"Visually Impaired Visitors Welcome"... GIST Launches Robot Exhibition Viewing Support Service

Korea Institute of Culture Technology Launches Pilot Service with Modu Art Space
Robots Guide Visitors and Provide Audio Commentary Along Their Routes

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on April 16 that the Korea Institute of Culture Technology is conducting a pilot operation of a "robot-based exhibition viewing support service" to improve exhibition accessibility for visually impaired visitors, in collaboration with the Modu Art Space of the Korea Disability Arts and Culture Center.

Exhibition Guide Robot for the Visually Impaired. Provided by GIST

"Modu Art Space" is an exhibition space operated by the Korea Disability Arts and Culture Center, located in front of Seoul Station, and aims to enhance cultural and artistic accessibility for people with disabilities. Since its opening in December 2024, it has been continuously promoting programs to improve the exhibition viewing environment and to support accessibility tailored to various types of disabilities, including visual and auditory impairments.

This pilot operation is a case of applying technology acquired through a research and development project by the Korea Institute of Culture Technology, funded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (project name: Development of Personalized Exhibition Viewing Concierge Service for the Visually Impaired), to an actual exhibition site. It is significant in that it marks the first step in turning research achievements into tangible cultural services.

The artificial intelligence (AI) autonomous robot-based exhibition viewing support service will be piloted for 10 days starting April 20 during the 2026 Modu Gonggam Special Exhibition, "The Art of Relationships: Willingly, Persistently, Leaning on Each Other." This exhibition highlights the values of "building relationships" by focusing on how people live by supporting one another and respecting each other's pace.

In particular, the exhibition reinterprets disability not as an individual challenge to be overcome but as a foundation for building community and living together. It explores ways of maintaining individuality while coexisting within relationships.

This pilot project is being promoted based on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the institute and the Korea Disability Arts and Culture Center on January 29, as part of ongoing cooperation to expand cultural and artistic enjoyment and increase exhibition accessibility for the visually impaired.

The service allows the robot to guide visitors along their routes and automatically provide audio commentary tailored to their location and the context of the exhibition, enabling visually impaired visitors to independently enjoy the exhibition without a companion.

In addition, the system links exhibition space and artwork information to deliver personalized guidance to visitors and offers detailed audio commentary on the artworks and spaces to enhance visitors' understanding of the exhibition. Another feature is that exhibition operators can directly create and edit service content, equipping the system with an operational structure that flexibly responds to changes in exhibition themes and environments.

The institute plans to systematically analyze user experience and service effectiveness through this pilot operation and, based on the results, further develop the service model so that it can be expanded to other exhibition venues and public institutions.

Jungwon Yoon, Director of the Korea Institute of Culture Technology, stated, "This pilot operation is an important starting point for connecting research and development outcomes with real-world services. We will continue to advance various culture technologies, including exhibition viewing support, to create social value and facilitate commercialization."

Meanwhile, the GIST Korea Institute of Culture Technology has been designated as the leading cultural technology research institution under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in accordance with Article 17-5 of the Culture Industry Promotion Act. The institute is focusing on core cultural technology research and development to strengthen the international competitiveness of Korea’s culture industry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.