Blind people join digital transformation

Technological products created by members of the Hanoi Blind Association such as the applications "Soi bus"; Chatbot "Assistant - Disabled but not useless"... are truly useful for the visually impaired. These are also very meaningful results, affirming that members of the Hanoi Blind Association have been and are confidently joining the digital transformation process.

Awarding certificates and prizes to authors with highly creative information technology products that provide practical support for the visually impaired, October 30, in Hanoi . Photo: Thu Minh

Conquering technology, linked to practical needs

It is no coincidence that Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology Nguyen To Quyen repeatedly emphasized the two words "admiration" and "pride" when witnessing the introduction of creative information technology application products made by members of the Hanoi Blind Association. "Overcoming all difficulties, information technology products, such as the Chatbot application "Assistant - Disabled but not useless", made by the Vocational Education Center of the Hanoi Blind Association, have shown the talent, creativity and enthusiasm of the members of the Hanoi Blind Association", said Ms. Nguyen To Quyen.

It can be affirmed that the creative product Chatbot "Assistant - Disabled but not useless" - Assistant for Q&A knowledge for the visually impaired is one of the very practical applications, made to meet the actual needs of the visually impaired, helping them reduce difficulties in life. Proudly introducing this product, Deputy Director in charge of the Vocational Education Center of the Hanoi Blind Association Nguyen Trung Thai shared: “The application was built by the Center to support the visually impaired in looking up information and knowledge about the professions being trained by the Vocational Education Center. With a friendly interface and flexible interaction, Chatbot helps students easily look up the content of the vocational courses available at the Center; at the same time, it supports the visually impaired in finding detailed information about the curriculum, vocational skills and job opportunities; as well as supporting quick and convenient career counseling. With its high applicability, the product has been recognized by the Hanoi Blind Association and awarded a Certificate of Merit to the project implementation team.”

The “Soi bus” application is also a product of members of the Center for Creative Vocational Education, directly implemented by the group of authors Nguyen Trung Thai and Xa Minh Dang. Author Nguyen Trung Thai shared: “I personally take the bus every day and find that applications such as Bus Map, Find Bus... provide features such as finding directions, viewing bus arrival times, route and stop information quite effectively. However, what blind people need is to be able to identify the correct bus route by sound when the bus arrives at the stop, thereby making it easy to get on the right bus. Therefore, we have been researching and creating the “Soi bus” application, using artificial intelligence (AI), combining taking pictures of buses on different routes from many angles, developed on the Android operating system. Currently, the application has read some bus routes accurately. We are still in the process of updating image data of all remaining bus routes, in order to continue developing the application.”

Assessing this application as really convenient for the visually impaired, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Blind Association Dinh Viet Anh acknowledged the authors' spirit of discovery in building a product closely related to the actual needs of the visually impaired.

Sow faith and determination to overcome all limits

Along with the applications "Soi bus"; Chatbot "Assistant - Disabled but not useless", other applications such as: Massage Management (author Nguyen The Dat); "2 overcome - 4 practice - 5 strive" (author Le Nhuong) ... also have high practical value. These applications have spread to a large number of delegates and visually impaired people at the 3rd Hanoi Informatics Competition for the Blind - 2025 (held from October 29 to 30, at 56 To Hieu Street, Ha Dong Ward, Hanoi).

Evaluating the effectiveness of these applications, Vice President in charge of the Hanoi Blind Association Hoang Manh Cuong commented: “The authors of these applications cannot see the light, but we can clearly feel the shining will from them. Through innovative information technology products, practical support for the livelihoods of the blind, as well as the general activities of the Hanoi Blind Association, they have contributed to sowing trust, inspiring and supporting the visually impaired to overcome their limitations together. They have been constantly conquering technology to expand their world.”

Currently, these innovative information technology products are continuing to be developed by members of the Hanoi Blind Association, in order to select the best products to participate in the National Informatics Competition organized by the Vietnam Blind Association in November 2025. Mr. Hoang Manh Cuong expects: “With the spirit of conquering challenges, overcoming oneself, overcoming circumstances, members of the Hanoi Blind Association will prepare carefully, proactively update knowledge and skills to be able to master technology, create practical support products for the blind in life. All to affirm that the visually impaired are not standing outside, but are making efforts to proactively participate, contributing to responding to the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TU dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on "Breakthrough in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation".

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nguoi-khiem-thi-hoa-nhip-chuyen-doi-so-721924.html