33 Years as 'Eyes for the Visually Impaired'... What About AI Robot Guide Dogs?

[Anchor]

The guide dog school, which has been serving as the eyes for the visually impaired, has marked its 33rd anniversary. While robotic guide dogs have recently been developed, experts agree that they cannot replace traditional guide dogs.

Reporter Kim Hye-min has more.

[Reporter]

Kim Song-hee takes care of Danbami from its puppyhood.

After completing training and growing into a full-fledged guide dog, Danbami immediately recognizes Kim and wags its tail.

[Lee Byeong-ha / Visually Impaired Individual : Thank you so much for raising it so wonderfully.]

[Kim Song-hee / Puppy Walker : Seeing you, teacher, really put my mind at ease. Danbami can be a bit mischievous, but it seems like it will do well...]—

Danbami completed about a month of training with visually impaired recipient Lee Byeong-ha and was officially adopted today (August 27).

At the 33rd-anniversary event of the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, seven guide dogs, including Danbami, started a new journey with seven visually impaired individuals.

Puppy walkers—families who socialize the dogs at home before they enter the guide dog school—and the visually impaired participants shared both laughter and tears.

[Park Jung-sook / Puppy Walker : I actively recommend puppy walking to acquaintances who are raising teenagers. It makes your anger vanish in an instant.]

[Kim Hong-기 / Visually Impaired Individual : If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together; if you want to be happy, walk with a guide dog.]

Four retired dogs, having finished 7 to 8 years of active service, began the second act of their lives with new volunteers.

An encounter also took place between Eddie, a robotic guide dog currently under development, and a conventional guide dog.

AI technology specialized for guiding the visually impaired, independently developed by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), was applied to a quadrupedal robot by Rainbow Robotics.

[Yoo Seok-jong / Trainer : In terms of the sense of speed and the pulling force, there are quite a few significant differences...]

Because obstacle recognition and other functions are still lacking, it is expected to take more than five years for actual commercialization.

Furthermore, since emotional connection is difficult, experts explain that rather than replacing regular guide dogs, robotic guide dogs should be viewed as providing an additional option depending on the circumstances and preferences of the visually impaired.

[Lee Byeong-ha / Visually Impaired Individual : A guide dog is a companion who boosts my confidence alongside me. A robotic guide dog just goes where it is told, and there is no emotional exchange with me.]

(Reported by Choi Ho-jun | Video edited by Shin Se-eun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.