SOMPO Awards - Project Story

A Society Where Everyone Can Fully Enjoy Their Life Regardless of Disability
- Development of "Eyeco Support" remote support service for the visually impaired

Team Eyeco Support / Prime Assistance Inc.

Members of Team Eyeco Support

Visual impairment is also said to be an information disability. Being able to access the required visual information in a timely manner significantly expands available choices and range of action. Eyeco Support is a service that supports the daily lives of the visually impaired. An operator conveys visual information - such as roads, store entrances, and product shelves - obtained through a dedicated app to the visually impaired user. The goal is to create an even more exciting society for everyone by eliminating the information obstacle faced by the visually impaired through combining the human expertise of operators - who undergo special training - with digital technology. This will allow anyone to fully apply their capabilities, do what they want when they want to do so, and take on challenges, regardless of whether disabled or not.

"Ever since I lost my eyesight, it has been years since I went out casually without much thought."

"I want to address the inequalities in society in a sustainable manner together with my co-workers." This was the My Purpose of Ms. Fujita, the development leader, and it led to the Eyeco Support service which was achieved through gathering resources from within and outside the Sompo Group. Ms. Fujita heard from a member, who worked as a helper to guide the visually impaired, that "people with visual impairment lead routine lives, always buying the same things at the same place and acting in the same way on the same day of the week." While conducting interviews with the visually impaired, Ms. Fujii, who is a person with disabilities and currently a member of Eyeco Support's development team, said, "Come to think of it, ever since I lost my eyesight, it has been years since I went out casually without much thought." These words spurred Ms. Fujita into action.

Ms. Fujii, one of the development members of Eyeco Support

Ms. Fujii, who was interviewed, also realized that she had subconsciously postponed her desires and given up on acting in accordance with her feelings. "I am not able to act on things that come into mind, such as going for a walk because the weather is good and then going to the cafe, or trying to buy something different today at the convenience store. These are things that I do when a helper is around." When she heard about the service scope of Eyeco Support, she thought, "I myself have times when I want to borrow the eyes of other people using digital technology or AI. This can be achieved through Eyeco Support. Just thinking about it widens the possibilities. I want to be able to support other visually impaired people and enrich my life!" This led her to decide to join Prime Assistance. She was added to the development team of Eyeco Support. "There are people who live with restrictions, being unable to act on the things that come to mind or according to their feelings at that point in time. We want them to be able to enjoy life more freely." This aspiration of the members drove development.

Focusing on creating a service with value for the visually impaired

The number one focus in development was to create a service with value for the visually impaired. For instance, most of the operators at Prime Assistance - who are usually in charge of things such as making arrangements for roadside assistance - have never come into contact with the visually impaired. Operators capable of conveying objective information accurately are developed through repeated training, in which they guide by voice Ms. Fujii, a team member who is visually impaired, as she actually goes around walking on the streets. What should the operator convey to a person with visual impairment? For example, simply saying "There are stairs" when there are stairs in front of the person is not enough. Providing objective information accurately requires saying more, including whether the stairs lead up or down. In addition, Eyeco Support is a service that provides the necessary visual information. Whether to go right or left is determined by the person being supported. Everyone also learned about the importance of respecting the independence of people with disabilities. Operators also came to place emphasis on having a user perspective, with a slogan of visiting actual locations at least 300 times. Resources, both within and outside the Sompo Group, were also fully utilized. Ideas were received from SOMPO Digital Lab Silicon Valley, and needs survey and prototype development were undertaken together with the Digital and Data Strategy Department of Sompo Holdings. In the implementation phase, the business departments and call center of Prime Assistance worked together as one, and developed the service from zero while obtaining the cooperation of organizations for the visually impaired and individuals.

Visually impaired using this service and operator providing visual information by voice

Winning the Gutto Award,a special award for the one which deeply resonated the most with employees as well as the Best Category Award in the Learning from Challenge Category at the SOMPO Awards!!

While Eyeco Support still has only several tens of individual users, it is in the phase of commencing sales to companies and local governments. To help people with visual impairment, who tended to be left behind by society in the past, enjoy fulfilling lives as themselves, the members unite as one to continue development and business expansion even today. This is also truly an initiative in which SOMPO's Purpose overlapped with the My Purpose of each development team member. At the SOMPO Awards, it won the Hakken & Shinka Award - the Best Category Award in the Learning from Challenge Category - for being a challenge with significant social meaning that was achieved through the fusion of desires to enrich the lives of people with visual impairment. It was also selected for the Gutto Award,a special award for the one which deeply resonated the most with employees, after voting by employees. This service is also not only for people who cannot see due to visual impairment. It is also useful to people who have difficulties in seeing. In an aging society, it is expected to allow more people to lead enriching lives. The SOMPO Awards will continue to support the challenges of Eyeco Support, which has great potential.

The smiling faces of Team Eyeco Support's members at the SOMPO Awards ceremony

"Taking on a challenge is to keep trying without giving up. I hope to tell everyone that the Sompo Group has an environment where anyone can take on challenges."

Ms. Fujita, who is the leader of the development team, looks back at the awards and the efforts undertaken so far. "I think taking on a challenge is to keep trying without giving up. When I first joined the Sompo Group, my work started as a part-timer centered on administrative work. Subsequently, I experienced major setbacks when switching jobs and such, but I was blessed with good luck and the support of people around me. As a result of continuing to take on challenges without giving up, today, I came to be involved in an initiative that helps to achieve my aspiration. There are always opportunities, and I hope everyone will take on challenges without giving up."

Ms. Fujita talking about her aspiration at the SOMPO Awards ceremony

Under the theme of "Our Purpose Begins with You,"
the SOMPO Awards will continue to support all challenges within the Sompo Group going forward.