Finding keys, knowing the price of a garment in a store, and distinguishing between a bag of paprika and turmeric • A first-of-its-kind workshop introduced blind and visually impaired people to artificial intelligence tools that can improve their quality of life • "AI is making a huge difference in my daily life in many areas," said one participant
If you open the camera through the ChatGPT or Gemini interface, you can point the camera around you and ask the chatbot to describe what it sees for you - and it will do so in great detail and in clear, descriptive language. Those who have been quick to adopt this impressive AI feature are the blind and visually impaired community, who use the chatbot as a kind of "pair of eyes" when needed, helping them to better navigate their surroundings, find keys that fell under the table, know whether the spice they are holding in their hand is paprika or turmeric, and to locate their favorite delicacy in the milk refrigerator.
The potential of AI tools as assistive technology for the visually impaired and blind is simply enormous, both in the digital and physical space. These tools are indeed generating great excitement among the blind and visually impaired community in Israel, and recently several WhatsApp and Facebook groups have been set up to exchange useful advice and tips about the dedicated AI tools.
Last week, the "Blind Education Center" in Jerusalem - an educational and rehabilitation institution for the blind founded in the early 20th century - held a first-of-its-kind workshop, which lasted two days and included lectures and workshops designed to expose and guide blind and visually impaired people from all over the country in various AI tools from OpenAI and Google. The workshop was held thanks to a donation from the Trayvon Family Foundation from the United States.
All knowledge in one place
In recent decades, computers and the digital world in general have immensely advanced the accessibility of blind and visually impaired people to various knowledge and services and have dramatically improved their ability to integrate into the labor market and society by enabling them to acquire various skills. However, even in the digital world there are quite a few obstacles and bumps.
To navigate the digital space comfortably, websites and apps need to be accessible. This requires all kinds of code-level adjustments, mainly the use of semantic tags, graphic content descriptions, and more. Visually impaired people need adjustments that allow them to enlarge text or use colors with clearer contrast. Blind people use websites and apps using "screen readers" software, such as NVDA and JAWS or screen reading modes on Android and iOS. A "screen reader" actually reads to the blind person not only the written text, but also the structure of the page, such as menus and buttons, so that they can navigate accordingly. When a website is not adapted for a screen reader, the blind surfer simply "gets stuck", similar to a person in a wheelchair who has to use stairs.
As for popular chatbots, Gemini is considered the most accessible, and ChatGPT is also characterized by a high level of accessibility, while Grok is considered lacking. Ilana Beinish, a service accessibility licensee, who lectured at the workshop, told Israel Hayom about the revolution that AI is bringing about in accessibility: "Blind people can be mobile on familiar routes, this is true for the physical space and this is true for the Internet. Despite all the laws and regulations, most sites are still not adapted for screen readers. For a blind person, this is a very frustrating experience."
"AI applications change the picture, since they make the information and knowledge he is looking for online accessible in one place. For example, he can plan a vacation using a chatbot, instead of going from site to site and encountering obstacles. It is interesting to see that even those who are less technologically oriented really want to try and make an effort, even the elderly, which is very not obvious," adds Beinisch.
Where did I leave my shoes?
As mentioned, one of the biggest revolutions lies in the chatbot's ability to make the space around it accessible to the blind. OpenAI did not develop the camera opening feature specifically for people with disabilities, but mainly to expand ChatGPT's capabilities as a personal assistant that interfaces with the user's external world. However, the blind community was quick to adopt the feature as a "miracle from heaven."
Beinish, who is visually impaired herself, says: "It's amazing. Instead of asking someone for help to find, for example, where I left my shoes, I can simply open a camera and ask the chat. I also use it in clothing stores, to find out the price of products without bothering the saleswoman. However, it's important to be careful not to use it in dangerous places, such as before crossing a road."
For Eric Ingber, a corporate consultant specializing in the world of AI who delivered one of the workshops at the meeting, it was his first lecture to an audience of blind people, and he introduced them to tools like Suno AI, Gemini VEO, and NotebookLM. “There was a moment at the conference when I saw the participants’ understanding that AI is not just a technological tool, but a true partner for thinking and creating, and a personal assistant that simplifies daily tasks and makes them more accessible,” he says.
Yair Marcus, who participated in the workshop, concluded: "There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is generating significant improvements in my daily conduct as a person with a visual impairment in many areas of life. In light of the rapid advancement of technology, I can only imagine what else it can contribute to me in the future."
Read the article in Hebrew at: israelhayom.co.il/tech/article/17983899
