Sparsha: a comprehensive indian language toolset for the blind

ABSTRACT

Braille and audio feedback based systems have vastly improved the lives of the visually impaired across a wide majority of the globe. However, more than 13 million visually impaired people in the Indian sub-continent could not benefit much from such systems. This was primarily due to the difference in the technology required for Indian languages compared to those corresponding to other popular languages of the world. In this paper, we describe the Sparsha toolset. The contribution made by this research has enabled the visually impaired to read and write in Indian vernaculars with the help of a computer.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.0 GENERAL

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
Indian languages, audio feedback, braille, visual impairment