Technology Solutions to Support Blind and Visually Impaired Students to Excel

Description

The Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) students have always found it challenging to tackle STEM-based courses (STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This is because their comprehension depends on highly visual learning aids, like diagrams, graphics, and illustrations, which are resource-intensive and difficult to make accessible for the average Indian BVI student.

Sanchit Ghule is a Visually Impaired person who, despite his disability, cleared JEE and completed his B.Tech in Materials Engineering in IIT Madras. Sanchit wants to make a difference for BVI Students by giving them the necessary tools to pursue STEM Courses.

He is seeking to arrive at a technological solution for this by making Audio-tactile Interactive Graphics tools available on large scale and at an affordable cost. He intends to make this possible through an MS program through a unique Entrepreneurship Program at IIT M. He plans to work with his mentors Prof. Volker Sorge (University of Birmingham) and Prof. Tiju Thomas (Materials Engineering, IITM) to make these solutions possible.

Salient features of this initiative:

Diagrammatic and graphical learning material converted to graphics and audio-tactile formats.
Tactile graphics along with audio feedback would enable Sight, Sound, and Touch.
Powerful audio-tactile graphic software and an intuitive touchpad to enhance audio-tactile response. Authoring software would assist in audio-tactile content creation.
Vector interactive graphics software and 3D Printers would generate 3D Tactile Graphics, especially for complex images.
3D tactile graphic models with braille labels and sensor-based technology would provide touch access to textual information.

This technology, which shall be developed as an affordable tool, will reach the market in 2.5 years.

Mr Sanchit would need Rs. 65 Lakhs to pursue the MS program and for the Research Support.

We request our Alumni to support generously and help make a positive and un-forgettable difference to the lives of many BVI students out there. This is a time-bound initiative as the project needs to start soon. Your timely and generous contributions will make a big difference!