Maris Creative Design Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Board Director Representative: Yasuhiro Wada, hereinafter referred to as "Maris"), which develops welfare devices, Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, President: Yuji Oie, hereinafter referred to as "Kyushu Institute of Technology"), which contributes to the future society by fostering engineering human resources who continue to play an active role and creating knowledge. Macnica (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, President: Kazumasa Hara, hereinafter referred to as Macnica), a total service and solution provider in cybersecurity and AI/IoT, has been conducting demonstration tests since March 2021 on the launch of the "seeker" ^{* 1} walking assist device for the visually impaired. We will co-create and accelerate the practical application of AI-based hazard detection through industry-academia collaboration to improve the accuracy and performance of hazard detection.

Currently, more than 310,000 people with visual impairments live in Japan, and this number is expected to increase further as the population ages. Visually impaired people find it difficult to check their surroundings in their daily lives. Being compelled to act alone poses different risks than sighted people. In addition, in the current corona wreck, ensuring social distance is required, making contact and getting help more difficult than before, making life extremely difficult.

Maris has been conducting demonstration experiments for commercialization of the walking assist device "seeker" so that visually impaired people can go outside without danger even under such circumstances. During the development, we collaborated with Kyushu Institute of Technology and worked on using image recognition to detect dangers such as station platforms, pedestrian crossings, and steps in the city. In order to further accelerate this effort, it is necessary to further improve both the accuracy and performance of AI for practical use.

Therefore, with the participation of Macnica 's AI expert organization AI Research & Innovation Hub (ARIH ^{* 2}), which has supported over 300 implementations of AI technology and has been involved in solving various social issues, "seeker" has been announced. This will enable early commercialization and accelerate social implementation.

By March 2022, the three parties will conduct research and verification of optimal technology that is close to users (visually impaired people) toward the practical application of seeker in March 2024.

Step 1) Identifying issues for practical application in the demonstration experiments conducted by Maris and Kyushu Institute of Technology
Step 2) Collecting data based on the actual experiences of visually impaired people
Step 3) Verification using Macnica 's AI library

Through these efforts, we aim to realize the practical application of "seeker", which can detect danger in real time in a stand-alone manner, in the shortest possible time, and to create a society where visually impaired people can live safely every day.

In the future, the three parties will accumulate and utilize the data obtained through this initiative, and will strive to improve well-being by accelerating welfare support with AI that allows people with disabilities and the elderly to integrate into society. Through this, we aim to realize a society in which all people can live comfortably regardless of whether they are disabled or not.

*1) About seeker
The walking assist device "seeker" is a glasses-type danger information display device that we are currently developing in response to the needs of visually impaired people.
Click here for details: https://startuptimes.jp/2021/02/05/214118/

*2) About ARIH
We are Macnica 's AI expert organization whose mission is to connect cutting-edge technology and intelligence to create a happy future society for people around the world.
For more information: https://www.macnica.ai/research.html

*Company names and product names mentioned in the text are trademarks or registered trademarks of MARIS Corporation, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Macnica and the respective companies.
*Information published in news releases (including product prices, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of announcement. Please note that it may be subject to change without prior notice.