英国の盲目インフルエンサー　AIを駆使して東京観光

英国の盲目インフルエンサー　AIを駆使して東京観光

Tokyo being the biggest city in the world, there are definitely sirens around, a hustle and bustle to the air. People in Japan are so techy and it’s really cool. And for me, I think tech really does help me when I’m traveling as a blind person. It allows me to have a much more fulfilling experience. I think when you first go blind, you rip up the rule book of anything you’ve learned. You know, the cited world doesn’t apply. So, making toast and buttering it is a massive achievement. Those little winds that I had were just so amazing and I want them here in Japan. I walked up to the vending machine. Had high hopes that I could take a picture with my AI app and it lets me know everything that’s in front of me. I love the fact that it can translate Japanese. It says, “The picture you sent was a vending machine located on a street.” It’s telling me I’m in Tokyo. There’s Fanta and Coca-Cola. Cuz I’m not used to vending machines in this country. I’m used to the setup being really different. How much is the Coca-Cola? Question mark. 130 yen. Right. What button do I press in the picture? The Coca-Cola is second row from the top, third button from the left. Give it money. It’s not talking. Two. Three. Okay. Yay! I got something. And it’s dinging at me. Oh, okay. This doesn’t feel like Coca-Cola. What’s this drink? Ooh, it’s a latte. Why not? I don’t care. Got a drink. Never have had a latte in a bottle. That is so good. I would have went with that to be fair. I can’t believe I’m standing on a street in Tokyo and I’ve just managed to get myself a drink independently. That that achievement will stay with me for the rest of my life. I haven’t been able to do that for 10 years since I lost my vision. So, um yeah, I feel quite emotional and I love this latte. Guys, was there actually coke in the vending machine? No. No. AI has completely changed the game for me. At first, I was quite freaked out that a computer could tell me what a cited guide could tell me, but now I think it’s so cool. I’m going to meet an extraordinary inventor who’s pioneering tech for accessibility. Nice to meet you. Dr. Chiao Asakawa is developing what could become the world’s first robot guide dog. Oh my gosh. Is it a navigation tool? Is it like a different aid other than a long white cane? Yes. Oh, brilliant. A mobile phone app is used to program a destination into the suitcase which plans a route and directs the user. Just hold the handle. Not too tight. Which button? Resume navigation. Yeah, resume navigation. That’s a horror. Okay, bye. I’ve never been guided by an AI before. This is so cool. Push the elevator button on your front. Push the elevator button on your front left. Go. No way. No way. It’s moving me around the lift. We’re going down. Go. It’s not a guide dog. Forward. No. Door is not closing. No suitcase. Okay, I’m out the lift. Go. Faster, faster, faster, faster. I think he’s possibly going slow cuz there’s loads of stuff around me. He’s just being careful. He cares about my well-being. Come on, robot. You can do it. There’s amazing people out there. Developing the AI to change the lives of our community. And now AI is allowing me to see the world again. This is so cool. I know I keep saying that, but it’s just insane. You have arrived at selfmission. Now one, how your body is made. Hi. Why was it your mission when it wasn’t anyone else’s to make the world accessible? It was my first priority to be independent. I didn’t want to give up anything because I cannot see. Uh you might think your options, choices are limited compared to sided people, but that’s when you take a fresh approach, act and never give up. It will lead to chances you never imagined. I for so long felt that I couldn’t really have a lot of hope because I never believed that the world would ever accept me for who I am anymore. And when you have to grow up overnight and you don’t have any vision anymore, that really does shape your view of the world. My time in Tokyo has come to an end and I’m on the move again. I have to ration my energy levels when I’m in a new place. Understanding and navigating that environment and then trying to hear all of the different sounds around me that is so overwhelming. Bill, is that okay? That would be amazing. I think there’s like I was always telling myself I’ve got to be independent and then independence became a really like negative word um in here. Yes. Yeah. Put them together. Yes. Yes. Okay. And then I realized that, you know, everyone on earth relies on someone. Yep. Thank you. Thank you so much. your train departing from 19 19 19 Hiroshima. Okay. Thank you. Have a nice day. You too. In some ways I feel much more confident coming through Tokyo station because of the tactile paving is absolutely incredible. No matter how many people went in front of me, behind me, I had my line and I had a sense of direction. I always say that I live in a sighted world that isn’t made for me. And I’m in a city that accepts blindness so much. And I can’t quite let myself believe that I’ll ever be truly accepted. But it feels like it here.

英国出身の盲目インフルエンサー、ルーシー・エドワーズが初めて日本を訪れ、
AI技術を活用して自販機の飲み物を買うことに挑戦。
また、未来館の館長で発明家の浅川智恵子さんに会い、世界初のAIナビゲーター・ロボットを体験する。
さらに、東京駅のアクセシビリティへの対応状況を調査する。

音や香り、触覚、味覚を通して日本を体験、盲目の英国人インフルエンサー、ルーシー・エドワーズが
初めて日本を訪れた2023年9月放送の「トラベル・ショー:全盲の私が感じる日本（全２話）」から、番組内容の一部を紹介する。

▶ 番組の全編は、Amazon Prime Videoチャンネル「BBCニュース」で視聴できます。

【ルーシー・エドワーズについて】
17歳の時に病気で視力を失いながらも、持ち前の明るいキャラクターで、視覚障害者のリアルな日常やメイク、テクノロジーの活用法をSNSで発信。
延べ280万人以上がフォローする世界的な人気インフルエンサーとなる。
数多くのBBC番組に出演し、2023年TravMedia Awardsでは最優秀番組賞を受賞。
2024年には自伝の「Blind Not Broken（目が見えないけど壊れているわけじゃない）」を出版。