AI guide dogs may offer aid to visually impaired

Robot guide dogs may soon become available to more of the 17 million visually impaired people in China thanks to researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University, who achieved a breakthrough using an artificial intelligence language model.

They have developed an AI guide dog that can provide assistance in scenarios such as crossing streets, using elevators and navigating indoor spaces without having to be connected to the internet, according to the university.

It is a big step in exploring the application of embodied intelligence — an intelligent machine with a physical form that can interact with the environment in real-time using sensors to execute instructions or make decisions.