Information Systems Management II

Accenture Develops New AI-powered Solution to Help the Visually Impaired Publication info: Food and Beverage Close - Up ; Jacksonville (Aug 4, 2017).

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FULL TEXT Accenture has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solution to help the visually impaired improve

the way they experience the world around them and enhance their productivity in the workplace.

The solution, called Drishti, was developed as part of Accenture's focus on Tech4Good, which aims to apply

technology to improve the way the world lives and works by solving complex social challenges.

According to a media release, Drishti, which means "vision" in Sanskrit, provides smart phone-based assistance

using AI technologies such as image recognition, natural language processing and natural language generation

capabilities to describe the environment of a visually impaired person. Initially developed and tested with 10 blind

professionals through a collaboration with the National Association for the Blind in India, the solution provides

narration to the user on the number of people in a room, their ages, genders and even emotions based on facial

expressions. It can also be used to identify and narrate text from books and documents, including currency notes,

and identify obstructions like glass doors to improve the safety of the user.

Accenture, which has a commitment to inclusion and diversity, plans to introduce Drishti to more than 100 visually

impaired employees in India. The solution is currently being piloted at Accenture in South Africa, and a Spanish

language version is being tested with Accenture employees in Argentina.

"Accenture believes diversity is a source of innovation, creativity and competitive advantage," said Paul Daugherty,

chief technology &innovation officer, Accenture. "This Tech4Good solution is a great illustration of how AI

technology can empower humans by augmenting their capabilities so they can achieve more for themselves and

the world around them. This work reflects our longstanding commitment to inclusion and diversity, and our effort

to create a 'truly human' environment where people can be who they are, and be their best, both professionally and

personally."

"Accenture shares our mission to empower the visually challenged in the workplace. Through the innovative use of

technology, we've seen first-hand how the Drishti solution Accenture developed can enable visually impaired

individuals to lead more inclusive and productive lives," said Pallavi Kadam, executive director, National

Association for the Blind in India. "This project makes us excited for a not-too-distant future where the widespread

use of technologies such as this will have a significant and positive impact on the blind community."

More Information:

http://www.accenture.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) DETAILS

Subject: Innovations; Visual impairment; Blindness; Empowerment; Natural language;

Artificial intelligence

Location: Argentina South Africa India

Database copyright  2020 ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Contact ProQuest

Publication title: Food and Beverage Close - Up; Jacksonville

Publication year: 2017

Publication date: Aug 4, 2017

Publisher: Close-Up Media, Inc.

Place of publication: Jacksonville

Country of publication: United States, Jacksonville

Publication subject: Food And Food Industries, Beverages

Source type: Trade Journals

Language of publication: English

Document type: News

ProQuest document ID: 1926270443

Document URL: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1926270443?accountid=33337

Copyright: Copyright Close-Up Media, Inc. Aug 4, 2017

Last updated: 2019-05-06

Database: ABI/INFORM Collection