Cognitive Assistants

IBM Research – Tokyo explores multiple aspects of Cognitive Assistants, an emerging area of Cognitive Computing, to help people with disabilities and senior citizens use mobile devices as well as to improve their life and work environments. A Cognitive Assistant is a computer that helps you understand what is going on around you. As mobile devices with multiple built-in sensors have become common and speech/visual recognition technologies have been improved, now a computer can be a tool to "read" the real world. Advanced big-data analytics technologies have potential to provide a powerful assistant that supports our decision making. These technologies provide people with disabilities and senior citizens with new opportunities for social participation, by complementing their sensory, physical, and cognitive abilities.

Mobile Accessibility

Our multi-touch operation analysis technologies detect the skill levels of mobile device users as well as their intentions and confusions, which allows providing them with timely instructions. We also work on fundamental accessibility evaluations and remote IT classroom systems.

Cognitive Life Environment

Cognitive Life Environment aims to support daily lives of people who have diverse needs, including an indoor-outdoor navigation system for people who are blind and a smart table that provides dietary advices.

Cognitive Work Environment

Cognitive Work Environment aims to provide people who have diverse needs with new work opportunities, including a real-time transcription system for people with a hearing loss and telepresence robot technologies for people with limited mobility.

"Mosaic" Expert Search System

The "mosaic" system uses machine learning to better utilize the power of senior citizens, who have deep experiences, knowledge, and skills as well as diverse needs. This is a joint-study with Cyber Interface Lab in the University of Tokyo.