[News Today] ROBOT AND AI HELP MOVEMENT, READING

[LEAD]
It's easy to think that artificial intelligence and robotics, are typically used in industry and rehabilitation. But now, it's expanding to aid those with disabilities. They now help individuals move independently and enable the visually impaired to understand complex charts. Here's more.

[REPORT]
Fifth grader Hyung-joon walks slowly on a school hallway.

He was born with a brain lesion and has been unable to get up or walk on his own. Now, thanks to a robotic leg and arm assistance, he's able to walk after five months of practice.

During an athletics event this past fall, Hyung-joon and his friends took part in relay race and bowling for the very first time.

Kim Hyung-joon / Saerom School, Gwangju
It's nice to walk.

Sensors attached on the robot accurately identify changes to the body's center of gravity and provide the strength necessary to move around.

The robot was initially developed for patient rehabilitation but it now also serves as a helper in daily life for students with disabilities.

Choi Jin-hyung / Teacher, Saerom School
For our students who are used to sitting, standing up opens up a whole new world.

In another area, there have been limitations to comprehending complex charts with existing voice generator programs.

But one can overcome this challenge by jointly using a so-called optical character recognition technology. It's enabled by artificial intelligence that has learned the characteristics of charts and diagrams consisting of lines and columns.

Thanks to AI, reading science books filled with statistics and charts has become easier.

Lee Hwal-seok / Chief technology officer, AI firm
An added AI function understands information needed to grasp document's structure, in addition to the letters.

These cutting edge technologies can help greatly lower the barrier for people with disabilities. The bigger task at hand is making them more affordable and accessible.