Tech Japan develops AI suitcase to replace guide dogs

One hurdle in seamlessly moving the suitcase from indoor to outdoor spaces is that it needs large wheels and a motor to overcome steps and other outdoor obstacles, according to the researchers. In addition, the suitcase uses two vastly different methods to determine its location. Indoors, it uses a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system to detect obstacles with laser light. In outdoor settings, it employs the real-time kinematic (RTK) satellite positioning system. It is difficult for the AI-assisted suitcase to use both systems while calculating its location, planning a route and helping users to move between indoor and outdoor spaces or guiding them through a crowd. The outdoor edition of the AI-powered suitcase is about 100 centimetres tall, including its handle, and 50 cm wide. It is equipped with a camera and a sensor on the upper part, while a personal computer and a graphic processing unit are installed inside to run the AI system. Weighing about 30 kilograms, the suitcase can move at a top speed of 3.6 kph. The demo experiment under the Road Traffic Law showed the challenges that must be addressed.

Click to expand...