China Daily
12th January 2020
Smart tech a boon for blind masseur
Various devices help boost quality of life for man who lost sight as a child
With the development of smart home devices, 28-year-old Gao Peiyou, who is blind, is experiencing many changes in his life.
At the age of 3, Gao was diagnosed with pigmentary degeneration of the retina, which led him to eventually lose his sight completely during his high school years.
It is estimated that China has 17 million people who have become visually impaired due to the same illness.
However, Gao's blindness hasn't dampened his curiosity or adventurous spirit. He started using computers at age 6 and later began learning computer programming.
In 2009, he won second prize at a computer programming competition held for the country's visually impaired students.
After moving to Beijing in 2011 from Yichun, Heilongjiang province, he started studying at a special school for visually impaired students and became a frequent visitor at the China Braille Library.
He goes to the library every week and regularly tests products designed for visually impaired people.