• Blog
  • Archives
  • Bio
  • Awards
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Contact

Aipoly at Singularity University

Published: Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Aipoly aims to help the blind navigate the world. Our first application enables blind people to take a photo of their surroundings, and have it described to them in a sentence. Aipoly’s initial prototype uses convolutional neural networks to interpret images and relay them to the user in real time, and an API with a human layer for more descriptive semantic responses.  We got into TechCrunch with Aipoly!  My first ever TechCrunch article!  :)  You can read it in full here!  I worked on the project with my Singularity University classmate Alberto Rizzoli from Italy.  Mark Parncutt from Australia helped us create our first prototypes.

Here is the video we made during the first week of our two-week project at Singularity University showing users' response to the app.


I was attending a picnic with 70 blind people and showing them the app, when it became morning in Australia!  So I did a Weekend Breakfast interview with ABC News 24.


After two weeks at Singularity University, our work on Aipoly and our pitch impressed our classmates and the judges so much that we were given the privilege of presenting at the Closing Ceremony as the final speakers.  Here is a video made by Singularity University where we speak about that experience!


And finally, Andrea Bocelli used and gave us feedback on our Aipoly app!

About Me

Marita ChengForbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.

I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Random Articles

  • The worst that can happen

    When I was growing up, my mum earned about $20,000 a year to support herself, my brother and I.  By living very frugally and only spending money on...

  • How in(credible) are you?

    In order to be incredible, you first have to credible - to have people who trust you and your ability.   The winner of the 2007 TED Prize was awarded $100...

  • Robot repairs

    Robot troubleshooting on the fly in Sydney.

  • Stop the world, I want to get off!

    Uni, business, studies, networking- like clockwork, life never seems to stop moving.  Rushing through breakfast to get to lectures on time, quick...

  • Tune out everyone

    Being concerned with what people think about you makes you unable to contribute your best work to the world.

  • Planning things with integrity

    Planning things with integrity means to plan things such that you have done all you can in your base for things to go as smoothly as possible. It...

  • Remembering Bob Paterson

    I flew from Cairns FNQ to Melbourne (a 3.5-hour flight!) for university. I didn’t have enough money to go to university. But I had faith in myself,...

  • Remo Office Visit

    Remo Giuffré, Founder and Director of TEDxSydney and Founder of General Thinking, and his lovely daughter Lola (an engineering student at the...

  • Anything is Possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders

    Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia decided to feature me as one of 100 Australian engineering leaders in their book, “Anything...

  • The Impostor Syndrome

    I first learnt about the impostor syndrome at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing in 2011.  A Stanford student asked a question...

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Scroll to Top