The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Tech company gets $1m funding from Australia to help the blind
Pioneering firm is using AI to help blind and partially sighted people
An innovative Peterborough business harnessing artificial intelligence to help blind and partially sighted people has secured funding from the Australian government.
Called RealSAM, the fouryear-old company is based in Orton Wistow where it employs five staff to handle customers sales and marketing. For while its customers are largely in the UK all of the company’s development work is carried out in Australia.
The business was set up by Peterborough couple Roger and Margaret Wilson-Hinds, who are both blind, and who say the $1 million funding by the Australians will accelerate their work to develop Artificial Intelligence solutions for blind and partially sighted people in the UK.
RealSAM has already developed a human dialogue and intelligent reasoning product for people living with low vision and blindness.
It uses voice activation to control everyday technology such as mobile phones and smart speakers.
Chief executive Nick Howden said: “We are thrilled to be recognised by the Australian Government as recipients under its Entrepreneurs’ Programme.
“This funding will lead to the creation of a significant
number of jobs in the UK and Australia, while, most importantly, improving the quality of life of people living with sight loss.
He added: “Our platform and voice interface has changed the lives of vision impaired users around the world.
“The new funding will be used to further this solution and go to help create a world first, which involves installing the AI on to a mobile phone, so it can operate untethered to the internet.
“This will overcome the shortcomings of other assistants, which can only operate when connected to the cloud.”
Karen Andrews, Australian Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, said: “Our Accelerating Commercialisation grants are all about investing in the growth of great Australian business ideas that will ultimately change our lives for the better.”
The company has been operating in the UK since 2017 when it launched the smartphone, In Your Pocket, jointly with the Royal National Institute for Blind People and O2.