Blind runner completes solo 5K

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Updated

Location: Central Park, New York

A blind man completed a solo 5K run

using a smartphone, pair of headphones

and Google's program called 'Guideline'

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND THOMAS PANEK, 50, SAYING:"We humans are born to run, as they say, right? So working with Google and Creative Lab and the whole team, we started small. We started trying to see if I could just walk a taped line and have the phone, kind of tell me where to go. And from that concept, from the idea, we decided that we were going to give it a shot. //We came up with this Guideline concept together to be able to help people who are blind, run independently and, you know, to be able to be in Central Park. Hey, buddy. [BENDS OVER TO PET DOG] To be able to be in Central Park, to be able to be here, it's real emotional."

AI-based 'Guideline' uses a library of images to guide a runner on his course

The app can also detect the runner's positioning and provide directions