Robot Guide Dog Created by High Schooler to Aid the Visually Impaired

A Turkish high school student has leveraged Nvidia technology to develop an innovative AI-powered robot guide dog.

Selin Alara Ornek, a high school senior from Istanbul, Turkey, created the IC4U project which combines advanced robotics and AI to offer a high-tech alternative to traditional guide dogs.

The student has built three versions of the robot guide dog. The latest version boasts a more dog-like design, with naturalistic features. 

Previously the robot guide dog used ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles but she switched to AI cameras to enable it to process sound and visual information better.

Ornek, a self-taught robotics developer, leveraged Nvidia’s Jetson Developer Kit as a sandbox to test ideas to improve processing capabilities.

The quadrupedal bot now uses AI cameras and sound sensors, powered by an Nvidia Jetson Nano chip, enabling it to accurately detect and recognize objects, such as the colors of traffic lights.

The robot dog can also help visually impaired people shop. It can provide detailed information about items to its handler, including costs, and correlate stock with other online retailers.

Ornek is a member of the AI4ALL nonprofit program, helping to make AI and robotics development more inclusive. She has since received recognition at the European Youth Awards and Women in Tech Global Awards events and came first in the 2021 Istanbul Bosphorus Robot Cup.

Related:Nvidia Unveils AI Tools to Accelerate Humanoid Robot Development

She sought to develop a robot guide dog after her dog, Korsan, died. Having observed a guide dog assisting its owner on a trip to France, she sought to provide the visually impaired with a companion not restricted by aging or health.

“I started to think about if a visually impaired person lost their dog, not only would they lose their best friend, but their eyes,” Ornek said.

Beyond guide dogs, Ornek has built several other robots, including BB4All, designed to prevent bullying by providing real-time notification and health-monitoring capabilities.

From left: BB4All and Ornek | Credit: Selin Alara Ornek

The high schooler plans to continue developing the robot guide dog with dreams of deploying it in future smart cities.

In the fall, Ornek will start studying computer science at the University of British Columbia on a scholarship courtesy of the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award.