How AI-Powered Assistive Technologies are Reshaping Urban Futures
technology transforms urban spaces. Discover AI's impact on accessibility, urban planning, and the future of cities. Learn about the rise of AI technology.">
new Applications and the Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable devices are changing the way users
interact with their environments and each other. The impacts and reach of these new technologies have yet to be fully
understood. This article delves into the transformative potential of AI assistive technology and its implications for
our urban environments.
Connections between technologies and bodies isn’t a new thing for many disabled persons. Assistive technologies-tools and products designed to support people with disabilities-have played a part in mitigating
built and institutional barriers experienced by disabled persons for decades.
the Rise of AI-Enhanced Assistive Tech
While not strictly considered assistive, immersive and wearable technologies have the potential to change the relationship
between disabled users and their experience of place.
Pro Tip: Consider how AI assistive technology could improve navigation in crowded urban spaces.
For example, Ray-Ban’s Meta glasses use AI to
describe what the cameras are capturing using the Be My Eyes app. Using
OpenAI’s large language model, chatgpt, this effectively turns a user’s smartphone into a vision assistant.
Beyond wearables, some technologies are more closely tied to or integrated with the body. Examples include brain-computer interfaces,AI-enabled
prosthetics and bone-anchored
hearing aids.
Impact on Urban Environments and Social Interaction
The availability and production of environmental data from these technologies may impact how we relate to each other, how
we move through and understand space, and how we engage with the physical environment around us at any given moment.
We’re at a critical juncture where AI-enabled technologies used by individuals may profoundly impact our urban futures.
What happens, such as, when wearables make any “place” a digital work or play place? What does a largely
private-sector, consumer-driven, AI-enabled digital intervention into a city’s spaces mean for planning, zoning and
taxation? What are the environmental costs of the global AI project?
And crucially, who gets to participate in this digital reimagining?
Did You know? The Be my Eyes app utilizes the power of AI to provide visual assistance to blind and low-vision individuals, helping them navigate their surroundings with greater ease.
AI and the City: Challenges and Considerations
While access can be challenging-wearables are frequently enough costly-ableist thinking regarding the use of technology to render
invisible Blind and/or Deaf people and culture is also a problem. Some people might naively assume that all Blind and
Deaf people are universally seeking a bio-technological “miracle.”
There are also other challenges: how a technology captures or describes its data may not match up to a user’s
pre-existing sense of place. Moreover, access to tech can produce some unintended consequences, including the erosion of in-person community building among disabled people.
Personal Experience and Auditory health
Hearing loss of some kind affects around 1.5 billion people: I am one of those people. I am a disability studies scholar who
wears behind-the-ear hearing aids to augment
my hearing experience.
My hearing aids use AI and machine learning to sense and adjust my sound environment. They help me cope with the ways in
which the places of my everyday life-such as my home or the lecture hall-are generally configured for people without hearing loss.
When I use my hearing aids,I find that the city has never sounded so wonderful,and yet sometimes irritatingly loud. The
sound of birds is one thing; the grinding sound of a breaking subway is another entirely.
Cumulative exposure to noisy indoor and outdoor places of the city poses auditory health risks such as noise-induced
hearing loss or tinnitus, and can contribute to poor health more broadly. I have to be
careful about ongoing noise exposure, and by adjusting the volume of my hearing aids, I can turn down the city when I want
to.
The Future of AI Assistive Technology: Accessibility and Equity
AI-powered technologies can exacerbate issues of access, privilege and freedom of movement. This happens both through who
is included and who is excluded from technological design.
Consider the following breakdown of key assistive technologies:
| Assistive Technology | Description | Potential Benefits | Potential Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Enabled Prosthetics | Prosthetic limbs controlled by AI algorithms. | Improved dexterity and control. | High cost, potential for algorithmic bias. |
| Brain-Computer Interfaces | Devices that allow direct communication between the brain and external devices. | Restoration of lost functions, enhanced communication. | Invasive procedures, ethical concerns. |
| AI-Powered Hearing Aids | Hearing aids that use AI to adjust sound environments. | Improved hearing in noisy environments. | Potential for over-amplification, reliance on technology. |
| Vision Assistance Apps | Apps that use AI to describe surroundings to visually impaired individuals. | Increased independence and awareness. | Dependence on smartphone technology,privacy concerns. |
Key considerations for the Future
For urban futures to be more accessible, consideration for the future of AI assistive technology needs to be considered.
what steps can be taken to create a more accessible world using technology?
How can urban planners and technoligists work together to insure a more equitable and accessible city?
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are some examples of AI assistive technology?
Examples include AI-enabled prosthetics, brain-computer interfaces, bone-anchored hearing aids, and AI-powered
vision assistance apps like Be My Eyes. - How does AI impact urban planning?
AI raises questions about planning, zoning and taxation, especially with the rise of wearable technology transforming
public spaces. - What are the challenges associated with AI assistive technology?
Challenges include the high cost of wearables, ableist thinking, data accuracy, and potential erosion of in-person
community building. - What are the environmental costs of AI technology?
The global AI project has substantial environmental costs, including energy consumption and e-waste.
- How can AI-powered hearing aids improve the daily lives of people with hearing loss?
AI-powered hearing aids can sense and adjust to sound environments, helping users cope with places configured for
people without hearing loss. - What future implications do AI technologies have on the freedom of movement?
AI-powered Assistive technologies can exacerbate issues of access, privilege, and freedom of movement influencing how we engage with our physical environment
How do you think AI will change our cities? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
