Chun Yu inspired by his blind uncle's struggles created Visiontif- wearable AI vision assistant to describe surroundings.

Chun Yu, the founder and CEO of Visiontif, was deeply inspired by his blind uncle's lifelong struggles. Despite his uncle's intelligence and kindness, he faced significant challenges due to his blindness, which limited his educational and job opportunities. This personal connection gave Yu a profound understanding of the obstacles faced by visually impaired individuals.

Yu recalls how simple tasks that sighted people take for granted, such as entering a building and determining whether a door is push or pull, can be daunting for someone with visual impairment. This empathy was further deepened during an incident that occurred during the pandemic. Yu encountered a blind man trying to return home but struggling because his iPhone battery had died, and he didn't have a face mask, causing people to avoid him. Yu provided a mask and guided him home, realizing the man lived only two blocks away. This experience highlighted the profound sense of isolation and difficulty faced by the visually impaired, fueling Yu's desire to create a more equitable and compassionate society.

Motivated by these experiences, Yu founded Visiontif, a Markham-based company dedicated to improving the quality of life for the blind and visually impaired. Visiontif is developing a wearable AI vision assistant that uses machine learning to describe objects, signs, and surroundings. This device aims to modernize navigation aids for the visually impaired, offering an affordable and effective alternative to outdated solutions like guide canes.

Visiontif joined the ventureLab Hardware Catalyst Initiative, benefiting from support in business management and patent filing. Currently, Visiontif is testing a beta version of their device, MVP 1.1. This innovation promises to enhance independence for the visually impaired, aligning with Yu's mission to create positive societal change.

Source of information: https://markhambusiness.ca/news-events/news/visiontif-has-a-clear-vision...
Contact information: www.visiontif.com | https://www.linkedin.com/company/visiontif/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cWw7YI4_KQ&t=1s