Gelisim News

Support for robot arm project from the visually impaired former deputy

Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU) Technology Transfer Office that designed a robot arm with artificial intelligence that detects the hand signs for people with speech impediments and performs operations identified for each mark, had guest Lokman Ayva, Turkey's first visually impaired deputy.

Lokman Ayva came toghether with Consultant of the project, Vice Rector of IGU Prof. Dr. Ing. Ali Okatan to get information about the projects of the university. Ayva stated that he followed the robot arm project designed for disabled people in the press reports and expressed his excitement about the project.
 
"IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAPPENED IN TURKEY"

Emphasizing that the important developments happened in studies about people with disabilities in Turkey Ayva added: “There have been great developments in many areas, from education to employment, rehabilitation, law, human rights to everyday life. Tens of thousands of disabled officers were recruited. This is a very important development. There are also important developments in private sector employment. A simple example of the field of education, the number of 150 thousand students in 2009, 3 years later increased to 370 thousand. There was an increase of 44 percent in the field of education. You can see 8 to 10 disabled students among the top 200 students in the success of the university exams. How Turkey can contribute to the world in the field of disability, the technology, in terms of education, scientific studies? How will it contribute to the development of the world? What kind of role will people with disabilities take and lead here? This is the purpose of our being here today,” - he said.
 
"WE ARE IN COOPERATION WITH UNIVERSITIES"

Lokman Ayva stressed that Beyazay Association is the largest organization of Turkey relevant to persons with disabilities, said: "There are a total of 82, including 9 overseas branch of the Association. We work with international organizations. The main purpose of the association is to improve the conditions of the disabled. We know the problems in the world. We want to be a solution to these problems with our ideas. We cooperate with our esteemed universities and develop projects. I hope, as the association, with the aptly-titled Istanbul Gelişim University, we will reach a conclusion. The problems of people with disabilities could not be solved in the last 300 years. So we need to try new things.”
 
“THE UNIVERSITIES MUST BE INTERESTED BY PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS DIRECTLY”
 
Ayva, who stated that he met in the media with the robot arm project he designed for the disabled of Istanbul Gelişim University Technology Transfer Office, said: “Sudden lightning struck my head. The initiative of the university in such projects is a great thing. Now our universities have to deal directly with people's problems. I would like to thank to Istanbul University Rector Prof. Dr. Burhan Aykaç, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Abdulkadir Gayretli and Vice-Rector and project consultant Prof. Dr. Ali Okatan for creating such an atmosphere and to students for being a part of this. In order for our future to be bright, students need to shoulder the future.

The Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Okatan said, “We are very happy about the works that we have done. I think it is meaningless that scientists do unless they can cure people's troubles. The aims of the universities are to solve the problems of the people. We took Mr. Lokman's advice. I hope that we will do a good work together with the association”.
 
WHAT WAS THE PROJECT OF IGU?

The robot arm designed by ıstanbul Gelişim University to facilitate the life of disabled people perceives the sign language. With the artificial intelligence and image processing techniques, hand identification and finger counting are performed on the image taken from the camera. The actions defined for each sign are sent to the robot arm. The robot arm performs operations using the electromagnet located on it in accordance with the incoming information. The project aims to facilitate the daily life of individuals with disabilities.