By Dalphine Tagwireyi
When she was growing up, Blessings Ncube, from Plumtree in Matabeleland South, saw the struggles her blind grandmother went through as people would steal from her.
These encounters motivated Ncube to use a broken CD to build a solar-powered artificial intelligence (AI)-based walking stick for the blind.
She named her invention “The Keeper”.
“I computerised a walking stick in such a way that it can detect muddy places, rocky areas, potholes and all moving obstacles up to a range of 100 metres. Non-moving obstacles it detects at a range of five metres.
“I made it to have speech synthesis and have the ability of interaction with Google Maps. It auto captures the features of anyone who gets close to the user by means of the science of scanning skeletal makeup,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
“That’s how it differentiates humans from animals. This is done at a physical range of two metres from the user. After the auto capture it stores the data.”
Ncube, 20, said she was challenged by how people, including relatives, treated blind people and how they would take advantage of them.
“I really wished there was something I could do about it. After witnessing people stealing my grandmother’s produce, I grew up telling myself that though I could not restore her sight, I was going to help her,” said Ncube.
“It’s unfortunate my grandmother passed away before she could use the stick,” she said.
She said though the AI stick does not help to stop crimes like theft, at least it can capture the features of the culprit.
“I feel like there is a lot I still need to do. There are a lot of challenges to solve, but though I am faced with challenges regarding the development of the stick and other ideas, I also feel great and thankful for the opportunities I have.”
Meanwhile, Ncube has been awarded the Oracle Academy Award for her project.
Pictured above: Blessings Ncube
Image source: Blessings Ncube
