Project Contributors:
Introduction
Blind people face several challenges when reading books, but the main problem is a lack of accessibility to printed materials. This can limit the opportunities for blind people to gain knowledge and improve their education and employment prospects. The mobile-based Sinhala book reader for visually impaired individuals can provide a solution.
Knowledge has emerged as the essential component for effective living in the 21st century. Reading becomes the primary way to learn new things. People who are blind or visually impaired are interested in learning further, but the issue is that they cannot locate all sources of information in braille format because many sources of information are not available in this format. Many technological solutions have been developed in response to this, including text-to-speech and computer-aided braille systems.
Many technological solutions have been developed in response to this, including text-to-speech and computer-assisted braille systems. Most of these systems are widely available in developed countries and these systems are of high price. Additionally, most text-to-speech tools are for the English tongue. However, these amenities are not available to Sri Lankans whose native language is Sinhala and whose level of English literacy is poor. As a result, we require such a mechanism.
Mobile-based technologies are quickly getting acceptance across the globe in the era of modern technological advancements. Even though Sri Lanka is still a developing country, most of its citizens own a smartphone. The mobile phone business is mainly dominated by Android devices, as the worldwide trend also demonstrates. Therefore, the most effective strategy to handle the problems encountered by visually disabled people in Sri Lanka would be a smartphone solution built on Android.
In conclusion, Android-based mobile book readers offer several benefits to Sri Lankans who are blind. The open-source platform's adaptability enables programmers to build specialized apps with support for the Sinhala language and accessibility capabilities. Making mobile book readers for Android is a common option due to the platform's popularity and the accessibility of developer tools. Android-based mobile book readers can reach a larger population of people who are blind because Sri Lanka has a high percentage of Android users.
Project Problem:
For those who are visually impaired individuals, reading books can be very difficult because they commonly cannot obtain printed materials in a way that is convenient for them. Despite improvements in assistive technology like text-to-speech software and Braille screens, many books are still not widely accessible in a manner that the blind can read. For blind people who want to increase their knowledge, participate in literary encounters, and enhance their educational and job possibilities, this restricted accessibility can present significant hurdles.
Another problem is the price of specialist equipment and software, which for many blind individuals can be unaffordable. Even if these tools are accessible, perusing a conventional paper book might not be a similar experience with them. For instance, braille displays can be clumsy and sluggish, and text-to-speech applications can have trouble with complicated English and formatting.
The lack of audiobooks and Braille resources is another problem. Even though there are more audiobooks available, there are still few of them compared to the enormous number of written novels. Due to the lengthy and expensive procedure involved in converting written books into Braille, finding Braille books is even more difficult. This implies that the most recent bestsellers or widely used instructional resources may not be available to blind people.
In conclusion, a shortage of access to written materials is the primary obstacle that blind people encounter when perusing books. Even with advancements in assistive technology, there are still many obstacles to be overcome, including the price of specialized hardware and software, the scarcity of audiobooks and Braille materials, and the challenge of providing a reading experience that is comparable to that of conventional printed books. To overcome these obstacles, there must be a concerted effort to increase the accessibility of books for blind readers and to guarantee that they have the same access to reading and educational possibilities as sighted people.
Overall System Diagram:
