03/18/2022
The next installment in our spotlight series is Dr. Chieko Asakawa.
After a swimming accident damaged her optic nerves, Asakawa lost her sight at the age of 14. At that time, there were no assistive technologies for the visually impaired, but Asakawa was going to change everything for the better.
Over the course of her distinguished career, Dr. Asakawa has invented numerous technologies to make the visually impaired more independent. Some of her work includes voice browsing, braille systems for the Internet, voice-controlled navigation tools, and an AI-powered robotic suitcase.
In 2013, the Japanese government awarded her the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon for her contributions to accessibility research.
Read what’s next for Dr. Asakawa here: https://www.ibm.com/watson/advantage-reports/future-of-artificial-intelligence/chieko-asakawa.html