Dot Incorporation
Client: Dot Incorporation
Product: Dot Go
Title: Dot Go. The first object interaction app for the visually impaired.
Media: iOS App, Website, PR, Partnerships
Country: South Korea
Date Of Campaign: 01/01/2022
Background: For blind and visually impaired people, it’s challenging to enter unfamiliar environments. Objection detection apps can identify objects but fail when it comes to interacting with these objects in a meaningful way.
Idea: Dot Go is the first object interaction app, which means that it not only detects objects in the environment but also connects them to actions. These actions could be internal actions like sounds and vibration; and also external actions in other apps, websites, and even smart home devices. For example: A bus stop sign could trigger open the public transportation app to buy the right ticket. Following the simple material conditional logic used in programming — “if x then y” — Dot Go allows users to create on a simple principle: Any object can be connected to any action. Unlike existing solutions that rely on proprietary databases, Dot Go leverages open-source computer vision models, including those of other solutions, making the app as accurate as all existing solutions combined, while enabling customization for specific user needs. Instead of fixed use cases, anyone can create presets for specific objects, locations, and needs. Nobody has to start from scratch, as they can download existing presets from a growing library curated by users, institutions, and brands. Dot Go empowers the visually impaired community to engage more with their environment and experience it in their own way.
Results: After a promising launch of the first beta version of Dot in 2021, Dot Go received a funding of 140k USD from the Inter-Developmental American Bank (IDB) and Born2Global as a part of the LAC Deep Tech Exchange Program, to increase app functionality. As a result, a long-term partnership with Wheel The World was established to make tourism in Latin America accessible. More partnerships are on the way for later in 2022. After months of development and accessibility audits, the public version of Dot Go launched in early 2022. Available for free download from the App Store, Dot Go is being used daily by thousands of visually impaired users, businesses, brands, and organizations.
