AI-Powered Document Reader for BLV Users

Project Description

For this project, I am to design and create a webapp that would help blind-low vision users understand documents better. My goal of this project is to create a software that would convert PDFs, handwritten text, and various images into speech. The primary users for this project is going to BLV communities, but it has the capacity to help elderly people, English-as-a-second language ESL speakers, and people who have dyslexia.

Why is it fun or educational?

I am a firm believer that technology is meant for the greater good of the world. The ability to learn how can leverage the tools to help people have always fasicinated me.

What does success look like?

For this project, success will look like the webapp being created and handle inputs of PDFs. Some metrics to think about include the accuracy of text-to-speech ratio, understandment of the text through users' perspective, retention rate and referral or engagement increase of the software.

5 Goals

  • Learn the use of online resources and research software products
  • Getting comfortable using open source software
  • Learn the needs and importance of accesibility in technology
  • Understand the importance of user feedback and how to implement it
  • Learn about the ethics of technology