You might think there are many things that I can't do because I cannot see. That's largely true. Actually, I just needed to have a bit of help to come up to the stage.
或許你認為很多事我不能做, 因為我失去了雙眼. 這並非完全正確. 事實上只要一點幫忙 我就能走上台.
But there is also a lot that I can do. This is me rock climbing for the first time. Actually, I love sports and I can play many sports, like swimming, skiing, skating, scuba diving, running and so on. But there is one limitation: somebody needs to help me. I want to be independent.
我能做的還有很多. 這是我第一次攀岩. 事實上我喜歡運動, 還會很多種: 像游泳、滑雪、溜冰、 潛水和跑步等等. 但這是有條件的: 需要有人協助我. 所以我想靠我自己.
I lost my sight at the age of 14 in a swimming pool accident. I was an active, independent teenager, and suddenly I became blind. The hardest thing for me was losing my independence. Things that until then seemed simple became almost impossible to do alone. For example, one of my challenges was textbooks. Back then, there were no personal computers, no Internet, no smartphones. So I had to ask one of my two brothers to read me textbooks, and I had to create my own books in Braille. Can you imagine? Of course, my brothers were not happy about it, and later, I noticed they were not there whenever I needed them. (Laughter) I think they tried to stay away from me. I don't blame them. I really wanted to be freed from relying on someone. That became my strong desire to ignite innovation.
在我14歲時, 游泳意外使我雙眼失明. 那時的我是積極獨立的孩子, 突然間我看不見了. 失去自主能力讓我苦不堪言. 看似簡單的事情 到後來卻無法自己完成. 例如,其中一項挑戰是 閱讀教科書. 當時沒有電腦, 沒有網路,沒有智慧型手機. 我必須請親人幫我 唸出教科書的內容. 然後自己用點字法一一標注. 你能想像嗎? 他們當然很不情願, 到後來我發現我在需要他們時 他們卻"消失"了. (笑聲) 我覺得他們想離我遠一點, 我不怪他們. 我真的不想再依靠任何人. 這讓我有強烈的慾望想要創新.
Jump ahead to the mid-1980s. I got to know cutting-edge technologies and I thought to myself, how come there is no computer technology to create books in Braille? These amazing technologies must be able to also help people with limitations like myself. That's the moment my innovation journey began.
往前回到80年代中期. 當時我想要了解尖端科技 我自己就想 怎麼沒有用電腦科技 創造出的點字電子書? 這些驚人的技術 一定也能幫助 像我一樣有缺陷的人. 從那時候開始 我決定要創新技術.
I started developing digital book technologies, such as a digital Braille editor, digital Braille dictionary and a digital Braille library network. Today, every student who is visually impaired can read textbooks, by using personal computers and mobile devices, in Braille or in voice. This may not surprise you, since everyone now has digital books in their tablets in 2015. But Braille went digital many years before digital books, already in the late 1980s, almost 30 years ago. Strong and specific needs of the blind people made this opportunity to create digital books way back then. And this is actually not the first time this happened, because history shows us accessibility ignites innovation. The telephone was invented while developing a communication tool for hearing impaired people. Some keyboards were also invented to help people with disabilities.
我著手研發電子書技術, 例如,點字電子編輯器, 點字電子詞典, 點字電子圖書網. 現在視障的學生能夠閱讀教科書, 藉由電腦和行動裝置的使用, 透過點字, 或者聲音. 這對你並不陌生, 2015年大家的電腦設備裡都有電子書了. 不過點字法好幾年前就數位化了, 出現於80年代後期, 大約30年前. 盲人的需求很強烈且獨特, 使得過去才有機會創造電子書. 事實上這已經不是第一次, 因為從歷史來看便利即發明. 發展聽障溝通器材時電話誕生了. 有些鍵盤也出現來幫助人的不便.
Now I'm going to give you another example from my own life. In the '90s, people around me started talking about the Internet and web browsing. I remember the first time I went on the web. I was astonished. I could access newspapers at any time and every day. I could even search for any information by myself. I desperately wanted to help the blind people have access to the Internet, and I found ways to render the web into synthesized voice, which dramatically simplified the user interface.
我現在要告訴你我生活中另外個例子. 90年代開始有人談論網路和網頁瀏覽. 我記得初次上網的時候, 我大吃一驚. 我每天隨時可以閱讀報紙, 我甚至可以自己找資料, 我真想幫助盲人們, 讓他們能可以使用網路, 後來我發現把網頁轉為合成語音的方法, 也大幅簡化使用者的介面.
This led me to develop the Home Page Reader in 1997, first in Japanese and later, translated into 11 languages. When I developed the Home Page Reader, I got many comments from users. One that I strongly remember said, "For me, the Internet is a small window to the world."
促使我在1997年創立了頁面閱讀器, 起初只有日語,後來譯成11種語言. 我在建立頁面閱讀器的時候, 收到許多使用者回應 有一個我記得很清楚說, 『網路是我通往世界的一小扇窗. 』
It was a revolutionary moment for the blind. The cyber world became accessible, and this technology that we created for the blind has many uses, way beyond what I imagined. It can help drivers listen to their emails or it can help you listen to a recipe while cooking.
那真是盲人大變革時期. 網路世界垂手可得, 我們創造給盲人的科技用途很廣, 超乎我的想像. 它能夠協助司機用耳聽讀電子郵件, 還協助你炒菜時用耳聽讀食譜,
Today, I am more independent, but it is still not enough. For example, when I approached the stage just now, I needed assistance. My goal is to come up here independently. And not just here. My goal is to be able to travel and do things that are simple to you.
如今我更獨立了, 但這仍然不夠. 譬如我剛上台時需要協助. 我的目標是自己上來這裡. 而且還不只是這裡. 我的目標是能夠自己出遊, 做一些你覺得簡單的事.
OK, now let me show you the latest technologies. This is a smartphone app that we are working on.
來吧!現在讓我介紹最新科技. 這是我們研究中的智慧型手機app.
(Video) Electronic voice: 51 feet to the door, and keep straight.
(影音)電子音: 『約15公尺抵達門邊,繼續直行』
EV: Take the two doors to go out. The door is on your right.
電子音:『開門出去,門在你的右邊』
EV: Nick is approaching. Looks so happy. Chieko Asakawa: Hi, Nick!
電子音: 『尼克接近中,看起來很開心』 淺川:『嗨,尼克!』
(Laughter) CA: Where are you going? You look so happy.
(笑聲) 淺川:『你要去哪?這麼開心』
Nick: Oh -- well, my paper just got accepted. CA: That's great! Congratulations.
尼克:『喔,我的報告剛受到認可』 淺川:『好棒哦!恭喜啊!』
Nick: Thanks. Wait -- how'd you know it was me, and that I look happy? (Chieko and Nick laugh)
尼克:『謝啦!等下... 你怎麼知道我很開心?』 (淺川和尼克笑聲)
Man: Hi. (Laughter) CA: Oh ... hi.
路人:『嗨!』 (笑聲) 淺川:『喔...嗨!』
EV: He is not talking to you, but on his phone.
電子音: 『他不是跟你說話,是在講電話』
EV: Potato chips.
電子音:『洋芋片』
EV: Dark chocolate with almonds.
電子音:『杏仁黑巧克力』
EV: You gained 5 pounds since yesterday; take apple instead of chocolate.
電子音:『自從昨天你胖了 1公斤,不要巧克力吃蘋果』
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
EV: Approaching.
電子音:『接近中』
EV: You arrived.
電子音:『你到了』
CA: Now ...
淺川:『現在...』
(Applause)
(掌聲)
Thank you.
謝謝各位.
So now the app navigates me by analyzing beacon signals and smartphone sensors and permits me to move around indoor and outdoor environments all by myself. But the computer vision part that showed who is approaching, in which mood -- we are still working on that part. And recognizing facial expressions is very important for me to be social.
所以現在app給我指引, 藉由分析無線信號及手機感測, 允許我在任何環境走動, 這全都靠我自己. 但電腦視覺的部分: 說明誰在接近, 以及心情狀態...我們仍在研究中. 臉部表情辨識非常重要, 對我來說可以用來社交.
So now the fusions of technologies are ready to help me see the real world. We call this cognitive assistance. It understands our surrounding world and whispers to me in voice or sends a vibration to my fingers. Cognitive assistance will augment missing or weakened abilities -- in other words, our five senses. This technology is only in an early stage, but eventually, I'll be able to find a classroom on campus, enjoy window shopping or find a nice restaurant while walking along a street. It will be amazing if I can find you on the street before you notice me. It will become my best buddy, and yours.
所以各種科技已經準備好幫我 了解真實的世界. 我們稱之為感知輔助. 它能了解我們周遭的環境, 跟我小聲講話或振動我的手指. 感知輔助將彌補我們的缺陷-- 也就是我們的五種感覺. 這科技仍在初期開發階段, 不過以後我能夠找到校園裡的教室, 盡情享受逛街的樂趣, 走在街上可以發掘不錯的餐廳. 驚訝的是在你發現之前我先認出你. 它會是你我最佳的夥伴.
So, this really is a great challenge. It is a challenge that needs collaboration, which is why we are creating an open community to accelerate research activities. Just this morning, we announced the open-source fundamental technologies you just saw in the video.
所以這真是一大挑戰. 是需要合作才能完成的挑戰, 這就是為何我們建立開放式社群, 來加快研究的腳步. 今早我們剛開放你方才在影片中 所看到的基本技術的資源. 今早我們剛開放你方才在影片中 所看到的基本技術的資源.
The frontier is the real world. The blind community is exploring this technical frontier and the pathfinder. I hope to work with you to explore the new era, and the next time that I'm on this stage, through technology and innovation, I will be able to walk up here all by myself.
此項科技的尖端就在於真實世界. 盲人們是先驅者, 正探索著這項尖端科技的前沿. 我希望與你開拓新紀元, 下次在這台上, 透過技術與創新, 我能夠自己走上來這裡, 全靠我自己.
Thank you so much.
感謝各位.
(Applause)
(掌聲)