Guwahati: A Manipur-based small start-up, Akumen AI, stood out among six selected start-ups to engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the start-up Mahakumbh event held in New Delhi.
In an inspiring tale, Akumen Artificial Intelligence, hailing from Manipur, has crafted a groundbreaking wearable assistive device tailored for visually impaired individuals.
Thiyam Akhuvan, the company’s founder and CEO, revealed to The Assam Tribune in a telephonic conversation that the device leverages advanced AI to capture and interpret text, faces, and objects, empowering the visually impaired to comprehend their surroundings.
Reflecting on the start-up’s milestone, the CEO shared that Akumen AI clinched the prestigious NITI AAYOG’s “Atal New India Challenge” and the “Entrepreneurship World Cup For Eastern Region.” Moreover, Akumen AI is bolstered by Meta (the parent company of Facebook) through the Meta MEITY accelerator program.
Describing the device’s potential impact, Thiyam Akhuvan emphasized its significance for visually impaired individuals, citing the heartening response received thus far. He noted that interactions with blind individuals sparked excitement and appreciation for the device.
Despite similar devices being available internationally at a hefty price tag of five to six lakhs, Akumen AI’s innovation stands out for its cost-effectiveness, priced at a mere fifteen to twenty thousand rupees.
During the interaction with the Prime Minister, the company’s CEO revealed that Modi shared valuable insights and displayed a keen interest in the device, showcasing his prior knowledge in the domain of such assistive technologies.
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