an angle of view equivalent to the field of vision of a typical healthy person).
[0508] The communication I / F 44 is connected to a network 54. The communication I / Fs 44 and 26 are responsible for the exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 via the network 54. The exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 using the communication I / Fs 44 and 26 is carried out in a secure state.
[0509] Fig. 4 shows an example of the main functions of the data processing device 12 and the smart glasses 214. As shown in Fig. 4, in the data processing device 12, a specific process is performed by the processor 28. A specific process program 56 is stored in the storage 32.
[0510] The specific processing program 56 is an example of a "program" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The processor 28 reads the specific processing program 56 from the storage 32 and executes the read specific processing program 56 on the RAM 30. The specific processing is realized by the processor 28 operating as a specific processing unit 290 in accordance with the specific processing program 56 executed on the RAM 30.
[0511] The storage 32 stores a data generation model 58 and an emotion identification model 59. The data generation model 58 and the emotion identification model 59 are used by the identification processing unit 290.
[0512] In the smart glasses 214, the processor 46 performs the reception output process. A reception output program 60 is stored in the storage 50. The processor 46 reads the reception output program 60 from the storage 50 and executes the read reception output program 60 on the RAM 48. The reception output process is realized by the processor 46 operating as the control unit 46A in accordance with the reception output program 60 executed on the RAM 48.
[0513] Next, a description will be given of the identification process performed by the identification processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as the "server" and the smart glasses 214 will be referred to as the "terminal."
[0514] This system allows visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time using Braille. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[0515] The specific operation is as follows.
[0516] User
[0517] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0518] Terminal
[0519] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0520] The device periodically acquires the user's current location using the built-in GPS sensor.
[0521] 2. Location transmission:
[0522] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0523] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0524] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0525] server
[0526] 1. Receiving location information:
[0527] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0528] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0529] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0530] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0531] 3. Summary of information:
[0532] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[0533] Example: "You are currently at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[0534] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0535] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0536] Specific examples
[0537] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0538] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0539] The processing flow will be explained below.
[0540] Step 1:
[0541] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, which is done automatically and does not require any special operation on the part of the user.
[0542] Step 2:
[0543] The device sends the acquired location information to the server, using a communication protocol (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS) to transfer the data securely and quickly.
[0544] Step 3:
[0545] The server analyzes the location information received from the terminal and determines the user's current geographic location.
[0546] Step 4:
[0547] Based on the location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect information about the surrounding area related to that location. The collected information ranges from store location information, public facility guides, and traffic information.
[0548] Step 5:
[0549] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information using an AI text generation algorithm.
[0550] Step 6:
[0551] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that the user can read tactilely.
[0552] Step 7:
[0553] The server sends the generated Braille data to the terminal, using a communication protocol to ensure security during data transmission.
[0554] Step 8:
[0555] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[0556] Step 9:
[0557] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 8 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[0558] Through these steps, the system provides a mechanism for visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information safely and efficiently.
[0559] Example 1
[0560] Next, a description will be given of Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart glasses 214 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0561] There is a need for a means for visually impaired people to easily obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move, enabling them to act safely and efficiently. However, conventional systems require visually impaired people to perform numerous operations to obtain information about their surroundings, making it difficult to provide information in real time. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Braille conversion will be an appropriate summary or accurate. This has resulted in a lack of a system that can provide the visually impaired with the information they need in an accurate and timely manner.
[0562] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the first embodiment is realized by the following means.
[0563] In this invention, the server includes a means for collecting detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet based on location information, a means for inputting a prompt to the AI generating the information to instruct it to summarize the surrounding information, and a means for converting the summarized information into Braille. This allows visually impaired people to accurately obtain surrounding information in real time based on their current location and to act safely and efficiently.
[0564] "Location Information" means data indicating a user's current geographic location obtained using GPS or other location-determining technology.
[0565] A "server" is a central computer system that receives and analyzes data sent from terminals via a network and provides the necessary information.
[0566] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a visually impaired person that acquires location information and displays Braille.
[0567] "Braille data" is information that has been converted into a format that can be read by the sense of touch by visually impaired people.
[0568] A "Braille display device" is a device that displays Braille data in a discernible form.
[0569] "Nearby information" refers to information such as facilities, traffic conditions, and geographical features that exist near the current location.
[0570] "Generative AI" is an algorithm or system that uses natural language processing and machine learning to analyze, summarize, and generate collected information.
[0571] A "Braille conversion algorithm" is a computer program or method for converting text data into Braille data.
[0572] A "prompt sentence" is an input sentence to a generative artificial intelligence, and is a sentence that contains instructions to summarize and generate specific information.
[0573] "Scraping" is a technique for automatically collecting data from the Internet.
[0574] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time through Braille display. This system is mainly composed of three elements: the user, the terminal, and the server.
[0575] User
[0576] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0577] Terminal
[0578] Location information acquisition:
[0579] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0580] Sending location information:
[0581] The acquired location information is sent to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[0582] Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0583] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0584] server
[0585] Receiving location information:
[0586] The server receives the location information sent from the device and stores it in a database.
[0587] Collecting surrounding information:
[0588] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet, using scraping techniques or location processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API).
[0589] Summary of information:
[0590] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4), inputs a prompt, and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[0591] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[0592] Braille data generation and transmission:
[0593] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis), and the Braille data is then sent to the device securely using the HTTPS protocol.
[0594] Specific examples
[0595] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses its built-in GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the internet based on the user's current location. Specifically, it uses Python to obtain the necessary data using the Google Maps API and scraping technology. The generative AI model (GPT-4) then receives a prompt: "The user is at the first-floor entrance of the shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is on their left and what is on their right." This prompt generates a summary. The summary is then converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm such as Liblouis and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using its built-in Braille display device, allowing the user to easily access the surrounding information through their sense of touch.
[0596] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0597] The flow of the identification process in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0598] Step 1:
[0599] Obtaining location information
[0600] The device activates its built-in GPS sensor at regular intervals to obtain the user's current location.
[0601] Input: GPS sensor activation signal
[0602] Data processing / calculation: A GPS sensor is used to measure latitude and longitude information and generate current location data.
[0603] Output: Obtained location information (latitude and longitude)
[0604] Step 2:
[0605] Sending location information
[0606] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[0607] Input: Obtained location information (output of step 1)
[0608] Data processing / calculation: Data encryption and transmission processing using HTTPS protocol
[0609] Output: Secure location transmission to server
[0610] Step 3:
[0611] Receiving location information
[0612] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0613] Input: Location information sent via HTTPS protocol
[0614] Data processing / calculation: Decrypting received data and saving it to a database
[0615] Output: Location information stored in a database
[0616] Step 4:
[0617] Gathering surrounding information
[0618] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet.
[0619] Input: Location information stored in the database (output of Step 3)
[0620] Data processing / calculation: Obtaining surrounding information using scraping technology or location information processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API)
[0621] Output: Surrounding area information (facility information, traffic information, etc.)
[0622] Step 5:
[0623] Summary of information
[0624] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative AI model, which then summarizes the necessary information into concise text.
[0625] Input: Collected ambient information (output of step 4)
[0626] Data processing / calculation: Prompt sentences are used to input data to a generative AI (e.g., GPT-4) to generate summary information.
[0627] Output: Summarized text information
[0628] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[0629] Step 6:
[0630] Braille data generation
[0631] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis).
[0632] Input: Summarized text information (output of Step 5)
[0633] Data processing / computation: Application of algorithms to convert text information into Braille notation
[0634] Output: Braille data
[0635] Step 7:
[0636] Sending Braille data
[0637] The server transmits the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[0638] Input: Generated Braille data (output of step 6)
[0639] Data processing / calculation: Processing to encrypt data and send it safely using the HTTPS protocol
[0640] Output: Secure transmission of braille data to the device
[0641] Step 8:
[0642] Receiving Braille data
[0643] The terminal receives the Braille data sent from the server.
[0644] Input: Braille data sent via HTTPS protocol
[0645] Data processing / calculation: Decoding of received data
[0646] Output: Received braille data
[0647] Step 9:
[0648] Displaying Braille data
[0649] The terminal uses a built-in Braille display device to display Braille data to the user.
[0650] Input: Received Braille data (output of step 8)
[0651] Data processing / calculation: Braille display control signal generation
[0652] Output: Braille display with tactile feedback
[0653] This series of processes enables visually impaired people to obtain real-time information about their surroundings in Braille, enabling them to move around safely and efficiently.
[0654] (Application example 1)
[0655] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart glasses 214 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0656] There is a need for real-time information acquisition methods for visually impaired people to navigate safely and efficiently in public places and new environments, enabling them to easily understand their surroundings and take appropriate action.
[0657] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 1 is realized by the following means.
[0658] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence, means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for periodically acquiring the user's current location and providing information adapted to the user's means of transportation, and means for setting a destination by voice input using a voice recognition engine. This enables visually impaired people to acquire surrounding information in Braille in real time while traveling, and to easily set a destination or check their current location.
[0659] A "user" is a person who is visually impaired and needs to obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0660] "Location information" is data including the latitude and longitude of the current location obtained using a GPS sensor or the like.
[0661] A "server" is a computer system that analyzes data sent from a user terminal, collects and processes the necessary information, and returns it.
[0662] "Nearby information" is data relating to facilities, objects, traffic information, topography, etc. that exist near the user's current location.
[0663] "Generative AI" refers to machine learning models and algorithms used to analyze, summarize, and transform incoming information.
[0664] "Braille data" is text information that has been converted into a format that can be displayed on a Braille display device.
[0665] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a user for acquiring location information and displaying Braille data.
[0666] A "Braille display device" is a machine that allows visually impaired people to check written information by touch.
[0667] "Periodic" refers to an action that is repeated at regular intervals.
[0668] "Means of transportation" refers to the means of transportation used by the user, such as public transport or automobiles.
[0669] A "voice recognition engine" is a technology that converts voice input into text data.
[0670] A "destination" is a location that a user wishes to reach.
[0671] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to obtain information about their surroundings in real time through Braille displays. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[0672] User
[0673] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0674] Terminal
[0675] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0676] The device periodically determines the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor, and this location information is automatically sent to the server.
[0677] 2. Setting a destination by voice input:
[0678] Users can set their destination using a voice recognition engine, which converts their voice input into text using cloud-based speech recognition software (e.g., Google Cloud Speech-to-Text engine).
[0679] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0680] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Refreshable Braille Display).
[0681] server
[0682] 1. Receiving location information:
[0683] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0684] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0685] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet and dedicated databases, including floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0686] 3. Summary of information:
[0687] The server analyzes the collected surrounding information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4) and summarizes important information for the user in concise text. Specifically, it generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[0688] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0689] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0690] Specific operation example
[0691] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then retrieves the mall's floor map information from the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[0692] Prompt Sentence Examples
[0693] The user launches the "BrailleDrive" app. The app sends current GPS information to the server and collects information about the surrounding area. The server then retrieves the shopping mall's floor map information from the internet and generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." This information is then converted into Braille data and sent to the Braille display device inside the car.
[0694] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[0695] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0696] Step 1:
[0697] The device obtains location information from the built-in GPS sensor.
[0698] Input: Current location data (latitude, longitude) from the GPS sensor
[0699] Data processing or data calculation: Organizing the current location data and converting it into a format that can be sent to the server.
[0700] Output: Organized location information
[0701] Step 2:
[0702] The terminal transmits the acquired location information to the server.
[0703] Input: Organized location information
[0704] Data processing or data calculation: The location information is sent to the server in an appropriate format as an HTTP request.
[0705] Output: HTTP request with location information
[0706] Step 3:
[0707] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0708] Input: Location information included in the HTTP request
[0709] Data processing or data calculation: Extracting location information and converting it into a format that can be further processed inside the server.
[0710] Output: Extracted location information
[0711] Step 4:
[0712] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0713] Input:Location
[0714] Data processing or data calculation: Make an API request based on location information and collect surrounding information.
[0715] Output: Peripheral information data
[0716] Step 5:
[0717] The server summarizes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence.
[0718] Input: Peripheral information data
[0719] Data processing or data computation: Using generative AI models (e.g., GPT-4) to summarize peripheral information into what is important to the user.
[0720] Output: Summarized text information
[0721] Step 6:
[0722] The server converts the generated summary information into Braille data.
[0723] Input: Summarized text information
[0724] Data processing or data calculation: Using a Braille conversion algorithm, convert the summary text into Braille data.
[0725] Output: Braille data
[0726] Step 7:
[0727] The server transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0728] Input: Braille data
[0729] Data processing or data calculation: Generates an HTTP request to send the Braille data to the device in the appropriate format.
[0730] Output: HTTP request containing braille data
[0731] Step 8:
[0732] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device.
[0733] Input: Braille data sent from the server
[0734] Data processing or data calculation: Converting data to display properly on a Braille display device
[0735] Output: Braille information displayed on a Braille display device
[0736] These are the specific processing steps that take place between the user, server, and device, allowing visually impaired people to safely and efficiently obtain information about their surroundings in Braille in real time.
[0737] Furthermore, an emotion engine that estimates the user's emotion may be further combined. That is, the identification processing unit 290 may estimate the user's emotion using the emotion identification model 59, and perform identification processing using the user's emotion.
[0738] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[0739] The specific operation is as follows.
[0740] User
[0741] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0742] Terminal
[0743] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0744] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0745] 2. Location transmission:
[0746] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0747] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[0748] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0749] 4. Collecting Emotional Data:
[0750] Collects user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones.
[0751] server
[0752] 1. Receiving location information:
[0753] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[0754] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[0755] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0756] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0757] 3. Emotion recognition:
[0758] The server analyzes the received emotional data to determine the user's current emotional state.
[0759] The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[0760] 4. Summarizing and customizing information:
[0761] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information. This summary information is then customized based on the user's emotional state.
[0762] Example: "We are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend you use the rest area nearby."
[0763] 5. Braille data generation and transmission:
[0764] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0765] Specific examples
[0766] Imagine a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine their current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location, and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0767] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[0768] The processing flow will be explained below.
[0769] Step 1:
[0770] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, without the user having to perform any special operations.
[0771] Step 2:
[0772] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[0773] Step 3:
[0774] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal and identifies the user's current geographic location.
[0775] Step 4:
[0776] Based on the identified location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect surrounding information related to that location, including floor maps of the commercial facility, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[0777] Step 5:
[0778] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and microphones to collect user emotional data, such as heart rate, skin temperature, and voice tone.
[0779] Step 6:
[0780] The device transmits the collected emotional data to a server, also using HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
[0781] Step 7:
[0782] The server analyzes the received emotion data to determine the user's current emotional state. The emotion engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors to classify the user's emotion.
[0783] Step 8:
[0784] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI) that extracts and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text information that is customized based on the user's emotional state.
[0785] Step 9:
[0786] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that can be read by the user tactilely.
[0787] Step 10:
[0788] The server then sends the generated Braille data to the device, again using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[0789] Step 11:
[0790] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[0791] Step 12:
[0792] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 11 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[0793] Examples:
[0794] Assume a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine the user's current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location. In parallel, the device collects the user's heart rate and voice tone and sends them to the server. The emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired" and uses AI to generate summary information such as "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily grasp their surroundings and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0795] Example 2
[0796] Next, a description will be given of Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart glasses 214 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0797] Conventional support systems for the visually impaired make it difficult for users to obtain peripheral information in real time, and the information is not customized to suit the individual user's condition. Furthermore, the provision of information via Braille display is limited, and convenience for users while on the move is not fully ensured. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information more smoothly and efficiently, and receive support tailored to their own condition.
[0798] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the second embodiment is realized by the following means.
[0799] In this invention, the server includes means for collecting peripheral information based on the user's location information, means for collecting and analyzing the user's emotion data to identify the emotion, and means for summarizing information based on the peripheral information and emotion data and converting it into Braille data, thereby enabling the user to obtain peripheral information corresponding to their own location information and emotional state in real time on a Braille display device.
[0800] "User" refers to anyone, including visually impaired people, who obtains surrounding information using a specified terminal.
[0801] "Location information" refers to information indicating a user's current geographical location obtained by a measurement means such as a GPS sensor.
[0802] "Terminal" refers to an electronic device carried by a user that includes GPS and Braille capabilities.
[0803] "Server" refers to a centralized computing device that receives, analyzes, and processes data sent from user terminals.
[0804] "Nearby information" refers to information about a location, including floor maps of commercial facilities related to the user's current location, store locations, traffic information, and the like.
[0805] "Emotion data" refers to data that indicates the user's emotional state, obtained based on the user's biometric information such as heart rate and skin potential, and tone of voice.
[0806] "Emotion engine" refers to software that analyzes collected emotion data and identifies a user's emotional state.
[0807] "Generative artificial intelligence (AI)" refers to algorithms or programs that summarize information based on received data and generate useful information for users.
[0808] "Braille data" means data that has been converted to provide tactile information to visually impaired persons using a braille display device.
[0809] "Braille display device" refers to a device that generates physical Braille characters based on Braille data, allowing users to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[0810] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[0811] User
[0812] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0813] Terminal
[0814] 1. Obtaining location information
[0815] The device obtains the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor (e.g., Ublox Neo-6m), which periodically provides the current latitude and longitude information.
[0816] 2. Sending location information
[0817] The dedicated app on the device (e.g., an Android app) sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection. This transmission is done using an HTTP request, and the location information is sent to the server in JSON format.
[0818] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data
[0819] The device receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch). The Braille display device displays the received Braille data as physical Braille information.
[0820] 4. Collecting Emotional Data
[0821] The device collects user emotion data through built-in biosensors (e.g., heart rate sensor, skin potential sensor) and microphone, allowing it to obtain real-time biometric information of the user.
[0822] server
[0823] 1. Receiving location information
[0824] The server receives the location information sent from the device. In this case, a web server such as Apache HTTP Server is used, and the location information is stored in a database.
[0825] 2. Gathering peripheral information
[0826] The server uses the location information to collect surrounding information from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, it uses the Google Places API to obtain surrounding information such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0827] 3. Emotion recognition
[0828] The server analyzes the emotion data sent from the device and identifies the user's emotional state. It uses an emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) to analyze the emotion data and identify emotional states such as "tired" or "happy."
[0829] 4. Summarizing and customizing information
[0830] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative artificial intelligence (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[0831] Example: Prompt: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[0832] 5. Braille data generation and transmission
[0833] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0834] Specific examples
[0835] When a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired, the device uses its built-in GPS sensor to determine their current location and sends the location information to a server via a dedicated app. The server then uses the Google Places API to obtain the mall's floor map information and analyzes the emotion data using an emotion engine to determine "tired." It then uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as "You're currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." This information is then converted into Braille data using Braille Translator and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0836] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[0837] The flow of the identification process in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0838] Step 1:
[0839] Obtaining location information
[0840] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location. Specifically, the device uses the Ublox Neo-6m sensor to obtain the current latitude and longitude information. This data is collected at regular intervals.
[0841] Input: Current location data from the GPS sensor
[0842] Output: Obtained latitude and longitude information
[0843] Step 2:
[0844] Sending location information
[0845] The dedicated app on the device sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection, converts the location information into JSON format, and sends it to the server using an HTTP request.
[0846] Input: Latitude and longitude information (JSON format)
[0847] Output: Sends location information to the server via an HTTP request
[0848] Step 3:
[0849] Receiving location information
[0850] The server receives the location information sent from the device. The Apache HTTP Server receives the HTTP request and stores the location information in a database.
[0851] Input: Latitude and longitude information in the HTTP request
[0852] Output: Location information stored in a database
[0853] Step 4:
[0854] Gathering surrounding information
[0855] The server then uses the received location information to collect information about the surrounding area from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, the server uses the Google Places API to obtain floor maps of nearby commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0856] Input: User's location information (latitude and longitude)
[0857] Output: Collected surrounding information (floor map, store information, etc.)
[0858] Step 5:
[0859] Collecting Emotional Data
[0860] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and a microphone to collect user emotional data, including vital signs such as heart rate and skin potential, as well as tone of voice.
[0861] Input: Data from biosensors and microphone
[0862] Output: Acquired emotion data (heart rate, skin potential, tone of voice)
[0863] Step 6:
[0864] Sending emotional data
[0865] The app on the device then sends the acquired emotion data to a server via an internet connection, where it is also converted to JSON format and sent using an HTTP request.
[0866] Input: Emotion data (JSON format)
[0867] Output: Sends emotion data to the server via an HTTP request
[0868] Step 7:
[0869] Emotional Data Analysis
[0870] The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state. An emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) analyzes the emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state, such as "tired" or "happy."
[0871] Input: Emotion data
[0872] Output: Parsed emotional state
[0873] Step 8:
[0874] Summarizing and customizing information
[0875] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative AI model (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[0876] Input: Peripheral information, analyzed emotional state
[0877] Output: Summarized text information
[0878] Specific prompt example: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[0879] Step 9:
[0880] Braille data generation and transmission
[0881] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[0882] Input: Summarized text information
[0883] Output: Braille data
[0884] Step 10:
[0885] Braille data reception and display
[0886] The terminal receives the Braille data from the server and displays it to the user. The terminal uses a Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch) to provide the received Braille data to the user as physical Braille, allowing the user to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[0887] Input: Braille data
[0888] Output: Physical Braille displayed by a Braille display device
[0889] (Application example 2)
[0890] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the smart glasses 214 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[0891] Conventional navigation systems for the visually impaired can obtain the user's current location and provide surrounding information, but they only provide uniform information without considering the user's emotional state. This makes it difficult to obtain appropriate information according to the user's situation and emotions. There is a need to solve this problem and provide more personalized assistance.
[0892] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 2 is realized by the following means.
[0893] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence (AI), means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for collecting user emotion data using a biometric sensor, and means for customizing information based on the collected emotion data. This makes it possible to provide personalized information based on not only the user's current location but also their emotional state.
[0894] "User"
[0895] A person using a device with GPS and Braille capabilities, including a visually impaired person.
[0896] "Method of obtaining location information"
[0897] is a device or system that uses a built-in GPS sensor to determine a user's current location.
[0898] "Method of sending location information to a server"
[0899] is a function for transferring acquired location information to a server via a communication means (e.g., the Internet or a mobile network).
[0900] "Means of gathering peripheral information"
[0901] is a system or program that retrieves related information such as commercial facilities and traffic information from the Internet or a dedicated database based on received location information.
[0902] "Method of summarizing using generative artificial intelligence (AI)"
[0903] It is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected peripheral information and outputs necessary and appropriate information for the user as concise text data.
[0904] "Method for converting summary information into Braille data"
[0905] is a program or device for converting generated concise text information into Braille notation.
[0906] "Means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal"
[0907] is a communication means for transferring the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[0908] "Method of displaying on a Braille display device"
[0909] is a device that physically displays received Braille data in raised form, allowing users to read it with their fingertips.
[0910] "Method of collecting user emotional data using biometric sensors"
[0911] is a device or system that detects a user's emotional state from their physiological responses and voice.
[0912] "A way to customize information based on emotional data"
[0913] is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected emotional data and changes the content and priorities of the information provided depending on the user's current emotional state.
[0914] This invention is a navigation system for the visually impaired, which aims to provide real-time surrounding information in Braille using the user's location information and emotion data. This system is mainly composed of a user, a terminal, a server, and an emotion engine.
[0915] User
[0916] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions. The user does not need to perform any special operations and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move.
[0917] Terminal
[0918] The device comes with the following features:
[0919] 1. Obtaining location information: The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0920] 2. Sending location information: The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[0921] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data: Receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[0922] 4. Emotional data collection: Collect user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[0923] server
[0924] On the server side, the following happens:
[0925] 1. Receiving location information: The server receives the location information sent from the device.
[0926] 2. Collecting surrounding information: Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database, such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[0927] 3. Emotion Recognition: The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's current emotional state. The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[0928] 4. Information Summarization and Customization: The server inputs the collected surrounding information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), which extracts the information necessary for the user and summarizes it into concise text information. Furthermore, the summary information is customized based on the user's emotional state. For example, it generates a message such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. You seem tired, so we recommend using the nearby rest area."
[0929] 5. Generating and transmitting Braille data: The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is transmitted to the terminal.
[0930] Specific examples
[0931] For example, imagine a user arrives at a large shopping mall and feels a little stressed. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[0932] Prompt Sentence Examples
[0933] "The user is in a large shopping mall. The emotion sensor detects that the user is feeling stressed. The user's current location is the first floor entrance of the shopping mall. Generate information to provide to the user in Braille."
[0934] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0935] Step 1:
[0936] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[0937] (Input) Location information from the GPS sensor
[0938] (Processing) Read location information and identify current location
[0939] (Output) Current location information obtained
[0940] Step 2:
[0941] The acquired location information is sent from the terminal to the server.
[0942] (Input) Acquired current location information
[0943] (Processing) Send location information to the server using network communication
[0944] (Output) Location information sent to the server
[0945] Step 3:
[0946] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[0947] (Input) Location information sent to the server
[0948] (Processing) Query the database based on the location information and collect related surrounding information
[0949] (Output) Collected surrounding information
[0950] Step 4:
[0951] The device collects user emotional data using biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[0952] (Input) Emotion data from biosensors and microphones
[0953] (Processing) Analyze data from sensors to identify the user's emotional state
[0954] (Output) Identified emotional state data
[0955] Step 5:
[0956] The server analyzes the received emotional data and surrounding information and uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to summarize the information necessary for the user.
[0957] (Input) Collected surrounding information and identified emotional state data
[0958] (Processing) Use AI models to extract and summarize the necessary information into concise text data
[0959] (Output) Summarized information text
[0960] Step 6:
[0961] The generated summary information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm.
[0962] (Input) Summarized information text
[0963] (Processing) Converts text data into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm
[0964] (Output) Braille data
[0965] Step 7:
[0966] The generated Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[0967] (Input) Braille data
[0968] (Processing) Sending Braille data to the terminal using network communication
[0969] (Output) Braille data sent to the device
[0970] Step 8:
[0971] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to obtain the information tactilely.
[0972] (Input) Braille data sent to the terminal
[0973] (Processing) Physically displaying braille on a braille display device
[0974] (Output) Displayed braille information
[0975] These steps allow users to receive real-time information about their surroundings in Braille while on the move, and the information is personalized based on the user's emotional state.
[0976] The specific processing unit 290 transmits the result of the specific processing to the smart glasses 214. In the smart glasses 214, the control unit 46A causes the speaker 240 to output the result of the specific processing. The microphone 238 acquires audio indicating a user input regarding the result of the specific processing. The control unit 46A transmits audio data indicating the user input acquired by the microphone 238 to the data processing device 12. In the data processing device 12, the specific processing unit 290 acquires the audio data.
[0977] The data generation model 58 is a so-called generative AI (Artificial Intelligence). An example of the data generation model 58 is ChatGPT (Internet Search<URL: https: / / openai.com / blog / chatgpt> ), Gemini (Internet search <url: https: gemini.google.com ?hl="ja">) and other generation AIs. The data generation model 58 is obtained by performing deep learning on a neural network. A prompt including an instruction is input to the data generation model 58, and inference data such as voice data indicating voice, text data indicating text, and image data indicating an image is also input. The data generation model 58 performs inference on the input inference data in accordance with the instruction indicated by the prompt, and outputs the inference result in a data format such as voice data and text data. Here, inference refers to, for example, analysis, classification, prediction, and / or summarization.
[0978] In the above embodiment, an example in which the specific processing is performed by the data processing device 12 has been given, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the specific processing may be performed by the smart glasses 214.
[0979] [Third embodiment]
[0980] FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of a data processing system 310 according to the third embodiment.
[0981] 5, the data processing system 310 includes the data processing device 12 and a headset type terminal 314. An example of the data processing device 12 is a server.
[0982] The data processing device 12 includes a computer 22, a database 24, and a communication I / F 26. The computer 22 is an example of a "computer" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The computer 22 includes a processor 28, a RAM 30, and a storage 32. The processor 28, the RAM 30, and the storage 32 are connected to a bus 34. The database 24 and the communication I / F 26 are also connected to the bus 34. The communication I / F 26 is connected to a network 54. Examples of the network 54 include a WAN (Wide Area Network) and / or a LAN (Local Area Network).
[0983] The headset type terminal 314 includes a computer 36, a microphone 238, a speaker 240, a camera 42, a communication I / F 44, and a display 343. The computer 36 includes a processor 46, a RAM 48, and a storage 50. The processor 46, the RAM 48, and the storage 50 are connected to a bus 52. The microphone 238, the speaker 240, the camera 42, and the display 343 are also connected to the bus 52.
[0984] The microphone 238 receives instructions and the like from the user 20 by receiving voice uttered by the user 20. The microphone 238 captures the voice uttered by the user 20, converts the captured voice into audio data, and outputs it to the processor 46. The speaker 240 outputs audio in accordance with instructions from the processor 46.
[0985] Camera 42 is a small digital camera equipped with an optical system including a lens, aperture, and shutter, and an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and captures images of the surroundings of user 20 (for example, an imaging range defined by an angle of view equivalent to the field of vision of a typical healthy person).
[0986] The communication I / F 44 is connected to a network 54. The communication I / Fs 44 and 26 are responsible for the exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 via the network 54. The exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 using the communication I / Fs 44 and 26 is carried out in a secure state.
[0987] Fig. 6 shows an example of the main functions of the data processing device 12 and the headset type terminal 314. As shown in Fig. 6, in the data processing device 12, a specific process is performed by the processor 28. A specific process program 56 is stored in the storage 32.
[0988] The specific processing program 56 is an example of a "program" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The processor 28 reads the specific processing program 56 from the storage 32 and executes the read specific processing program 56 on the RAM 30. The specific processing is realized by the processor 28 operating as a specific processing unit 290 in accordance with the specific processing program 56 executed on the RAM 30.
[0989] The storage 32 stores a data generation model 58 and an emotion identification model 59. The data generation model 58 and the emotion identification model 59 are used by the identification processing unit 290.
[0990] In the headset type terminal 314, a reception output process is performed by the processor 46. A reception output program 60 is stored in the storage 50. The processor 46 reads the reception output program 60 from the storage 50 and executes the read reception output program 60 on the RAM 48. The reception output process is realized by the processor 46 operating as the control unit 46A in accordance with the reception output program 60 executed on the RAM 48.
[0991] Next, a description will be given of the identification process performed by the identification processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as the "server" and the headset type terminal 314 will be referred to as the "terminal."
[0992] This system allows visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time using Braille. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[0993] The specific operation is as follows.
[0994] User
[0995] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[0996] Terminal
[0997] 1. Location information acquisition:
[0998] The device periodically acquires the user's current location using the built-in GPS sensor.
[0999] 2. Location transmission:
[1000] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1001] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1002] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1003] server
[1004] 1. Receiving location information:
[1005] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1006] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1007] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1008] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1009] 3. Summary of information:
[1010] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[1011] Example: "You are currently at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[1012] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1013] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1014] Specific examples
[1015] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1016] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1017] The processing flow will be explained below.
[1018] Step 1:
[1019] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, which is done automatically and does not require any special operation on the part of the user.
[1020] Step 2:
[1021] The device sends the acquired location information to the server, using a communication protocol (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS) to transfer the data securely and quickly.
[1022] Step 3:
[1023] The server analyzes the location information received from the terminal and determines the user's current geographic location.
[1024] Step 4:
[1025] Based on the location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect information about the surrounding area related to that location. The collected information ranges from store location information, public facility guides, and traffic information.
[1026] Step 5:
[1027] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information using an AI text generation algorithm.
[1028] Step 6:
[1029] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that the user can read tactilely.
[1030] Step 7:
[1031] The server sends the generated Braille data to the terminal, using a communication protocol to ensure security during data transmission.
[1032] Step 8:
[1033] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[1034] Step 9:
[1035] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 8 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[1036] Through these steps, the system provides a mechanism for visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information safely and efficiently.
[1037] Example 1
[1038] Next, a description will be given of Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the headset type terminal 314 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1039] There is a need for a means for visually impaired people to easily obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move, enabling them to act safely and efficiently. However, conventional systems require visually impaired people to perform numerous operations to obtain information about their surroundings, making it difficult to provide information in real time. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Braille conversion will be an appropriate summary or accurate. This has resulted in a lack of a system that can provide the visually impaired with the information they need in an accurate and timely manner.
[1040] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the first embodiment is realized by the following means.
[1041] In this invention, the server includes a means for collecting detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet based on location information, a means for inputting a prompt to the AI generating the information to instruct it to summarize the surrounding information, and a means for converting the summarized information into Braille. This allows visually impaired people to accurately obtain surrounding information in real time based on their current location and to act safely and efficiently.
[1042] "Location Information" means data indicating a user's current geographic location obtained using GPS or other location-determining technology.
[1043] A "server" is a central computer system that receives and analyzes data sent from terminals via a network and provides the necessary information.
[1044] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a visually impaired person that acquires location information and displays Braille.
[1045] "Braille data" is information that has been converted into a format that can be read by the sense of touch by visually impaired people.
[1046] A "Braille display device" is a device that displays Braille data in a discernible form.
[1047] "Nearby information" refers to information such as facilities, traffic conditions, and geographical features that exist near the current location.
[1048] "Generative AI" is an algorithm or system that uses natural language processing and machine learning to analyze, summarize, and generate collected information.
[1049] A "Braille conversion algorithm" is a computer program or method for converting text data into Braille data.
[1050] A "prompt sentence" is an input sentence to a generative artificial intelligence, and is a sentence that contains instructions to summarize and generate specific information.
[1051] "Scraping" is a technique for automatically collecting data from the Internet.
[1052] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time through Braille display. This system is mainly composed of three elements: the user, the terminal, and the server.
[1053] User
[1054] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1055] Terminal
[1056] Location information acquisition:
[1057] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1058] Sending location information:
[1059] The acquired location information is sent to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[1060] Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1061] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1062] server
[1063] Receiving location information:
[1064] The server receives the location information sent from the device and stores it in a database.
[1065] Collecting surrounding information:
[1066] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet, using scraping techniques or location processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API).
[1067] Summary of information:
[1068] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4), inputs a prompt, and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[1069] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[1070] Braille data generation and transmission:
[1071] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis), and the Braille data is then sent to the device securely using the HTTPS protocol.
[1072] Specific examples
[1073] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses its built-in GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the internet based on the user's current location. Specifically, it uses Python to obtain the necessary data using the Google Maps API and scraping technology. The generative AI model (GPT-4) then receives a prompt: "The user is at the first-floor entrance of the shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is on their left and what is on their right." This prompt generates a summary. The summary is then converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm such as Liblouis and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using its built-in Braille display device, allowing the user to easily access the surrounding information through their sense of touch.
[1074] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1075] The flow of the identification process in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[1076] Step 1:
[1077] Obtaining location information
[1078] The device activates its built-in GPS sensor at regular intervals to obtain the user's current location.
[1079] Input: GPS sensor activation signal
[1080] Data processing / calculation: A GPS sensor is used to measure latitude and longitude information and generate current location data.
[1081] Output: Obtained location information (latitude and longitude)
[1082] Step 2:
[1083] Sending location information
[1084] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[1085] Input: Obtained location information (output of step 1)
[1086] Data processing / calculation: Data encryption and transmission processing using HTTPS protocol
[1087] Output: Secure location transmission to server
[1088] Step 3:
[1089] Receiving location information
[1090] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1091] Input: Location information sent via HTTPS protocol
[1092] Data processing / calculation: Decrypting received data and saving it to a database
[1093] Output: Location information stored in a database
[1094] Step 4:
[1095] Gathering surrounding information
[1096] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet.
[1097] Input: Location information stored in the database (output of Step 3)
[1098] Data processing / calculation: Obtaining surrounding information using scraping technology or location information processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API)
[1099] Output: Surrounding area information (facility information, traffic information, etc.)
[1100] Step 5:
[1101] Summary of information
[1102] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative AI model, which then summarizes the necessary information into concise text.
[1103] Input: Collected ambient information (output of step 4)
[1104] Data processing / calculation: Prompt sentences are used to input data to a generative AI (e.g., GPT-4) to generate summary information.
[1105] Output: Summarized text information
[1106] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[1107] Step 6:
[1108] Braille data generation
[1109] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis).
[1110] Input: Summarized text information (output of Step 5)
[1111] Data processing / computation: Application of algorithms to convert text information into Braille notation
[1112] Output: Braille data
[1113] Step 7:
[1114] Sending Braille data
[1115] The server transmits the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[1116] Input: Generated Braille data (output of step 6)
[1117] Data processing / calculation: Processing to encrypt data and send it safely using the HTTPS protocol
[1118] Output: Secure transmission of braille data to the device
[1119] Step 8:
[1120] Receiving Braille data
[1121] The terminal receives the Braille data sent from the server.
[1122] Input: Braille data sent via HTTPS protocol
[1123] Data processing / calculation: Decoding of received data
[1124] Output: Received braille data
[1125] Step 9:
[1126] Displaying Braille data
[1127] The terminal uses a built-in Braille display device to display Braille data to the user.
[1128] Input: Received Braille data (output of step 8)
[1129] Data processing / calculation: Braille display control signal generation
[1130] Output: Braille display with tactile feedback
[1131] This series of processes enables visually impaired people to obtain real-time information about their surroundings in Braille, enabling them to move around safely and efficiently.
[1132] (Application example 1)
[1133] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the headset type terminal 314 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1134] There is a need for real-time information acquisition methods for visually impaired people to navigate safely and efficiently in public places and new environments, enabling them to easily understand their surroundings and take appropriate action.
[1135] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 1 is realized by the following means.
[1136] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence, means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for periodically acquiring the user's current location and providing information adapted to the user's means of transportation, and means for setting a destination by voice input using a voice recognition engine. This enables visually impaired people to acquire surrounding information in Braille in real time while traveling, and to easily set a destination or check their current location.
[1137] A "user" is a person who is visually impaired and needs to obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1138] "Location information" is data including the latitude and longitude of the current location obtained using a GPS sensor or the like.
[1139] A "server" is a computer system that analyzes data sent from a user terminal, collects and processes the necessary information, and returns it.
[1140] "Nearby information" is data relating to facilities, objects, traffic information, topography, etc. that exist near the user's current location.
[1141] "Generative AI" refers to machine learning models and algorithms used to analyze, summarize, and transform incoming information.
[1142] "Braille data" is text information that has been converted into a format that can be displayed on a Braille display device.
[1143] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a user for acquiring location information and displaying Braille data.
[1144] A "Braille display device" is a machine that allows visually impaired people to check written information by touch.
[1145] "Periodic" refers to an action that is repeated at regular intervals.
[1146] "Means of transportation" refers to the means of transportation used by the user, such as public transport or automobiles.
[1147] A "voice recognition engine" is a technology that converts voice input into text data.
[1148] A "destination" is a location that a user wishes to reach.
[1149] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to obtain information about their surroundings in real time through Braille displays. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[1150] User
[1151] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1152] Terminal
[1153] 1. Location information acquisition:
[1154] The device periodically determines the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor, and this location information is automatically sent to the server.
[1155] 2. Setting a destination by voice input:
[1156] Users can set their destination using a voice recognition engine, which converts their voice input into text using cloud-based speech recognition software (e.g., Google Cloud Speech-to-Text engine).
[1157] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1158] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Refreshable Braille Display).
[1159] server
[1160] 1. Receiving location information:
[1161] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1162] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1163] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet and dedicated databases, including floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1164] 3. Summary of information:
[1165] The server analyzes the collected surrounding information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4) and summarizes important information for the user in concise text. Specifically, it generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[1166] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1167] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1168] Specific operation example
[1169] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then retrieves the mall's floor map information from the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1170] Prompt Sentence Examples
[1171] The user launches the "BrailleDrive" app. The app sends current GPS information to the server and collects information about the surrounding area. The server then retrieves the shopping mall's floor map information from the internet and generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." This information is then converted into Braille data and sent to the Braille display device inside the car.
[1172] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1173] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[1174] Step 1:
[1175] The device obtains location information from the built-in GPS sensor.
[1176] Input: Current location data (latitude, longitude) from the GPS sensor
[1177] Data processing or data calculation: Organizing the current location data and converting it into a format that can be sent to the server.
[1178] Output: Organized location information
[1179] Step 2:
[1180] The terminal transmits the acquired location information to the server.
[1181] Input: Organized location information
[1182] Data processing or data calculation: The location information is sent to the server in an appropriate format as an HTTP request.
[1183] Output: HTTP request with location information
[1184] Step 3:
[1185] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1186] Input: Location information included in the HTTP request
[1187] Data processing or data calculation: Extracting location information and converting it into a format that can be further processed inside the server.
[1188] Output: Extracted location information
[1189] Step 4:
[1190] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1191] Input:Location
[1192] Data processing or data calculation: Make an API request based on location information and collect surrounding information.
[1193] Output: Peripheral information data
[1194] Step 5:
[1195] The server summarizes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence.
[1196] Input: Peripheral information data
[1197] Data processing or data computation: Using generative AI models (e.g., GPT-4) to summarize peripheral information into what is important to the user.
[1198] Output: Summarized text information
[1199] Step 6:
[1200] The server converts the generated summary information into Braille data.
[1201] Input: Summarized text information
[1202] Data processing or data calculation: Using a Braille conversion algorithm, convert the summary text into Braille data.
[1203] Output: Braille data
[1204] Step 7:
[1205] The server transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1206] Input: Braille data
[1207] Data processing or data calculation: Generates an HTTP request to send the Braille data to the device in the appropriate format.
[1208] Output: HTTP request containing braille data
[1209] Step 8:
[1210] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device.
[1211] Input: Braille data sent from the server
[1212] Data processing or data calculation: Converting data to display properly on a Braille display device
[1213] Output: Braille information displayed on a Braille display device
[1214] These are the specific processing steps that take place between the user, server, and device, allowing visually impaired people to safely and efficiently obtain information about their surroundings in Braille in real time.
[1215] Furthermore, an emotion engine that estimates the user's emotion may be further combined. That is, the identification processing unit 290 may estimate the user's emotion using the emotion identification model 59, and perform identification processing using the user's emotion.
[1216] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[1217] The specific operation is as follows.
[1218] User
[1219] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1220] Terminal
[1221] 1. Location information acquisition:
[1222] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1223] 2. Location transmission:
[1224] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1225] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1226] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1227] 4. Collecting Emotional Data:
[1228] Collects user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones.
[1229] server
[1230] 1. Receiving location information:
[1231] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1232] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1233] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1234] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1235] 3. Emotion recognition:
[1236] The server analyzes the received emotional data to determine the user's current emotional state.
[1237] The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[1238] 4. Summarizing and customizing information:
[1239] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information. This summary information is then customized based on the user's emotional state.
[1240] Example: "We are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend you use the rest area nearby."
[1241] 5. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1242] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1243] Specific examples
[1244] Imagine a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine their current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location, and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1245] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[1246] The processing flow will be explained below.
[1247] Step 1:
[1248] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, without the user having to perform any special operations.
[1249] Step 2:
[1250] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[1251] Step 3:
[1252] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal and identifies the user's current geographic location.
[1253] Step 4:
[1254] Based on the identified location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect surrounding information related to that location, including floor maps of the commercial facility, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1255] Step 5:
[1256] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and microphones to collect user emotional data, such as heart rate, skin temperature, and voice tone.
[1257] Step 6:
[1258] The device transmits the collected emotional data to a server, also using HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
[1259] Step 7:
[1260] The server analyzes the received emotion data to determine the user's current emotional state. The emotion engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors to classify the user's emotion.
[1261] Step 8:
[1262] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI) that extracts and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text information that is customized based on the user's emotional state.
[1263] Step 9:
[1264] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that can be read by the user tactilely.
[1265] Step 10:
[1266] The server then sends the generated Braille data to the device, again using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[1267] Step 11:
[1268] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[1269] Step 12:
[1270] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 11 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[1271] Examples:
[1272] Assume a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine the user's current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location. In parallel, the device collects the user's heart rate and voice tone and sends them to the server. The emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired" and uses AI to generate summary information such as "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily grasp their surroundings and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1273] Example 2
[1274] Next, a description will be given of Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the headset type terminal 314 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1275] Conventional support systems for the visually impaired make it difficult for users to obtain peripheral information in real time, and the information is not customized to suit the individual user's condition. Furthermore, the provision of information via Braille display is limited, and convenience for users while on the move is not fully ensured. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information more smoothly and efficiently, and receive support tailored to their own condition.
[1276] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the second embodiment is realized by the following means.
[1277] In this invention, the server includes means for collecting peripheral information based on the user's location information, means for collecting and analyzing the user's emotion data to identify the emotion, and means for summarizing information based on the peripheral information and emotion data and converting it into Braille data, thereby enabling the user to obtain peripheral information corresponding to their own location information and emotional state in real time on a Braille display device.
[1278] "User" refers to anyone, including visually impaired people, who obtains surrounding information using a specified terminal.
[1279] "Location information" refers to information indicating a user's current geographical location obtained by a measurement means such as a GPS sensor.
[1280] "Terminal" refers to an electronic device carried by a user that includes GPS and Braille capabilities.
[1281] "Server" refers to a centralized computing device that receives, analyzes, and processes data sent from user terminals.
[1282] "Nearby information" refers to information about a location, including floor maps of commercial facilities related to the user's current location, store locations, traffic information, and the like.
[1283] "Emotion data" refers to data that indicates the user's emotional state, obtained based on the user's biometric information such as heart rate and skin potential, and tone of voice.
[1284] "Emotion engine" refers to software that analyzes collected emotion data and identifies a user's emotional state.
[1285] "Generative artificial intelligence (AI)" refers to algorithms or programs that summarize information based on received data and generate useful information for users.
[1286] "Braille data" means data that has been converted to provide tactile information to visually impaired persons using a braille display device.
[1287] "Braille display device" refers to a device that generates physical Braille characters based on Braille data, allowing users to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[1288] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[1289] User
[1290] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1291] Terminal
[1292] 1. Obtaining location information
[1293] The device obtains the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor (e.g., Ublox Neo-6m), which periodically provides the current latitude and longitude information.
[1294] 2. Sending location information
[1295] The dedicated app on the device (e.g., an Android app) sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection. This transmission is done using an HTTP request, and the location information is sent to the server in JSON format.
[1296] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data
[1297] The device receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch). The Braille display device displays the received Braille data as physical Braille information.
[1298] 4. Collecting Emotional Data
[1299] The device collects user emotion data through built-in biosensors (e.g., heart rate sensor, skin potential sensor) and microphone, allowing it to obtain real-time biometric information of the user.
[1300] server
[1301] 1. Receiving location information
[1302] The server receives the location information sent from the device. In this case, a web server such as Apache HTTP Server is used, and the location information is stored in a database.
[1303] 2. Gathering peripheral information
[1304] The server uses the location information to collect surrounding information from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, it uses the Google Places API to obtain surrounding information such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1305] 3. Emotion recognition
[1306] The server analyzes the emotion data sent from the device and identifies the user's emotional state. It uses an emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) to analyze the emotion data and identify emotional states such as "tired" or "happy."
[1307] 4. Summarizing and customizing information
[1308] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative artificial intelligence (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[1309] Example: Prompt: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[1310] 5. Braille data generation and transmission
[1311] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1312] Specific examples
[1313] When a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired, the device uses its built-in GPS sensor to determine their current location and sends the location information to a server via a dedicated app. The server then uses the Google Places API to obtain the mall's floor map information and analyzes the emotion data using an emotion engine to determine "tired." It then uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as "You're currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." This information is then converted into Braille data using Braille Translator and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1314] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[1315] The flow of the identification process in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[1316] Step 1:
[1317] Obtaining location information
[1318] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location. Specifically, the device uses the Ublox Neo-6m sensor to obtain the current latitude and longitude information. This data is collected at regular intervals.
[1319] Input: Current location data from the GPS sensor
[1320] Output: Obtained latitude and longitude information
[1321] Step 2:
[1322] Sending location information
[1323] The dedicated app on the device sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection, converts the location information into JSON format, and sends it to the server using an HTTP request.
[1324] Input: Latitude and longitude information (JSON format)
[1325] Output: Sends location information to the server via an HTTP request
[1326] Step 3:
[1327] Receiving location information
[1328] The server receives the location information sent from the device. The Apache HTTP Server receives the HTTP request and stores the location information in a database.
[1329] Input: Latitude and longitude information in the HTTP request
[1330] Output: Location information stored in a database
[1331] Step 4:
[1332] Gathering surrounding information
[1333] The server then uses the received location information to collect information about the surrounding area from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, the server uses the Google Places API to obtain floor maps of nearby commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1334] Input: User's location information (latitude and longitude)
[1335] Output: Collected surrounding information (floor map, store information, etc.)
[1336] Step 5:
[1337] Collecting Emotional Data
[1338] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and a microphone to collect user emotional data, including vital signs such as heart rate and skin potential, as well as tone of voice.
[1339] Input: Data from biosensors and microphone
[1340] Output: Acquired emotion data (heart rate, skin potential, tone of voice)
[1341] Step 6:
[1342] Sending emotional data
[1343] The app on the device then sends the acquired emotion data to a server via an internet connection, where it is also converted to JSON format and sent using an HTTP request.
[1344] Input: Emotion data (JSON format)
[1345] Output: Sends emotion data to the server via an HTTP request
[1346] Step 7:
[1347] Emotional Data Analysis
[1348] The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state. An emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) analyzes the emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state, such as "tired" or "happy."
[1349] Input: Emotion data
[1350] Output: Parsed emotional state
[1351] Step 8:
[1352] Summarizing and customizing information
[1353] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative AI model (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[1354] Input: Peripheral information, analyzed emotional state
[1355] Output: Summarized text information
[1356] Specific prompt example: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[1357] Step 9:
[1358] Braille data generation and transmission
[1359] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1360] Input: Summarized text information
[1361] Output: Braille data
[1362] Step 10:
[1363] Braille data reception and display
[1364] The terminal receives the Braille data from the server and displays it to the user. The terminal uses a Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch) to provide the received Braille data to the user as physical Braille, allowing the user to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[1365] Input: Braille data
[1366] Output: Physical Braille displayed by a Braille display device
[1367] (Application example 2)
[1368] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the headset type terminal 314 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1369] Conventional navigation systems for the visually impaired can obtain the user's current location and provide surrounding information, but they only provide uniform information without considering the user's emotional state. This makes it difficult to obtain appropriate information according to the user's situation and emotions. There is a need to solve this problem and provide more personalized assistance.
[1370] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 2 is realized by the following means.
[1371] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence (AI), means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for collecting user emotion data using a biometric sensor, and means for customizing information based on the collected emotion data. This makes it possible to provide personalized information based on not only the user's current location but also their emotional state.
[1372] "User"
[1373] A person using a device with GPS and Braille capabilities, including a visually impaired person.
[1374] "Method of obtaining location information"
[1375] is a device or system that uses a built-in GPS sensor to determine a user's current location.
[1376] "Method of sending location information to a server"
[1377] is a function for transferring acquired location information to a server via a communication means (e.g., the Internet or a mobile network).
[1378] "Means of gathering peripheral information"
[1379] is a system or program that retrieves related information such as commercial facilities and traffic information from the Internet or a dedicated database based on received location information.
[1380] "Method of summarizing using generative artificial intelligence (AI)"
[1381] It is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected peripheral information and outputs necessary and appropriate information for the user as concise text data.
[1382] "Method for converting summary information into Braille data"
[1383] is a program or device for converting generated concise text information into Braille notation.
[1384] "Means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal"
[1385] is a communication means for transferring the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[1386] "Method of displaying on a Braille display device"
[1387] is a device that physically displays received Braille data in raised form, allowing users to read it with their fingertips.
[1388] "Method of collecting user emotional data using biometric sensors"
[1389] is a device or system that detects a user's emotional state from their physiological responses and voice.
[1390] "A way to customize information based on emotional data"
[1391] is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected emotional data and changes the content and priorities of the information provided depending on the user's current emotional state.
[1392] This invention is a navigation system for the visually impaired, which aims to provide real-time surrounding information in Braille using the user's location information and emotion data. This system is mainly composed of a user, a terminal, a server, and an emotion engine.
[1393] User
[1394] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions. The user does not need to perform any special operations and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move.
[1395] Terminal
[1396] The device comes with the following features:
[1397] 1. Obtaining location information: The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1398] 2. Sending location information: The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1399] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data: Receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1400] 4. Emotional data collection: Collect user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[1401] server
[1402] On the server side, the following happens:
[1403] 1. Receiving location information: The server receives the location information sent from the device.
[1404] 2. Collecting surrounding information: Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database, such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1405] 3. Emotion Recognition: The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's current emotional state. The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[1406] 4. Information Summarization and Customization: The server inputs the collected surrounding information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), which extracts the information necessary for the user and summarizes it into concise text information. Furthermore, the summary information is customized based on the user's emotional state. For example, it generates a message such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. You seem tired, so we recommend using the nearby rest area."
[1407] 5. Generating and transmitting Braille data: The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is transmitted to the terminal.
[1408] Specific examples
[1409] For example, imagine a user arrives at a large shopping mall and feels a little stressed. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1410] Prompt Sentence Examples
[1411] "The user is in a large shopping mall. The emotion sensor detects that the user is feeling stressed. The user's current location is the first floor entrance of the shopping mall. Generate information to provide to the user in Braille."
[1412] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
[1413] Step 1:
[1414] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1415] (Input) Location information from the GPS sensor
[1416] (Processing) Read location information and identify current location
[1417] (Output) Current location information obtained
[1418] Step 2:
[1419] The acquired location information is sent from the terminal to the server.
[1420] (Input) Acquired current location information
[1421] (Processing) Send location information to the server using network communication
[1422] (Output) Location information sent to the server
[1423] Step 3:
[1424] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1425] (Input) Location information sent to the server
[1426] (Processing) Query the database based on the location information and collect related surrounding information
[1427] (Output) Collected surrounding information
[1428] Step 4:
[1429] The device collects user emotional data using biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[1430] (Input) Emotion data from biosensors and microphones
[1431] (Processing) Analyze data from sensors to identify the user's emotional state
[1432] (Output) Identified emotional state data
[1433] Step 5:
[1434] The server analyzes the received emotional data and surrounding information and uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to summarize the information necessary for the user.
[1435] (Input) Collected surrounding information and identified emotional state data
[1436] (Processing) Use AI models to extract and summarize the necessary information into concise text data
[1437] (Output) Summarized information text
[1438] Step 6:
[1439] The generated summary information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm.
[1440] (Input) Summarized information text
[1441] (Processing) Converts text data into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm
[1442] (Output) Braille data
[1443] Step 7:
[1444] The generated Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1445] (Input) Braille data
[1446] (Processing) Sending Braille data to the terminal using network communication
[1447] (Output) Braille data sent to the device
[1448] Step 8:
[1449] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to obtain the information tactilely.
[1450] (Input) Braille data sent to the terminal
[1451] (Processing) Physically displaying braille on a braille display device
[1452] (Output) Displayed braille information
[1453] These steps allow users to receive real-time information about their surroundings in Braille while on the move, and the information is personalized based on the user's emotional state.
[1454] The specific processing unit 290 transmits the result of the specific processing to the headset type terminal 314. In the headset type terminal 314, the control unit 46A causes the speaker 240 and the display 343 to output the result of the specific processing. The microphone 238 acquires audio indicating a user input regarding the result of the specific processing. The control unit 46A transmits audio data indicating the user input acquired by the microphone 238 to the data processing device 12. In the data processing device 12, the specific processing unit 290 acquires the audio data.
[1455] The data generation model 58 is a so-called generative AI (Artificial Intelligence). An example of the data generation model 58 is ChatGPT (Internet Search<URL: https: / / openai.com / blog / chatgpt> ), Gemini (Internet search <url: https: gemini.google.com ?hl="ja">) and other generation AIs. The data generation model 58 is obtained by performing deep learning on a neural network. A prompt including an instruction is input to the data generation model 58, and inference data such as voice data indicating voice, text data indicating text, and image data indicating an image is also input. The data generation model 58 performs inference on the input inference data in accordance with the instruction indicated by the prompt, and outputs the inference result in a data format such as voice data and text data. Here, inference refers to, for example, analysis, classification, prediction, and / or summarization.
[1456] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the specific processing is performed by the data processing device 12, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the specific processing may be performed by the headset type terminal 314.
[1457] [Fourth embodiment]
[1458] FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of a data processing system 410 according to the fourth embodiment.
[1459] 7, a data processing system 410 includes a data processing device 12 and a robot 414. An example of the data processing device 12 is a server.
[1460] The data processing device 12 includes a computer 22, a database 24, and a communication I / F 26. The computer 22 is an example of a "computer" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The computer 22 includes a processor 28, a RAM 30, and a storage 32. The processor 28, the RAM 30, and the storage 32 are connected to a bus 34. The database 24 and the communication I / F 26 are also connected to the bus 34. The communication I / F 26 is connected to a network 54. Examples of the network 54 include a WAN (Wide Area Network) and / or a LAN (Local Area Network).
[1461] The robot 414 includes a computer 36, a microphone 238, a speaker 240, a camera 42, a communication I / F 44, and a control target 443. The computer 36 includes a processor 46, a RAM 48, and a storage 50. The processor 46, the RAM 48, and the storage 50 are connected to a bus 52. The microphone 238, the speaker 240, the camera 42, and the control target 443 are also connected to the bus 52.
[1462] The microphone 238 receives instructions and the like from the user 20 by receiving voice uttered by the user 20. The microphone 238 captures the voice uttered by the user 20, converts the captured voice into audio data, and outputs it to the processor 46. The speaker 240 outputs audio in accordance with instructions from the processor 46.
[1463] Camera 42 is a small digital camera equipped with an optical system including a lens, aperture, and shutter, and an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and captures images of the surroundings of user 20 (for example, an imaging range defined by an angle of view equivalent to the field of vision of a typical healthy person).
[1464] The communication I / F 44 is connected to a network 54. The communication I / Fs 44 and 26 are responsible for the exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 via the network 54. The exchange of various information between the processor 46 and the processor 28 using the communication I / Fs 44 and 26 is carried out in a secure state.
[1465] The control object 443 includes a display device, LEDs in the eyes, and motors for driving the arms, hands, and feet. The posture and gestures of the robot 414 are controlled by controlling the motors of the arms, hands, and feet. Some of the emotions of the robot 414 can be expressed by controlling these motors. In addition, the facial expressions of the robot 414 can also be expressed by controlling the light emission state of the LEDs in the eyes of the robot 414.
[1466] Fig. 8 shows an example of the main functions of the data processing device 12 and the robot 414. As shown in Fig. 8, in the data processing device 12, a specific process is performed by the processor 28. A specific process program 56 is stored in the storage 32.
[1467] The specific processing program 56 is an example of a "program" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The processor 28 reads the specific processing program 56 from the storage 32 and executes the read specific processing program 56 on the RAM 30. The specific processing is realized by the processor 28 operating as a specific processing unit 290 in accordance with the specific processing program 56 executed on the RAM 30.
[1468] The storage 32 stores a data generation model 58 and an emotion identification model 59. The data generation model 58 and the emotion identification model 59 are used by the identification processing unit 290.
[1469] In the robot 414, the processor 46 performs the reception output process. A reception output program 60 is stored in the storage 50. The processor 46 reads the reception output program 60 from the storage 50 and executes the read reception output program 60 on the RAM 48. The reception output process is realized by the processor 46 operating as the control unit 46A in accordance with the reception output program 60 executed on the RAM 48.
[1470] Next, a description will be given of the specific processing performed by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the robot 414 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1471] This system allows visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time using Braille. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[1472] The specific operation is as follows.
[1473] User
[1474] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1475] Terminal
[1476] 1. Location information acquisition:
[1477] The device periodically acquires the user's current location using the built-in GPS sensor.
[1478] 2. Location transmission:
[1479] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1480] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1481] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1482] server
[1483] 1. Receiving location information:
[1484] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1485] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1486] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1487] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1488] 3. Summary of information:
[1489] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[1490] Example: "You are currently at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[1491] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1492] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1493] Specific examples
[1494] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1495] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1496] The processing flow will be explained below.
[1497] Step 1:
[1498] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, which is done automatically and does not require any special operation on the part of the user.
[1499] Step 2:
[1500] The device sends the acquired location information to the server, using a communication protocol (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS) to transfer the data securely and quickly.
[1501] Step 3:
[1502] The server analyzes the location information received from the terminal and determines the user's current geographic location.
[1503] Step 4:
[1504] Based on the location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect information about the surrounding area related to that location. The collected information ranges from store location information, public facility guides, and traffic information.
[1505] Step 5:
[1506] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information using an AI text generation algorithm.
[1507] Step 6:
[1508] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that the user can read tactilely.
[1509] Step 7:
[1510] The server sends the generated Braille data to the terminal, using a communication protocol to ensure security during data transmission.
[1511] Step 8:
[1512] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[1513] Step 9:
[1514] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 8 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[1515] Through these steps, the system provides a mechanism for visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information safely and efficiently.
[1516] Example 1
[1517] Next, a description will be given of Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the robot 414 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1518] There is a need for a means for visually impaired people to easily obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move, enabling them to act safely and efficiently. However, conventional systems require visually impaired people to perform numerous operations to obtain information about their surroundings, making it difficult to provide information in real time. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Braille conversion will be an appropriate summary or accurate. This has resulted in a lack of a system that can provide the visually impaired with the information they need in an accurate and timely manner.
[1519] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the first embodiment is realized by the following means.
[1520] In this invention, the server includes a means for collecting detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet based on location information, a means for inputting a prompt to the AI generating the information to instruct it to summarize the surrounding information, and a means for converting the summarized information into Braille. This allows visually impaired people to accurately obtain surrounding information in real time based on their current location and to act safely and efficiently.
[1521] "Location Information" means data indicating a user's current geographic location obtained using GPS or other location-determining technology.
[1522] A "server" is a central computer system that receives and analyzes data sent from terminals via a network and provides the necessary information.
[1523] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a visually impaired person that acquires location information and displays Braille.
[1524] "Braille data" is information that has been converted into a format that can be read by the sense of touch by visually impaired people.
[1525] A "Braille display device" is a device that displays Braille data in a discernible form.
[1526] "Nearby information" refers to information such as facilities, traffic conditions, and geographical features that exist near the current location.
[1527] "Generative AI" is an algorithm or system that uses natural language processing and machine learning to analyze, summarize, and generate collected information.
[1528] A "Braille conversion algorithm" is a computer program or method for converting text data into Braille data.
[1529] A "prompt sentence" is an input sentence to a generative artificial intelligence, and is a sentence that contains instructions to summarize and generate specific information.
[1530] "Scraping" is a technique for automatically collecting data from the Internet.
[1531] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to easily obtain surrounding information in real time through Braille display. This system is mainly composed of three elements: the user, the terminal, and the server.
[1532] User
[1533] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1534] Terminal
[1535] Location information acquisition:
[1536] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1537] Sending location information:
[1538] The acquired location information is sent to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[1539] Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1540] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1541] server
[1542] Receiving location information:
[1543] The server receives the location information sent from the device and stores it in a database.
[1544] Collecting surrounding information:
[1545] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet, using scraping techniques or location processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API).
[1546] Summary of information:
[1547] The server analyzes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4), inputs a prompt, and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text.
[1548] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[1549] Braille data generation and transmission:
[1550] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis), and the Braille data is then sent to the device securely using the HTTPS protocol.
[1551] Specific examples
[1552] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses its built-in GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the internet based on the user's current location. Specifically, it uses Python to obtain the necessary data using the Google Maps API and scraping technology. The generative AI model (GPT-4) then receives a prompt: "The user is at the first-floor entrance of the shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is on their left and what is on their right." This prompt generates a summary. The summary is then converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm such as Liblouis and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using its built-in Braille display device, allowing the user to easily access the surrounding information through their sense of touch.
[1553] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1554] The flow of the identification process in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[1555] Step 1:
[1556] Obtaining location information
[1557] The device activates its built-in GPS sensor at regular intervals to obtain the user's current location.
[1558] Input: GPS sensor activation signal
[1559] Data processing / calculation: A GPS sensor is used to measure latitude and longitude information and generate current location data.
[1560] Output: Obtained location information (latitude and longitude)
[1561] Step 2:
[1562] Sending location information
[1563] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTPS protocol.
[1564] Input: Obtained location information (output of step 1)
[1565] Data processing / calculation: Data encryption and transmission processing using HTTPS protocol
[1566] Output: Secure location transmission to server
[1567] Step 3:
[1568] Receiving location information
[1569] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1570] Input: Location information sent via HTTPS protocol
[1571] Data processing / calculation: Decrypting received data and saving it to a database
[1572] Output: Location information stored in a database
[1573] Step 4:
[1574] Gathering surrounding information
[1575] Based on the received location information, the server collects detailed information about the surrounding area from a database or via the Internet.
[1576] Input: Location information stored in the database (output of Step 3)
[1577] Data processing / calculation: Obtaining surrounding information using scraping technology or location information processing APIs (e.g., Google Maps API)
[1578] Output: Surrounding area information (facility information, traffic information, etc.)
[1579] Step 5:
[1580] Summary of information
[1581] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative AI model, which then summarizes the necessary information into concise text.
[1582] Input: Collected ambient information (output of step 4)
[1583] Data processing / calculation: Prompt sentences are used to input data to a generative AI (e.g., GPT-4) to generate summary information.
[1584] Output: Summarized text information
[1585] Specific prompt example: "The user is at the first floor entrance of a shopping mall. Please briefly summarize the surrounding area, including what is to the left and what is to the right."
[1586] Step 6:
[1587] Braille data generation
[1588] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Liblouis).
[1589] Input: Summarized text information (output of Step 5)
[1590] Data processing / computation: Application of algorithms to convert text information into Braille notation
[1591] Output: Braille data
[1592] Step 7:
[1593] Sending Braille data
[1594] The server transmits the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[1595] Input: Generated Braille data (output of step 6)
[1596] Data processing / calculation: Processing to encrypt data and send it safely using the HTTPS protocol
[1597] Output: Secure transmission of braille data to the device
[1598] Step 8:
[1599] Receiving Braille data
[1600] The terminal receives the Braille data sent from the server.
[1601] Input: Braille data sent via HTTPS protocol
[1602] Data processing / calculation: Decoding of received data
[1603] Output: Received braille data
[1604] Step 9:
[1605] Displaying Braille data
[1606] The terminal uses a built-in Braille display device to display Braille data to the user.
[1607] Input: Received Braille data (output of step 8)
[1608] Data processing / calculation: Braille display control signal generation
[1609] Output: Braille display with tactile feedback
[1610] This series of processes enables visually impaired people to obtain real-time information about their surroundings in Braille, enabling them to move around safely and efficiently.
[1611] (Application example 1)
[1612] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 1. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the robot 414 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1613] There is a need for real-time information acquisition methods for visually impaired people to navigate safely and efficiently in public places and new environments, enabling them to easily understand their surroundings and take appropriate action.
[1614] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 1 is realized by the following means.
[1615] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence, means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for periodically acquiring the user's current location and providing information adapted to the user's means of transportation, and means for setting a destination by voice input using a voice recognition engine. This enables visually impaired people to acquire surrounding information in Braille in real time while traveling, and to easily set a destination or check their current location.
[1616] A "user" is a person who is visually impaired and needs to obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1617] "Location information" is data including the latitude and longitude of the current location obtained using a GPS sensor or the like.
[1618] A "server" is a computer system that analyzes data sent from a user terminal, collects and processes the necessary information, and returns it.
[1619] "Nearby information" is data relating to facilities, objects, traffic information, topography, etc. that exist near the user's current location.
[1620] "Generative AI" refers to machine learning models and algorithms used to analyze, summarize, and transform incoming information.
[1621] "Braille data" is text information that has been converted into a format that can be displayed on a Braille display device.
[1622] A "terminal" is an electronic device carried by a user for acquiring location information and displaying Braille data.
[1623] A "Braille display device" is a machine that allows visually impaired people to check written information by touch.
[1624] "Periodic" refers to an action that is repeated at regular intervals.
[1625] "Means of transportation" refers to the means of transportation used by the user, such as public transport or automobiles.
[1626] A "voice recognition engine" is a technology that converts voice input into text data.
[1627] A "destination" is a location that a user wishes to reach.
[1628] This invention is a system that enables visually impaired people to obtain information about their surroundings in real time through Braille displays. This system is mainly composed of three elements: a user, a terminal, and a server.
[1629] User
[1630] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1631] Terminal
[1632] 1. Location information acquisition:
[1633] The device periodically determines the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor, and this location information is automatically sent to the server.
[1634] 2. Setting a destination by voice input:
[1635] Users can set their destination using a voice recognition engine, which converts their voice input into text using cloud-based speech recognition software (e.g., Google Cloud Speech-to-Text engine).
[1636] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1637] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Refreshable Braille Display).
[1638] server
[1639] 1. Receiving location information:
[1640] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1641] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1642] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet and dedicated databases, including floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1643] 3. Summary of information:
[1644] The server analyzes the collected surrounding information using generative artificial intelligence (e.g., GPT-4) and summarizes important information for the user in concise text. Specifically, it generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right."
[1645] 4. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1646] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1647] Specific operation example
[1648] Suppose a user arrives at a new shopping mall. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to the server. The server then retrieves the mall's floor map information from the Internet based on the user's current location and uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." The server then converts this summary information into Braille and sends the Braille data to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily obtain information about their surroundings through their sense of touch.
[1649] Prompt Sentence Examples
[1650] The user launches the "BrailleDrive" app. The app sends current GPS information to the server and collects information about the surrounding area. The server then retrieves the shopping mall's floor map information from the internet and generates information such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. There is a convenience store on your left and a food court on your right." This information is then converted into Braille data and sent to the Braille display device inside the car.
[1651] This system allows visually impaired people to easily understand their surroundings and move around safely and efficiently.
[1652] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[1653] Step 1:
[1654] The device obtains location information from the built-in GPS sensor.
[1655] Input: Current location data (latitude, longitude) from the GPS sensor
[1656] Data processing or data calculation: Organizing the current location data and converting it into a format that can be sent to the server.
[1657] Output: Organized location information
[1658] Step 2:
[1659] The terminal transmits the acquired location information to the server.
[1660] Input: Organized location information
[1661] Data processing or data calculation: The location information is sent to the server in an appropriate format as an HTTP request.
[1662] Output: HTTP request with location information
[1663] Step 3:
[1664] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1665] Input: Location information included in the HTTP request
[1666] Data processing or data calculation: Extracting location information and converting it into a format that can be further processed inside the server.
[1667] Output: Extracted location information
[1668] Step 4:
[1669] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1670] Input:Location
[1671] Data processing or data calculation: Make an API request based on location information and collect surrounding information.
[1672] Output: Peripheral information data
[1673] Step 5:
[1674] The server summarizes the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence.
[1675] Input: Peripheral information data
[1676] Data processing or data computation: Using generative AI models (e.g., GPT-4) to summarize peripheral information into what is important to the user.
[1677] Output: Summarized text information
[1678] Step 6:
[1679] The server converts the generated summary information into Braille data.
[1680] Input: Summarized text information
[1681] Data processing or data calculation: Using a Braille conversion algorithm, convert the summary text into Braille data.
[1682] Output: Braille data
[1683] Step 7:
[1684] The server transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1685] Input: Braille data
[1686] Data processing or data calculation: Generates an HTTP request to send the Braille data to the device in the appropriate format.
[1687] Output: HTTP request containing braille data
[1688] Step 8:
[1689] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device.
[1690] Input: Braille data sent from the server
[1691] Data processing or data calculation: Converting data to display properly on a Braille display device
[1692] Output: Braille information displayed on a Braille display device
[1693] These are the specific processing steps that take place between the user, server, and device, allowing visually impaired people to safely and efficiently obtain information about their surroundings in Braille in real time.
[1694] Furthermore, an emotion engine that estimates the user's emotion may be further combined. That is, the identification processing unit 290 may estimate the user's emotion using the emotion identification model 59, and perform identification processing using the user's emotion.
[1695] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[1696] The specific operation is as follows.
[1697] User
[1698] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1699] Terminal
[1700] 1. Location information acquisition:
[1701] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1702] 2. Location transmission:
[1703] The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1704] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data:
[1705] It receives Braille data sent from the server and provides information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1706] 4. Collecting Emotional Data:
[1707] Collects user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones.
[1708] server
[1709] 1. Receiving location information:
[1710] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal.
[1711] 2. Collecting surrounding information:
[1712] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1713] Examples: Floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1714] 3. Emotion recognition:
[1715] The server analyzes the received emotional data to determine the user's current emotional state.
[1716] The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[1717] 4. Summarizing and customizing information:
[1718] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information. This summary information is then customized based on the user's emotional state.
[1719] Example: "We are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend you use the rest area nearby."
[1720] 5. Braille data generation and transmission:
[1721] The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1722] Specific examples
[1723] Imagine a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine their current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location, and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses AI to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1724] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[1725] The processing flow will be explained below.
[1726] Step 1:
[1727] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to periodically acquire the user's current location, without the user having to perform any special operations.
[1728] Step 2:
[1729] The device sends the acquired location information to the server using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[1730] Step 3:
[1731] The server receives the location information sent from the terminal and identifies the user's current geographic location.
[1732] Step 4:
[1733] Based on the identified location information, the server accesses the Internet or a dedicated database to collect surrounding information related to that location, including floor maps of the commercial facility, store locations, traffic information, etc.
[1734] Step 5:
[1735] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and microphones to collect user emotional data, such as heart rate, skin temperature, and voice tone.
[1736] Step 6:
[1737] The device transmits the collected emotional data to a server, also using HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
[1738] Step 7:
[1739] The server analyzes the received emotion data to determine the user's current emotional state. The emotion engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors to classify the user's emotion.
[1740] Step 8:
[1741] The server inputs the collected peripheral information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI) that extracts and summarizes the information necessary for the user into concise text information that is customized based on the user's emotional state.
[1742] Step 9:
[1743] The server inputs the summarized text information into a Braille conversion algorithm, which converts it into Braille data, which is then generated in a format that can be read by the user tactilely.
[1744] Step 10:
[1745] The server then sends the generated Braille data to the device, again using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
[1746] Step 11:
[1747] The device analyzes the received braille data and displays it to the user using a built-in braille display device. The user can check surrounding information in real time by touching the braille display.
[1748] Step 12:
[1749] When the user moves to a new location, the processes from step 1 to step 11 are repeated, thereby enabling the user to easily obtain the latest surrounding information at any time.
[1750] Examples:
[1751] Assume a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired. The device uses GPS to determine the user's current location and sends this information to the server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location. In parallel, the device collects the user's heart rate and voice tone and sends them to the server. The emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired" and uses AI to generate summary information such as "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily grasp their surroundings and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1752] Example 2
[1753] Next, a description will be given of Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the robot 414 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1754] Conventional support systems for the visually impaired make it difficult for users to obtain peripheral information in real time, and the information is not customized to suit the individual user's condition. Furthermore, the provision of information via Braille display is limited, and convenience for users while on the move is not fully ensured. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows visually impaired people to obtain peripheral information more smoothly and efficiently, and receive support tailored to their own condition.
[1755] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the second embodiment is realized by the following means.
[1756] In this invention, the server includes means for collecting peripheral information based on the user's location information, means for collecting and analyzing the user's emotion data to identify the emotion, and means for summarizing information based on the peripheral information and emotion data and converting it into Braille data, thereby enabling the user to obtain peripheral information corresponding to their own location information and emotional state in real time on a Braille display device.
[1757] "User" refers to anyone, including visually impaired people, who obtains surrounding information using a specified terminal.
[1758] "Location information" refers to information indicating a user's current geographical location obtained by a measurement means such as a GPS sensor.
[1759] "Terminal" refers to an electronic device carried by a user that includes GPS and Braille capabilities.
[1760] "Server" refers to a centralized computing device that receives, analyzes, and processes data sent from user terminals.
[1761] "Nearby information" refers to information about a location, including floor maps of commercial facilities related to the user's current location, store locations, traffic information, and the like.
[1762] "Emotion data" refers to data that indicates the user's emotional state, obtained based on the user's biometric information such as heart rate and skin potential, and tone of voice.
[1763] "Emotion engine" refers to software that analyzes collected emotion data and identifies a user's emotional state.
[1764] "Generative artificial intelligence (AI)" refers to algorithms or programs that summarize information based on received data and generate useful information for users.
[1765] "Braille data" means data that has been converted to provide tactile information to visually impaired persons using a braille display device.
[1766] "Braille display device" refers to a device that generates physical Braille characters based on Braille data, allowing users to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[1767] This invention combines a system that allows users to easily obtain peripheral information in real time through Braille display with an emotion engine that recognizes the user's emotions, thereby making the information more personalized. This system is mainly composed of four elements: the user, the terminal, the server, and the emotion engine.
[1768] User
[1769] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions, and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while moving without performing any special operations.
[1770] Terminal
[1771] 1. Obtaining location information
[1772] The device obtains the user's current location using a built-in GPS sensor (e.g., Ublox Neo-6m), which periodically provides the current latitude and longitude information.
[1773] 2. Sending location information
[1774] The dedicated app on the device (e.g., an Android app) sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection. This transmission is done using an HTTP request, and the location information is sent to the server in JSON format.
[1775] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data
[1776] The device receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using a built-in Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch). The Braille display device displays the received Braille data as physical Braille information.
[1777] 4. Collecting Emotional Data
[1778] The device collects user emotion data through built-in biosensors (e.g., heart rate sensor, skin potential sensor) and microphone, allowing it to obtain real-time biometric information of the user.
[1779] server
[1780] 1. Receiving location information
[1781] The server receives the location information sent from the device. In this case, a web server such as Apache HTTP Server is used, and the location information is stored in a database.
[1782] 2. Gathering peripheral information
[1783] The server uses the location information to collect surrounding information from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, it uses the Google Places API to obtain surrounding information such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1784] 3. Emotion recognition
[1785] The server analyzes the emotion data sent from the device and identifies the user's emotional state. It uses an emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) to analyze the emotion data and identify emotional states such as "tired" or "happy."
[1786] 4. Summarizing and customizing information
[1787] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative artificial intelligence (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[1788] Example: Prompt: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[1789] 5. Braille data generation and transmission
[1790] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1791] Specific examples
[1792] When a user arrives at a shopping mall and feels a little tired, the device uses its built-in GPS sensor to determine their current location and sends the location information to a server via a dedicated app. The server then uses the Google Places API to obtain the mall's floor map information and analyzes the emotion data using an emotion engine to determine "tired." It then uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as "You're currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." This information is then converted into Braille data using Braille Translator and sent from the server to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1793] In this way, by combining emotion engines, it becomes possible to provide information according to the user's emotional state, and more personalized support can be provided.
[1794] The flow of the identification process in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[1795] Step 1:
[1796] Obtaining location information
[1797] The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location. Specifically, the device uses the Ublox Neo-6m sensor to obtain the current latitude and longitude information. This data is collected at regular intervals.
[1798] Input: Current location data from the GPS sensor
[1799] Output: Obtained latitude and longitude information
[1800] Step 2:
[1801] Sending location information
[1802] The dedicated app on the device sends the acquired location information to a server via an Internet connection, converts the location information into JSON format, and sends it to the server using an HTTP request.
[1803] Input: Latitude and longitude information (JSON format)
[1804] Output: Sends location information to the server via an HTTP request
[1805] Step 3:
[1806] Receiving location information
[1807] The server receives the location information sent from the device. The Apache HTTP Server receives the HTTP request and stores the location information in a database.
[1808] Input: Latitude and longitude information in the HTTP request
[1809] Output: Location information stored in a database
[1810] Step 4:
[1811] Gathering surrounding information
[1812] The server then uses the received location information to collect information about the surrounding area from the internet or a dedicated database. Specifically, the server uses the Google Places API to obtain floor maps of nearby commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1813] Input: User's location information (latitude and longitude)
[1814] Output: Collected surrounding information (floor map, store information, etc.)
[1815] Step 5:
[1816] Collecting Emotional Data
[1817] The device uses built-in biometric sensors and a microphone to collect user emotional data, including vital signs such as heart rate and skin potential, as well as tone of voice.
[1818] Input: Data from biosensors and microphone
[1819] Output: Acquired emotion data (heart rate, skin potential, tone of voice)
[1820] Step 6:
[1821] Sending emotional data
[1822] The app on the device then sends the acquired emotion data to a server via an internet connection, where it is also converted to JSON format and sent using an HTTP request.
[1823] Input: Emotion data (JSON format)
[1824] Output: Sends emotion data to the server via an HTTP request
[1825] Step 7:
[1826] Emotional Data Analysis
[1827] The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state. An emotion engine (e.g., IBM Watson Tone Analyzer) analyzes the emotion data and identifies the user's emotional state, such as "tired" or "happy."
[1828] Input: Emotion data
[1829] Output: Parsed emotional state
[1830] Step 8:
[1831] Summarizing and customizing information
[1832] The server inputs information based on the surrounding information and the user's emotional state into a generative AI model (e.g., OpenAI GPT-3), extracts the information necessary for the user, and summarizes it into concise text information.
[1833] Input: Peripheral information, analyzed emotional state
[1834] Output: Summarized text information
[1835] Specific prompt example: "If the user is tired, generate a sentence that will guide them to the rest area based on the information that they are at the first floor entrance of the shopping mall."
[1836] Step 9:
[1837] Braille data generation and transmission
[1838] The server converts the summarized text information into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm (e.g., Braille Translator) and transmits the Braille data to the terminal.
[1839] Input: Summarized text information
[1840] Output: Braille data
[1841] Step 10:
[1842] Braille data reception and display
[1843] The terminal receives the Braille data from the server and displays it to the user. The terminal uses a Braille display device (e.g., Dot Watch) to provide the received Braille data to the user as physical Braille, allowing the user to obtain information through their sense of touch.
[1844] Input: Braille data
[1845] Output: Physical Braille displayed by a Braille display device
[1846] (Application example 2)
[1847] Next, a description will be given of Application Example 2. In the following description, the data processing device 12 will be referred to as a "server" and the robot 414 will be referred to as a "terminal."
[1848] Conventional navigation systems for the visually impaired can obtain the user's current location and provide surrounding information, but they only provide uniform information without considering the user's emotional state. This makes it difficult to obtain appropriate information according to the user's situation and emotions. There is a need to solve this problem and provide more personalized assistance.
[1849] The specific processing by the specific processing unit 290 of the data processing device 12 in the application example 2 is realized by the following means.
[1850] In this invention, the server includes means for acquiring user location information, means for transmitting the acquired location information to the server, means for collecting surrounding information based on the location information received by the server, means for summarizing the collected surrounding information using artificial intelligence (AI), means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data, means for transmitting the Braille data to the terminal, means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device, means for collecting user emotion data using a biometric sensor, and means for customizing information based on the collected emotion data. This makes it possible to provide personalized information based on not only the user's current location but also their emotional state.
[1851] "User"
[1852] A person using a device with GPS and Braille capabilities, including a visually impaired person.
[1853] "Method of obtaining location information"
[1854] is a device or system that uses a built-in GPS sensor to determine a user's current location.
[1855] "Method of sending location information to a server"
[1856] is a function for transferring acquired location information to a server via a communication means (e.g., the Internet or a mobile network).
[1857] "Means of gathering peripheral information"
[1858] is a system or program that retrieves related information such as commercial facilities and traffic information from the Internet or a dedicated database based on received location information.
[1859] "Method of summarizing using generative artificial intelligence (AI)"
[1860] It is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected peripheral information and outputs necessary and appropriate information for the user as concise text data.
[1861] "Method for converting summary information into Braille data"
[1862] is a program or device for converting generated concise text information into Braille notation.
[1863] "Means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal"
[1864] is a communication means for transferring the generated Braille data to the terminal.
[1865] "Method of displaying on a Braille display device"
[1866] is a device that physically displays received Braille data in raised form, allowing users to read it with their fingertips.
[1867] "Method of collecting user emotional data using biometric sensors"
[1868] is a device or system that detects a user's emotional state from their physiological responses and voice.
[1869] "A way to customize information based on emotional data"
[1870] is an algorithm or software that analyzes collected emotional data and changes the content and priorities of the information provided depending on the user's current emotional state.
[1871] This invention is a navigation system for the visually impaired, which aims to provide real-time surrounding information in Braille using the user's location information and emotion data. This system is mainly composed of a user, a terminal, a server, and an emotion engine.
[1872] User
[1873] The user is a visually impaired person who carries a device with GPS and Braille functions. The user does not need to perform any special operations and can obtain real-time information about their surroundings while on the move.
[1874] Terminal
[1875] The device comes with the following features:
[1876] 1. Obtaining location information: The device uses the built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1877] 2. Sending location information: The acquired location information is sent to the server.
[1878] 3. Receiving and displaying Braille data: Receives the Braille data sent from the server and provides the information to the user using the built-in Braille display device.
[1879] 4. Emotional data collection: Collect user emotional data through biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[1880] server
[1881] On the server side, the following happens:
[1882] 1. Receiving location information: The server receives the location information sent from the device.
[1883] 2. Collecting surrounding information: Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database, such as floor maps of commercial facilities, store locations, and traffic information.
[1884] 3. Emotion Recognition: The server analyzes the received emotion data and identifies the user's current emotional state. The emotion recognition engine uses voice input and data from biometric sensors.
[1885] 4. Information Summarization and Customization: The server inputs the collected surrounding information into a generative artificial intelligence (AI), which extracts the information necessary for the user and summarizes it into concise text information. Furthermore, the summary information is customized based on the user's emotional state. For example, it generates a message such as, "You are currently at the first floor entrance. You seem tired, so we recommend using the nearby rest area."
[1886] 5. Generating and transmitting Braille data: The summarized text information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm, and the Braille data is transmitted to the terminal.
[1887] Specific examples
[1888] For example, imagine a user arrives at a large shopping mall and feels a little stressed. The device uses GPS to determine its current location and sends this information to a server. The server then obtains the mall's floor map information via the Internet based on the user's current location and receives the user's emotional data through biometric sensors and voice recognition. After the emotion engine recognizes that the user is "tired," it uses a generative AI model to generate summary information such as, "You are currently at the entrance on the first floor. You seem tired, so we recommend a nearby rest area." The server then converts this summary information into Braille data and sends it to the device. The device then displays the received Braille data to the user using a Braille display device, allowing the user to easily understand the situation and find a rest area through their sense of touch.
[1889] Prompt Sentence Examples
[1890] "The user is in a large shopping mall. The emotion sensor detects that the user is feeling stressed. The user's current location is the first floor entrance of the shopping mall. Generate information to provide to the user in Braille."
[1891] The flow of the specific processing in the application example 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
[1892] Step 1:
[1893] The device uses its built-in GPS sensor to obtain the user's current location at regular intervals.
[1894] (Input) Location information from the GPS sensor
[1895] (Processing) Read location information and identify current location
[1896] (Output) Current location information obtained
[1897] Step 2:
[1898] The acquired location information is sent from the terminal to the server.
[1899] (Input) Acquired current location information
[1900] (Processing) Send location information to the server using network communication
[1901] (Output) Location information sent to the server
[1902] Step 3:
[1903] Based on the received location information, the server collects surrounding information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1904] (Input) Location information sent to the server
[1905] (Processing) Query the database based on the location information and collect related surrounding information
[1906] (Output) Collected surrounding information
[1907] Step 4:
[1908] The device collects user emotional data using biometric sensors and microphones built into the device.
[1909] (Input) Emotion data from biosensors and microphones
[1910] (Processing) Analyze data from sensors to identify the user's emotional state
[1911] (Output) Identified emotional state data
[1912] Step 5:
[1913] The server analyzes the received emotional data and surrounding information and uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to summarize the information necessary for the user.
[1914] (Input) Collected surrounding information and identified emotional state data
[1915] (Processing) Use AI models to extract and summarize the necessary information into concise text data
[1916] (Output) Summarized information text
[1917] Step 6:
[1918] The generated summary information is converted into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm.
[1919] (Input) Summarized information text
[1920] (Processing) Converts text data into Braille data using a Braille conversion algorithm
[1921] (Output) Braille data
[1922] Step 7:
[1923] The generated Braille data is sent to the terminal.
[1924] (Input) Braille data
[1925] (Processing) Sending Braille data to the terminal using network communication
[1926] (Output) Braille data sent to the device
[1927] Step 8:
[1928] The terminal displays the received Braille data on a Braille display device, allowing the user to obtain the information tactilely.
[1929] (Input) Braille data sent to the terminal
[1930] (Processing) Physically displaying braille on a braille display device
[1931] (Output) Displayed braille information
[1932] These steps allow users to receive real-time information about their surroundings in Braille while on the move, and the information is personalized based on the user's emotional state.
[1933] The specific processing unit 290 transmits the result of the specific processing to the robot 414. In the robot 414, the control unit 46A causes the speaker 240 and the control target 443 to output the result of the specific processing. The microphone 238 acquires voice indicating a user input regarding the result of the specific processing. The control unit 46A transmits voice data indicating the user input acquired by the microphone 238 to the data processing device 12. In the data processing device 12, the specific processing unit 290 acquires the voice data.
[1934] The data generation model 58 is a so-called generative AI (Artificial Intelligence). An example of the data generation model 58 is ChatGPT (Internet Search<URL: https: / / openai.com / blog / chatgpt> ), Gemini (Internet search <url: https: gemini.google.com ?hl="ja">) and other generation AIs. The data generation model 58 is obtained by performing deep learning on a neural network. A prompt including an instruction is input to the data generation model 58, and inference data such as voice data indicating voice, text data indicating text, and image data indicating an image is also input. The data generation model 58 performs inference on the input inference data in accordance with the instruction indicated by the prompt, and outputs the inference result in a data format such as voice data and text data. Here, inference refers to, for example, analysis, classification, prediction, and / or summarization.
[1935] In the above embodiment, an example in which the specific processing is performed by the data processing device 12 has been given, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the specific processing may be performed by the robot 414.
[1936] The emotion identification model 59 as an emotion engine may determine the user's emotion according to a specific mapping. Specifically, the emotion identification model 59 may determine the user's emotion according to an emotion map (see FIG. 9), which is a specific mapping. Similarly, the emotion identification model 59 may determine the robot's emotion, and the identification processing unit 290 may perform identification processing using the robot's emotion.
[1937] FIG. 9 illustrates an emotion map 400 on which multiple emotions are mapped. In the emotion map 400, emotions are arranged in concentric circles radiating from the center. Emotions closer to the center of the concentric circles are more primitive. Emotions representing states and behaviors arising from a state of mind are arranged on the outer edges of the concentric circles. The concept of emotion includes both affect and mental states. Emotions generally generated from reactions occurring in the brain are arranged on the left side of the concentric circles. Emotions generally induced by situational judgment are arranged on the right side of the concentric circles. Emotions generally generated from reactions occurring in the brain and induced by situational judgment are arranged on the upper and lower sides of the concentric circles. Furthermore, the emotion of "pleasure" is arranged on the upper side of the concentric circles, and the emotion of "discomfort" is arranged on the lower side. In this way, in the emotion map 400, multiple emotions are mapped based on the structure by which emotions are generated, and emotions that tend to occur simultaneously are mapped close to each other.
[1938] These emotions are distributed in the 3 o'clock direction on emotion map 400, and typically fluctuate between relief and anxiety. In the right half of emotion map 400, situational awareness dominates over internal sensations, resulting in a sense of calm.
[1939] The inside of emotion map 400 represents what is going on in the mind, and the outside of emotion map 400 represents behavior, so the further you go outside emotion map 400, the more visible the emotions become (the more they are expressed in behavior).
[1940] Human emotions are based on various balances, such as posture and blood sugar levels. When these balances deviate from the ideal, a state of discomfort is indicated, and when they approach the ideal, a state of pleasure is indicated. Emotions can also be created for robots, automobiles, and motorcycles, based on various balances, such as posture and remaining battery life. When these balances deviate from the ideal, a state of discomfort is indicated, and when they approach the ideal, a state of pleasure is indicated. An emotion map can be generated, for example, based on Dr. Mitsuyoshi's emotion map (Research on Voice Emotion Recognition and Emotional Brain Physiological Signal Analysis Systems, Tokushima University, Doctoral Dissertation: https: / / ci.nii.ac.jp / naid / 500000375379). The left half of the emotion map lists emotions belonging to the "reaction" domain, where sensation is dominant. The right half of the emotion map lists emotions belonging to the "situation" domain, where situational awareness is dominant.
[1941] The emotion map defines two emotions that promote learning. One is a negative emotion on the situation side, around the middle of "repentance" or "reflection." In other words, this occurs when the robot experiences negative emotions such as "I never want to feel this way again" or "I don't want to be scolded again." The other is a positive emotion on the response side, around "desire." In other words, this occurs when the robot experiences positive feelings such as "I want more" or "I want to know more."
[1942] The emotion identification model 59 inputs user input into a pre-trained neural network, obtains emotion values indicating each emotion shown in the emotion map 400, and determines the user's emotion. This neural network is pre-trained based on multiple pieces of training data that are combinations of user input and emotion values indicating each emotion shown in the emotion map 400. Furthermore, this neural network is trained so that emotions that are located close to each other have similar values, as in the emotion map 900 shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 shows an example in which multiple emotions, "relieved," "calm," and "reassuring," have similar emotion values.
[1943] The system according to the present disclosure has been described above mainly with respect to the functions of the data processing device 12, but the system according to the present disclosure is not necessarily implemented on a server. The system according to the present disclosure may be implemented as a general information processing system. The present disclosure may be implemented, for example, as a software program running on a personal computer or an application running on a smartphone, etc. The method according to the present disclosure may be provided to users in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service).
[1944] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the specific processing is performed by one computer 22, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the specific processing may be distributed and performed by a plurality of computers including the computer 22. For example, the data generation model 58 may be provided in an external device of the data processing device 12, and data may be generated in the external device in accordance with input data.
[1945] In the above embodiment, an example in which the specific processing program 56 is stored in the storage 32 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the specific processing program 56 may be stored in a portable, computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The specific processing program 56 stored in the non-transitory storage medium is installed in the computer 22 of the data processing device 12. The processor 28 executes the specific processing in accordance with the specific processing program 56.
[1946] Alternatively, the specific processing program 56 may be stored in a storage device such as a server connected to the data processing device 12 via the network 54, and the specific processing program 56 may be downloaded and installed on the computer 22 in response to a request from the data processing device 12.
[1947] It is not necessary to store all of the specific processing program 56 in a storage device such as a server connected to the data processing device 12 via the network 54, or to store all of the specific processing program 56 in the storage 32; only a portion of the specific processing program 56 may be stored.
[1948] The hardware resource for executing a specific process can be any of the following processors: An example of a processor is a CPU, which is a general-purpose processor that functions as a hardware resource for executing a specific process by executing software, i.e., a program. Another example of a processor is a dedicated electrical circuit, such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), which is a processor with a circuit configuration designed specifically for executing a specific process. Each processor has built-in or connected memory, and each processor uses the memory to execute the specific process.
[1949] The hardware resource that executes the specific processing may be configured with one of these various processors, or may be configured with a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a combination of multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). Also, the hardware resource that executes the specific processing may be a single processor.
[1950] As an example of a system configured with a single processor, first, one processor is configured by combining one or more CPUs and software, and this processor functions as a hardware resource that executes a specific process. Second, there is a system that uses a processor that realizes the functions of an entire system including multiple hardware resources that execute a specific process on a single IC chip, as typified by SoC (System-on-a-chip). In this way, a specific process is realized using one or more of the above-mentioned various processors as hardware resources.
[1951] Furthermore, the hardware structure of these various processors can be, more specifically, an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor devices. The specific processing described above is merely an example. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the processing order may be rearranged, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[1952] The above-described description and illustrations are a detailed explanation of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely an example of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects is an explanation of an example of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the above-described description and illustrations within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description and illustrations omit explanations of common technical knowledge that do not require particular explanation to enable the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure.
[1953] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
[1954] The following is further disclosed regarding the above embodiment.
[1955] (Claim 1)
[1956] A means for acquiring user location information;
[1957] means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server;
[1958] a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server;
[1959] A means for summarizing the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI);
[1960] means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data;
[1961] means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal;
[1962] means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device;
[1963] A system including:
[1964] (Claim 2)
[1965] 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1966] (Claim 3)
[1967] 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring location information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server.
[1968] "Example 1"
[1969] (Claim 1)
[1970] A means for acquiring user location information;
[1971] means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server;
[1972] a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server;
[1973] A means for summarizing the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence;
[1974] means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data;
[1975] means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal;
[1976] means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device;
[1977] The device acquires location information at regular intervals using the built-in GPS sensor and transmits it securely using the HTTPS protocol.
[1978] The server uses the location information to collect detailed information about the surrounding area via a database or the internet, and scrapes the data.
[1979] A means for inputting a prompt sentence instructing the generation artificial intelligence to summarize the peripheral information;
[1980] A system including:
[1981] (Claim 2)
[1982] 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1983] (Claim 3)
[1984] 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring location information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server.
[1985] "Application Example 1"
[1986] (Claim 1)
[1987] A means for acquiring user location information;
[1988] means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server;
[1989] a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server;
[1990] A means for summarizing the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence;
[1991] means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data;
[1992] means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal;
[1993] means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device;
[1994] A means for periodically acquiring the user's current location and providing information adapted to the user's means of transportation;
[1995] A means for setting a destination by voice input using a voice recognition engine;
[1996] A system including:
[1997] (Claim 2)
[1998] 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[1999] (Claim 3)
[2000] 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring location information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server.
[2001] "Example 2: Combining Emotion Engines"
[2002] (Claim 1)
[2003] A means for acquiring user location information;
[2004] means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server;
[2005] a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server;
[2006] means for collecting user emotion data;
[2007] means for analyzing the collected emotion data to identify the emotion of the user;
[2008] A means for summarizing information using artificial intelligence based on surrounding information and user emotions;
[2009] means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data;
[2010] means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal;
[2011] means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device;
[2012] A system including:
[2013] (Claim 2)
[2014] 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[2015] (Claim 3)
[2016] 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring location information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server.
[2017] "Application example 2 when combining emotion engines"
[2018] (Claim 1)
[2019] A means for acquiring user location information;
[2020] means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server;
[2021] a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server;
[2022] A means for summarizing the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence (AI);
[2023] means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data;
[2024] means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal;
[2025] means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device;
[2026] means for collecting user emotion data using a biometric sensor;
[2027] A means of customizing information based on collected emotional data; and
[2028] A system including:
[2029] (Claim 2)
[2030] 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
[2031] (Claim 3)
[2032] 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring location information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server. [Explanation of symbols]
[2033] 10, 210, 310, 410 Data Processing Systems 12 Data Processing Device 14 Smart Devices 214 Smart Glasses 314 Headset-type terminal 414 Robot< / url:> < / url:> < / url:> < / url:>
Claims
1. A means for acquiring user location information; means for transmitting the acquired location information to a server; a means for collecting peripheral information based on the location information received by the server; A means for summarizing the collected peripheral information using generative artificial intelligence; means for converting the generated summary information into Braille data; means for transmitting Braille data to a terminal; means for displaying the Braille data received by the terminal on a Braille display device; A system including:
2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises means for collecting peripheral information from the Internet or a dedicated database.
3. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises means for acquiring position information at regular intervals and transmitting the information to the server.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Persona chatbot control method and system
JP2022180282A