Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Augmented reality (AR) applications using smart glasses for Health represent a significant area of growth in mobile computing and AI development as applications and demand for wearable health-related devices expand rapidly. The proposed research collaboration between Sheridan and Toronto's Dapasoft will focus on R&D of an AR tele-assistant system for smart glasses. The system will assist elderly people with awareness and prevention of falls while walking by employing fall detection and danger awareness using AR technologies and a virtual map of the user's surroundings for navigation guidance in real time. An advisory virtual assistant, controlled by remote medical professionals over an internet connection, will be included as one of the main features. A real world scene of the user's surroundings will be collected by smart glasses and sent to a remote computer for real time monitoring by healthcare workers who can make correct care/advice decisions remotely. The virtual assistant can be considered an ""auto-assistant"" that will provide assistance related to vision enhancement, navigation guidance and knowledge acquisition/decision making for elderly people. The assistant will also provide companionship to help mitigate social isolation, provide healthy lifestyle information, and will be designed to support users' self-confidence and security, especially with medical issues.