Engineers Create Device To Make The Internet Accessible For The Visually Challenged

Even though the internet is a basic human right, the visually challenged often can’t access it. To facilitate the internet for them, a group of engineers from Bengaluru have constructed a device which will convert the text to braille, according to a report by The New Indian Express. The device is called Sparsh.

What is Sparsh?

The device is built on a technology that uses electro-mechanical technology that produces the content of a smartphone or a computer on a rolling display in braille. This device is powered by a Dynamic Braille Board or DBB, and it enables streaming of digital data into its equivalent braille output in real-time.

Sparsh has been exclusively designed for the visually impaired. All the developers are former students of CMR Institute of Technology. The team consists of Kiran L., a telecom engineer, Siddhant Gaonkar and Rohit Neil Ghosh, specialised in electronics engineering and Vishnu Ramakrishnan, a mechanical engineer, as reported by The Deccan Chronicle.

The uniqueness of the device as pointed out by Kiran L, is that the user can scroll the data in their required speed. This feature is unavailable in most of the other similar devices available in the market.

USP of the device

Kiran has been quoted saying, “Most products have a standard speed that cannot be customised to match the reading abilities of users. Some may be fast readers while others are slow and our device caters to one and all.”

Another feature that is unique to this product is an audio bookmark that marks the page where they have stopped at. The device comes with a self -learning feature. One can use the device without having to seek someone else’s help to use it.

Economic pricing is another unique selling point of the device. So far, only the prototype to the device has been made. When built at a scale-able number, this device shall cost only Rs 6000 or even lesser than that. Similar devices in the market are priced at a higher rate, anywhere around $2000 in India. Kiran says that though this device is first of it’s kind in India, yet it is not a breakthrough invention.

The team plans to approach the corporates and government for commercialisation once the device is finally made. Sparsh consists a single cell forming a rolling display. The display of the device is projected to the user’s finger, thereby enabling him to read out digital text. In terms of connectivity, this device comes with a bluetooth and can be connected to computers, phones or tablets.

Additionally, it comes with a memory card which would help in easy storing of the content. It can also be connected to an headphones via the use of a audio jack which helps in easily browsing the files. The machine can browse the file names and read it out to the user, so that he/she can easily use the device.

The Logical Indian community applauds the developers for coming up with a device that shall make the internet accessible even to the visually impaired ones. Internet indeed has made world a smaller space and such devices make it inclusive for one and all.