Microsoft has formed a partnership with Haleon to better the functionality on their Seeing AI app, as part of efforts to ensure that health products are more accessible for people who are blind or have partial vision.
The project means detailed audio information for over 1,500 Haleon products within the UK and US for brands such as Sensodyne and Centrum will be supported.
The Seeing AI application is an artificial intelligence camera-based app that can read text, describe scenes, recognise currency and even recognise faces. It is available in 19 languages. Previously, the only way for Seeing AI to read detailed information on packages was by moving a camera around the text, but the newly enhanced functionality is said to allow users to scan a bar-code on Haleon products and hear information such as ingredients, product name and usage guidance.
After scanning the code, users can navigate between sections to get the specific information they want, a feature that has been well-received by partially sighted people who tried out the functionality before its launch.
Microsoft has created an end-to-end pipeline that authorises Haleon to regulate and control the data for consumer products, and/or update information and add new items which is stored in ‘Azure.’
A study conducted by Haleon discovered 93 percent of respondents thought health products were not accessible enough. They also found almost one in five had taken incorrect dosages of products as they were not able to read the packaging.
Tamara Rogers, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Haleon, said: “We have had great feedback from people who are blind and have low vision. They really value the increased independence that comes from being empowered to access our product information themselves. There’s a classic health industry saying which is, ‘Always read the label, always read the instructions,’ and for some, that just isn’t possible.”
Saqib Shaikh, Engineering Manager at Microsoft, stated: “Seeing AI has always been able to recognise products, but the challenge has been having access to data that is really rich, and that comes from the manufacturer. The information is really accurate, and you’re getting it all in one place. You’re not having to scan all the different sides of the package to find the bits you want. It’s all right there once you’ve scanned the barcode.”
