AN ASSISTIVE SYSTEM FOR BLIND PEOPLE

Abstract

ABSTRACT AN ASSISTIVE SYSTEM FOR BLIND PEOPLE The present invention empowers visually impaired individuals to navigate digital platforms like YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google Maps with enhanced accessibility through advanced speech recognition technology. This invention disclosed specifically for autonomous exam completion, the application addresses challenges in examination settings by guiding users seamlessly through the exam process. Upon entering the exam venue, it begins by obtaining the user’s consent and collecting essential details like name and roll number. The question paper is then displayed, and each question is read aloud twice at a controlled pace to ensure full comprehension, with an option for additional repetition if needed. During the response phase, the application prompts the user to "Please articulate your answer," transcribing spoken responses into text with high precision. When the exam is complete, the user states, "Completed the exam," and the application converts the responses into a PDF and emails it to the exam authority, ensuring efficient submission. Fig 1

Specification

Description:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)


TITLE OF THE INVENTION
AN ASSISTIVE SYSTEM FOR BLIND PEOPLE


APPLICANT
K.RAMAKRISHNAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
NH-45, Samayapuram,
Trichy, Tamilnadu, India- 621112


The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
AN ASSISTIVE SYSTEM FOR BLIND PEOPLE
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to assistive technology for visually impaired individuals, utilizing advanced speech recognition and AI. It enables users to autonomously navigate digital platforms and complete examination tasks. The solution ensures seamless interaction and secure submission of responses.
BACKGROUND
Visually impaired individuals often face unique challenges when accessing digital resources and performing tasks that require reading and writing. Platforms such as YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google Maps provide valuable information and essential services, yet navigating these platforms without visual support can be difficult. Although screen readers and basic text-to-speech functions exist, they often lack the flexibility and efficiency needed to support users in more complex interactions.
Digital accessibility tools have made considerable progress, but current solutions for visually impaired individuals can still be limited in scope. Many tools are designed only for passive information retrieval rather than full, interactive participation, particularly in situations where reading comprehension and written responses are required. These limitations can be especially challenging in educational and examination contexts, where accuracy and independence are crucial.
Traditional examination environments require the ability to read questions and compose written responses, typically necessitating the assistance of human proctors or scribes for visually impaired individuals. While this support helps bridge some gaps, it also raises concerns about privacy, autonomy, and the security of a fair assessment process. Relying on others for assistance can impact the user's confidence and independence, which is central to equitable education.
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, including speech recognition and natural language processing, present new opportunities to overcome these limitations. AI-powered solutions can accurately interpret and transcribe spoken language, enabling users to interact more naturally with digital platforms. Speech recognition technology, in particular, has the potential to provide real-time navigation and response handling for visually impaired individuals.
By leveraging these technologies, a comprehensive solution can be developed to empower visually impaired users in examination environments. Such a solution would support the user from initial identification and question comprehension to response articulation and secure submission, making the examination process as seamless and autonomous as possible.
This invention seeks to address these gaps by providing an application that integrates speech recognition, response transcription, and automated submission, thereby supporting visually impaired users in educational and assessment environments. The solution aims to enhance accessibility, privacy, and independence, ultimately enabling a more inclusive and empowering experience for individuals with visual impairments.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide a robust assistive technology solution that empowers visually impaired individuals to independently navigate and interact with digital platforms, as well as autonomously complete examination tasks. This technology ensures that visually impaired users can effectively engage with educational content, answer questions, and submit responses without the need for external assistance, fostering greater autonomy and inclusivity in various settings.
The invention can be utilized across a wide range of environments, including educational institutions, certification exams, and online testing platforms. It enables visually impaired individuals to access and complete exams independently, thereby ensuring equal opportunities in academic and professional assessments. Moreover, it can be applied in everyday use cases, helping users interact with platforms like YouTube, Wikipedia, Google Maps, and other online services, making it an essential tool for enhancing digital accessibility.
The technical methods used in the invention include advanced speech recognition and natural language processing (NLP) techniques. Speech recognition allows the application to accurately transcribe spoken responses into text, ensuring that the user's voice is effectively captured and represented. NLP algorithms are employed to enhance the understanding of questions, making sure they are articulated clearly and comprehensively for the user. Additionally, the application uses AI-based decision-making to provide real-time assistance, prompting the user when necessary and ensuring smooth exam navigation.
Furthermore, the system integrates automated document processing methods, such as converting responses into PDF format for submission. Secure submission features, such as email integration, are also incorporated to ensure that completed exams are sent directly to the examination cell, maintaining privacy and confidentiality. Through these technical methods, the invention offers a seamless, accurate, and efficient solution for visually impaired individuals in both academic and everyday contexts.
The principal objective of the present invention is to devise an AI Agent specifically tailored to empower individuals with visual impairments, enabling seamless access to all forms of communicable devices.
Another objective of the present invention is to facilitate autonomous examination-taking by visually impaired individuals, thereby eliminating the necessity for a scribe.
SUMMARY
Visually impaired individuals routinely engage with platforms such as YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google Maps. To facilitate this interaction, advanced speech recognition technology is employed to accurately distinguish and identify the unique vocal signature of the user. The recognized speech is then transcribed into text, enabling effortless navigation and utilization of these digital services.
However, individuals with visual impairments may sometimes face challenges in independently composing their examination responses. This innovative application has been meticulously engineered to empower such individuals by enabling autonomous exam completion. Upon entering the examination venue, the application promptly initiates by seeking the individual's consent to commence the examination process. Following an affirmative response, the examination is seamlessly initiated.
The application initially requests the individual to provide essential personal details, such as their name and roll number. Once this information is accurately entered, the question paper is displayed, and the application proceeds to recite the questions at a deliberately measured pace, ensuring optimal comprehension. Each question is articulated twice to reinforce understanding. If further clarification is needed, the individual may request the application to reiterate the question.
Subsequently, the application prepares the cursor for the response, instructing the individual with the prompt, "Please articulate your answer." Employing sophisticated speech recognition technology, the spoken words of the individual are meticulously transcribed into text, ensuring an accurate representation of their responses. This process is systematically repeated for each question.
Upon completion of the examination, the individual indicates they have finished by stating, "Completed the exam." In response, the application autonomously converts the document into PDF format and expedites the submission of the completed exam paper to the examination cell via email.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig 1 illustrates the workflow of an application designed to assist visually challenged individuals. The primary aim is to empower visually impaired users to perform tasks independently, with a particular focus on enabling them to write exams on their own. By addressing the needs of visually challenged individuals, this application seeks to promote greater self-reliance and reduce the need for assistance in tasks that typically require sighted guidance.
The workflow in Fig 1 starts with integrating speech recognition technology, which plays a crucial role in the application. This technology allows the app to interpret human voice inputs, making it accessible for users who cannot rely on visual cues. By incorporating this functionality, the application enables users to interact with it naturally and intuitively, simply by speaking. This step is essential in creating a user-friendly experience tailored to individuals who may face difficulties with traditional interfaces.
To capture voice inputs effectively, the application utilizes microphones, which are essential for hands-free operation. This feature allows visually challenged users to control the app without requiring physical interaction, such as typing or using a touchscreen. Instead, the app continuously listens for voice commands, making it convenient for users to navigate the application without needing to engage visually or manually.
Following this, specific commands and voice modifiers are integrated to refine the user experience. The commands are structured to guide the user through different features of the application, while voice modifiers help the app adapt to various accents and tones. This flexibility is key to ensuring that the application can serve a diverse range of users, regardless of speech variation. By recognizing and adapting to different voices, the app improves its accuracy and usability, making it more inclusive.
The application also imports a library that enables YouTube video playback, as shown in Fig 1. This feature allows users to access educational or entertainment content through voice commands, providing an audio-visual component to the experience. By facilitating YouTube playback, the application supports audio-based learning, which can be especially beneficial for visually challenged users who rely on audio resources for information. This addition makes the application a valuable tool for both learning and recreation.
Further, the application provides users with access to essential information such as the date, time, and Wikipedia content. By retrieving this data, the app offers timely updates and access to general knowledge, all of which are presented through audio output. This feature allows visually challenged individuals to receive relevant information without visual engagement, supporting daily activities and learning needs.
An essential functionality illustrated in Fig 1 is the app's ability to assist users in writing by opening a Word document. This feature is specifically aimed at helping visually challenged users write exams or other documents independently. By dictating text, users can have their words transcribed directly into a Word document, allowing them to produce written work without needing external assistance. This capability is particularly valuable in exam settings, where users may need to articulate their answers independently.
The final step in Fig 1 demonstrates the development of the application as a versatile tool compatible with multiple communication devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. By ensuring cross-platform compatibility, the app becomes accessible to users on various devices, catering to individual preferences and device availability. This step enhances the application's overall accessibility, making it easier for visually challenged individuals to incorporate the app into their daily lives and access its features whenever needed. Through this comprehensive approach, the project promotes independence and accessibility for visually challenged individuals across a range of tasks.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Visually impaired individuals often encounter challenges when accessing digital platforms and engaging with services that rely on visual input, particularly in the context of education and examinations. Platforms like YouTube, Google Maps, and Wikipedia have increasingly incorporated accessibility features to assist visually impaired users, but there is still a considerable gap when it comes to more complex tasks such as taking exams. Traditional methods of support, including human proctors or scribes, help visually impaired individuals navigate examinations, but they can limit autonomy, compromise privacy, and introduce inefficiencies. The primary goal of this project is to provide an innovative solution that empowers visually impaired individuals to independently navigate digital platforms and complete examinations autonomously using advanced speech recognition and artificial intelligence.
The invention leverages advanced speech recognition technology to ensure that the user's spoken words are accurately transcribed into text, facilitating seamless interaction with the system. This ability to recognize speech accurately is critical for individuals with visual impairments, as it allows them to interact with the system in a natural, hands-free manner. The system uses sophisticated algorithms that process and interpret spoken language, transcribing the user's responses during an exam or when interacting with other digital services. Additionally, the application integrates natural language processing (NLP) to improve the comprehension of both the questions being asked and the answers provided by the user. By combining speech recognition and NLP, the system is able to deliver a comprehensive and accurate experience for the user, understanding the context of the conversation and ensuring the clarity of questions and answers.
One of the key technical components of the system is the advanced speech recognition module. When the user speaks their response to an exam question, the system captures the spoken language in real-time and transcribes it into written text. This text is then processed and formatted to ensure that it accurately reflects the spoken input, accounting for nuances such as dialect, accent, and speech variations. In addition to recognizing speech, the system uses natural language processing (NLP) to interpret the context of the question, making sure that the question is presented clearly to the user. The system is designed to read questions at a deliberate pace, ensuring that the user can fully comprehend the content before responding. Each question is read twice, reinforcing understanding and allowing the user to ask for further clarification if needed. NLP is particularly useful in this context, as it ensures that the system can handle a wide variety of question formats and accurately capture user responses in a structured and coherent manner.
The system's design ensures that the user experience is simple, intuitive, and efficient. The application guides the user step-by-step through the process of answering exam questions. Upon starting the examination, the user is first prompted to provide essential information, such as their name and roll number, which is stored securely for identification purposes. Once this information is entered, the application presents the exam questions, reading them aloud in a manner that ensures optimal comprehension. The user is able to listen to each question twice, ensuring that they fully understand the content. If the user requires further clarification, the system provides the option to repeat a question at any time, thereby offering full flexibility and control over the exam experience.
Once the questions are presented, the system prompts the user to articulate their answers. The speech recognition system captures the user's spoken words and transcribes them into text. The accuracy of this process is crucial for ensuring that the user's responses are captured correctly. To ensure the accuracy and integrity of the responses, the system uses advanced machine learning models to continually improve its transcription capabilities. As the user progresses through the exam, the system updates the response sheet in real-time, presenting each answer in the appropriate format. The use of AI-driven speech recognition ensures that all spoken words, regardless of the user's accent or speech style, are captured accurately.
In addition, NLP techniques ensure that the system is capable of understanding various speech patterns and interpreting them in the context of the exam.The application also includes a response validation module, which checks for any errors in transcription or inconsistencies in the user's responses. For example, if a response is incomplete or contains ambiguities, the system can prompt the user to provide clarification or confirm their answer. This is important in maintaining the accuracy of exam responses and ensuring that the user has the opportunity to provide a complete and accurate answer. Additionally, the system's AI-driven assistance provides feedback to users throughout the process, offering reminders or suggestions where necessary. The validation module also ensures that the responses are formatted according to the required specifications of the exam, making the transition from spoken language to written responses seamless and error-free.
Upon completion of the exam, the user is prompted to confirm that they have finished answering all questions by simply stating, "Completed the exam." The system then processes the responses and generates a final exam document. This document is automatically converted into a PDF format, preserving the layout and integrity of the responses. The completed exam is then automatically submitted to the designated examination cell via email, ensuring timely submission and secure transmission of the exam results. The integration of automated document processing streamlines the submission process, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing the risk of errors or delays. Moreover, the system ensures that all data is securely transmitted and stored, protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the user's responses.
The system's use is not limited to educational and examination settings. It can also be adapted for broader use in other digital environments, such as online forms, surveys, or digital interfaces. For example, visually impaired individuals can use the application to interact with websites, complete online tasks, and access information from various digital platforms. This capability is particularly valuable in everyday scenarios, as it allows visually impaired users to independently navigate digital services, providing greater autonomy and improving overall accessibility. The system's flexibility makes it a valuable tool for visually impaired individuals across a wide range of applications, from accessing academic content to interacting with online services like YouTube, Google Maps, and Wikipedia.
Security and privacy are paramount in the design and operation of the system. The system uses encrypted data transmission to ensure that all personal and exam data is protected during the transmission process. The user's identity and responses are stored securely in compliance with privacy regulations, and the system does not retain any data beyond the necessary period for exam completion and submission. Furthermore, user authentication is required at the beginning of each session, ensuring that only authorized users can access the system. This authentication process prevents unauthorized access and ensures the integrity of the exam process. By integrating these security features, the system not only ensures the privacy of the user's responses but also fosters trust and confidence in the technology.
In addition to the existing features, there are several areas for future improvement and expansion. One key area for development is the addition of multi-language support, which would allow the system to cater to a wider audience of visually impaired individuals who speak different languages. This feature would make the system accessible to a global user base, providing a truly inclusive experience. Another area for enhancement is the integration of cloud-based submission and data management, allowing for real-time updates and backups of exam responses, further enhancing the security and reliability of the system. Moreover, incorporating more sophisticated AI and machine learning models could enable the system to better understand complex question formats, including multiple-choice questions or interactive tasks, thereby increasing the system's versatility and effectiveness.
The project represents a significant advancement in assistive technology for visually impaired individuals. By leveraging advanced speech recognition, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence, the system enables visually impaired users to independently access digital platforms and complete examinations in a fully autonomous and efficient manner. The application's ability to transcribe spoken responses, interpret questions, and submit exams securely offers a comprehensive solution that removes barriers to education and digital accessibility. As the technology evolves and incorporates additional features, such as multi-language support and enhanced AI capabilities, it has the potential to revolutionize the way visually impaired individuals interact with digital environments and engage in educational assessments. The system not only improves accessibility but also promotes autonomy, privacy, and security for visually impaired individuals, making it an essential tool for ensuring equal opportunities and fostering inclusivity.
, Claims:CLAIMS
WE CLAIM,
1. An Assistive system for Blind people, comprising:
A detection module for visually impaired individuals routinely engage with platforms to facilitate this interaction, advanced speech recognition technology is employed to accurately distinguish and identify the unique vocal signature of the user, Upon entering the examination venue, the application initiates by seeking the individual's consent to begin the exam process- After receiving affirmative consent, the examination process begins seamlessly;
A processing module where the application requests essential personal details, such as the individual's name and roll number, Once this information is accurately entered, the question paper is displayed, and the application proceeds to recite questions at a deliberately measured pace to ensure comprehension; Each question is articulated twice to reinforce understanding further clarification is needed, and the individual may request the application to repeat the question; After each question, the application prepares the cursor and instructs the individual with the prompt, "Please articulate your answer", Using advanced speech recognition, the spoken response is transcribed into text accurately to capture the user's responses; Upon completion of the examination, the individual indicates they have finished by stating, "Completed the exam"; and,
A display board is the one when the individual has completed the exam, the application automatically converts the transcribed responses into a PDF format, The PDF is then submitted directly to the examination cell via email, finalizing and securing the submission process.
2. The assistive system for Blind people as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enhanced Accessibility Through Speech Recognition application utilizes advanced speech recognition technology to accurately identify and transcribe user speech, enabling visually impaired individuals to seamlessly navigate and interact with popular digital platforms such as YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google Maps.

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