(GIST OF YOJANA) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE EASE OF LIFE FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED

(FEBRUARY-2024)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE EASE OF LIFE FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED

Context:

AI is replacing the centuries-old standardised operational procedures in almost every branch of knowledge and discipline. The present analysis is addressing the extent to which Artificial Intelligence can improve the lives of divyangs. For an inclusive society, the digital governance terminals for the citizens need to be recalibrated or progressively redesigned to incorporate mode selection options in which adequate audio input cues can be intelligently sewn by Artificial Intelligence.

Visually Challenged and AI:

1. Detection of impairment

If you cannot negotiate and react to visual inputs like any other person, you are technically termed as Visually Impaired (VI). Whether you are legally or not is a subject of State policy. The life of a VI can be improved right at the time of its diagnosis and locating the means for rehabilitation. Early detection using AI assistive technology can invariably interfere with the medication or other management process right from the womb.
Regular examination for locating the blindness at the infant stage itself is now made possible by Als. Google Accelerated Science (GAS) combined research with Indian Eye Hospitals to develop an AI to detect the antecedents of biomarkers from a high-definition image of an eye behind the retina. It was a perfect skill-set match for the scientist, who had earlier worked on hand gestures and developed an AI with deep learning to find solutions for billions of people with diabetic retinopathy.

2. Education

AI is changing the entire landscape of education. Al-driven learning platforms that are interactive and capable of customising according to the needs of learning units. All is intended towards a human-centered approach with AI as technology for all with reduced tech-divide. The Beijing Consensus by the agency delineates the guidelines for policymakers in this context. This is vouching for the global commitment to vetting AI in the policy initiatives of member countries. Siri, Alexa and chatbots have all altered the learning ecosystem.
Visually impaired students have wide voice maneuverability interfaces with such AI learning models, which is unveiling the fantastic world of knowledge at their fingertips. Machine learning programmers can certainly change the destiny of conventional education, but the virtue of meeting the special requirements of persons with disabilities can make the learning meaningful.

3. Al and Social Life

Every visually impaired person wants to be independent and would like to move freely to perform their personal and social commitments. An Al device has been carefully tailored in the spectacles to meet the specific requirements of blind or low-vision people by socially committed developers (Envision).
The familiar faces can be fed into the devices, like the menu cards of hotels, contents of medicines, products, GPS, and things that can be described in words like gender and the approximate age of strangers, which can add to the psycho-social competence of visually impaired persons. Besides, there are digital magnifiers to assist the low-vision category of Vis in reading print materials with assistive technology developers.

4. Al and Governance

On a regular basis, every individual, irrespective of their physical status, needs to interact with several portals, which are often internet-based. Many of them test whether you are a robot, but alas, a visually impaired person has to prove it with a lot of struggle or help. Al can help with biometric verification and thereby relieve a ‘acid’ test on existence. Another expanse where they inescapably encounter many hassles is while interacting with the public-utility infrastructure on
a regular basis.
Positively for all sorts of inclusions, the digital governance terminals for citizens need to be recalibrated or progressively redesigned to have mode selection options in which adequate audio input cues can be intelligently sewn by Artificial Intelligence. With the Unique Disability Identity cards in India, it can certainly reshape the entire landscape. On all the platforms of public utility driven by Al, it will be easy to validate the individual’s locus standi for an automated mode shift. The State administrative mechanisms can also make use of Al in locating the pivots in which such terminals need to be dispensed with.

5. Al and Accessibility

Visually impaired persons are susceptible to risking themselves by collision; a State is largely held responsible for creating a hassle-free physical atmosphere wherein the mobility of such persons is challenged.
Buildings with public funds, transportation systems, financial institutions, and educational centres of all types can make effective use of Artificial Intelligence to impart security. Indirectly, such makeovers in social security systems can help the elderly citizens too, who otherwise lost their visual faculties owing to ageing or illness. In either case, social security systems are regarded as a modality for inclusive development.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that machines for decision-making by a logical algorithm with deep learning from clouds can dismiss the entire subjectivity error and human biases. Al is replacing the centuries-old mechanisms in almost every branch of knowledge and discipline, so much so that the extent to which Al is improving the lives of people with visual impairments is a subject of social significance.The scope and practices of using Artificial Intelligence to make the planet Visually Impaired friendly are humane and equity-driven, are exercised from the diagnosis of impairment to the launch of social security systems. Al has undoubtedly influenced or is capable of serving the lives of marginalised in manifold ways.