World’s First Intelligent Guide Dog for Rail Transit Enters Service

Intelligent Guide Dog “Xiao Suan”

Recently, “Xiao Suan,” the world’s first intelligent guide dog for rail transit, independently developed by Xiao Suan Technology, an artificial intelligence company based in Guangzhou’s Huangpu District, has been put into pilot operation on the Shenzhen Metro and is undergoing testing at Terminal 3 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

“Our self-developed multimodal 3D voxel neural network composite sensing technology is the key to environmental perception,” said a representative of Xiao Suan Technology. Functioning like a machine’s sensory organs, the technology fuses data from multiple sensors—including LiDAR, optical cameras, and ultrasonic sensors—to construct a high-precision three-dimensional model of the surrounding environment in real time. It can effectively identify not only static obstacles such as steps and fire hydrants, but also dynamic objects including pedestrians, bicycles, and pets, as well as obstacles that traditionally pose challenges for guide dogs, such as glass curtain walls and overhanging branches. The 360-degree three-dimensional perception system mounted on its head ensures a blind-spot-free field of vision.

Compared with traditional guide dogs, which require nearly 300,000 yuan in training costs along with substantial long-term maintenance expenses, the intelligent guide dog is priced at just 30,000 yuan and requires only regular charging for daily use. This significantly lowers the barrier to access and reflects the inclusive nature of technological innovation.