Microsoft Introduces Seeing AI App for Android and Enhances Features

Microsoft has made a significant move to aid the visually impaired community by launching its Seeing AI app on the Android platform. Commemorating the International Day of People with Disabilities, the tech giant announced the release this Monday. The app, initially exclusive to iOS, extends the possibility of independence for blind and low vision users by helping them recognize and comprehend various physical objects and texts through their mobile device's camera.

Extended Language Support and New Features

The Android version of Seeing AI not only transitions from its previous iOS exclusivity but it also introduces linguistic diversity with 18 different languages now supported, and a plan to increase this to 36 by the following year. Moreover, Android users will benefit from recent feature additions similar to those on iOS, encompassing enhanced alt-text descriptions for images and a conversational chatbot for document information querying.

An Assistive Technological Evolution

Since its 2017 release, Seeing AI has aimed to assist the visually impaired in navigating the physical environment by recognizing items such as currency, documents, and even people. This tangible assistance is a step towards autonomy, improving access to daily life activities. While comparable to other apps like Be My Eyes, Seeing AI leverages software rather than human assistance.

Projects like Seeing AI showcase the valuable role artificial intelligence can play in creating accessible solutions. Technologies like OpenAI's ChatGPT, for example, offer the potential to aid disabled users in tasks requiring intensive visual and cognitive effort, such as research.

Commitment to Inclusivity

In his address, Saqib Shaikh, the founder of Seeing AI, underscored the importance of bringing the app to over 3 billion Android users. This move, he explained, would open up new possibilities for those with visual impairments to integrate technology into their day-to-day lives. The team behind Seeing AI is dedicated to refining the app based on user feedback, particularly as AI capabilities continue to evolve.

Microsoft, Android, Accessibility