IoT-driven accessibility: A refreshable OCR-Braille solution for visually impaired and deaf-blind users through WSN

• Published in: Journal of Economy and Technology 2024-11, Vol.2, p.128-137
• Main Authors: Reddy, Kishor K., Badam, Rithika, Alam, Shadab, Shuaib, Mohammed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assistive technology; Braille; Braille display; Deaf-blind; IoT; OCR; Visually impaired; WSN
• ISSN: 2949-9488; 2949-9488
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ject.2024.04.007

The spectacular concept of integrating OCR with the Internet of Things (IoT) and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), presented in this study, intends to increase the autonomy and social inclusion of people with visual impairments and deaf-blindness. This application converts text from photographs into real-time Braille representations by utilizing the capabilities of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, Braille displays, and IoT. Braille is a tactile form of writing which assists the visually impaired by representing letters and numbers with raised dots. Text recognition and conversion through OCR helps people with vision issues by converting printed text into accessible formats like audio or Braille, assisting people in with recognizing things around them. Individuals with visual impairments are given autonomous access to critical information by smoothly integrating modern technologies, boosting their self-confidence and promoting active social involvement. This OCR-Braille approach's primary objective is to minimize the knowledge gap and promote social equality. Users' ease of access to labels, educational resources, and digital information about their environment fosters a sense of empowerment and independence. This ground-breaking study not only eliminates the accessibility gap but also provides the groundwork for a society that is better linked and accessible. Individuals have access to the tools they need for independently navigating their surroundings through simple IoT connectivity and WSN. This research lays the path for a future for assistive technology to catalyze equality and independence, independent of one's visual ability, by fusing assistive technology and IoT connectivity.