Class 12 student develops app for the blind

A dinner in darkness gave the idea for a Class 12 student to develop an app that helps visually challenged persons to know about their surroundings.

Pavan Chitta, a student at Greenwood High, had visited ‘Dialogue in the Dark,’ a restaurant where he had to dine in complete darkness and interact with visually impaired employees - who act as guides in the restaurant. The visit kindled in him the idea of developing a tool which would improve the world for persons with visual impairment.

The app, “Bee My Guide,” enables the visually challenged persons to know exactly what surrounds them in their immediate environment. “This helps them to have a relatively higher level of independence and visualisation,” says Chitta.

“I am hoping to expand this mission and eventually come up with a smart cane, which has the same functionality as my app,” he said.

 Chitta had met several people with visual impairment to understand the challenges they faced before developing the app. The app consists of features such as My Vision, What's Around Me, Find My Stuff, Check My Money, My Location and My Weather.

Faizal, manager and in-charge of recruitment at a restaurant and a visually impaired, said the app was so easy that he got used to all the features within 30 minutes. “This app really helps us to be more independent," he added.
DH News Service