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“Move over, Rover” - DigiDog offers electronic challenge to guide-dogs

Professor Seth Teller yesterday demonstrated to an invited audience of WHO officials the working prototype of his DigiDog electronic guide dog, seven years on from his first designs in this field. The wheeled robot examines its immediate surroundings using three panoramic video cameras, motion sensors, and a sophisticated GPS positioning system. The device contains in its memory a virtual model of the local environment, which it compares with real-time camera images and other data. The built-in voice synthesizer and speaker warns the user of obstacles, both stationary and mobile, that may be in his or her path.

Whilst the four-legged guide dog we are more used to seeing on our streets is a marvellous aid to blind people, not all those who would need such assistance can use a dog. Some have the problem of asthmatic allergies, by no means all are mobile enough to give the animal sufficient exercise, and in some cases financial hardship makes feeding and veterinary costs an impossible obstacle. Also, in many Third World countries there is a danger that the guide dog might be eaten by hungry people or even by other stray and wild dogs.

DigiDog is expected to spark off a new phase of development of virtual models around the world. As well as being programmed before delivery, DigiDog is also capable of moving around independently and gathering effectively into its memory database new information on the environment for later use and precise positioning. It uses the new data to complement the already-installed virtual models of the user’s immediate surroundings.

An accurate virtual model is essential for applications such as an electronic guide dog, as satellite positioning equipment and motion sensors are not sufficient. It is also a great deal easier to recognize unusual obstacles and moving objects if the device’s memory contains a sharp image of how the environment should look.

According to Prof. Teller, DigiDog is the first virtual modelling application of this type. He reported to the WHO Seminar on Aids for the Handicapped that the main obstacle to mass production of the device is the ongoing patent dispute between the Lego Corporation and Volvo, the Swedish automotive manufacturers. He is confident, however, that both companies will agree to settle their differences and that Volvo will concentrate on vehicle-mounted applications while Lego explores other areas of interest. Teller admits that the weight of his prototype and the amount of electricity required still represent a major hindrance to the invention’s rapid spread, but he argues that now that a beach-head has been achieved, the technological development will probably reduce the DigiDog in a short time to something resembling a modern mobile phone.

At the post-seminar press conference, Professor Teller was heavily critical of the indifference shown by military interests. He lamented the fact that the patents on so many innovations relating to virtual observation are in the hands of defence forces and military establishments in various countries. The civilian use of these secret programs has so far been either prohibited, or made prohibitively expensive. Many of the inventions would, however, greatly enhance the potential for improving the performance of devices like DigiDog. Whilst acknowledging the ingenuity of Professor Teller’s work, World Health Organization representatives are by no means eager to approve his invention as a device to be made available under State-supported national health programs for the visually impaired. A spokesman for the organization observed that a good guide dog is a great deal more than a guide. It is also a trusted friend, and a guardian of its owner and his or her home. A dog also ensures that its master gets regular exercise, and there is no danger of its running out of energy halfway back from the bank or post office.

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