Exploring Inclusive AI: Four Research Projects

Inclusive AI aims to counter exclusionary effects of artificial intelligence, such as bias and discrimination, while promoting AI applications that enable access, participation, and independence for disadvantaged groups. For several years, Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel and his students at the FHNW School of Business have been exploring this field through research and development projects. These have included chatbots for endangered languages, but the main focus has been on tools and systems for blind and visually impaired people. Four projects illustrate this work. In 2023 and 2024, Bendel investigated how generative AI can improve the well-being and independence of blind and visually impaired people, using the Be My Eyes app and its Be My AI feature as a case study. In July 2025, Doris Jovic completed VISUAL (Virtual Inclusive Safaris for Unique Adventures and Learning), a prototype that uses AI to describe wildlife scenes from public webcams, allowing blind and visually impaired people to experience virtual safaris. In August 2026, Damian Huckele completed WhereIsIt, a voice-based assistant that helps users locate misplaced objects by storing and retrieving information about their whereabouts. The system processes data locally, protecting the privacy of its users. The fourth project, conducted by Myriam Rellstab as part of her master’s thesis, examines smart glasses as inclusive AI wearables. It explores how mainstream and assistive technologies can be brought together through universal, specialized, or modular design approaches. This project will be completed in January 2027. Together, the four projects demonstrate the potential of Inclusive AI to enhance accessibility, autonomy, and quality of life.

Fig.: Doris Jovic during her presentation