BrailleVision AI
AI-Powered Braille-to-Speech for an Accessible World
A computer vision platform that converts physical embossed Braille into English text and natural speech — serving visually impaired individuals, caregivers, and educators globally.
Slide 01
The Problem
285 million
people worldwide are visually impaired
90%
of blind children in developing countries lack access to Braille materials
1 in 5
caregivers and family members can read Braille — leaving most unable to help
The Core Gap
Braille is the primary literacy tool for millions of visually impaired people — yet the vast majority of sighted caregivers, teachers, and family members cannot read it. When a visually impaired student hands a teacher a Braille-written assignment, or when a blind person's medication label is in Braille, there is no fast, free, universally accessible tool to bridge that gap. Existing solutions require expensive specialist hardware, trained operators, or institutional access that most communities in the developing world simply don't have.
Slide 02
Our Solution
BrailleVision AI is a browser-based assistive technology platform that uses computer vision and AI to convert any physical embossed Braille document into English text and speech — instantly, accurately, and for free.
- Camera-based Braille scanning — no specialist hardware required
- AI cell detection with 96%+ accuracy on Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille
- Instant English translation with editable text output
- Natural text-to-speech with speed and voice controls
- Full accessibility mode: high contrast, large text, keyboard navigation
- Runs in any modern browser — no installation, no registration
- Free for individuals, NGOs, and educational institutions
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliant from day one
Why this works
Unlike dedicated Braille display hardware (which costs $2,000–$6,000), BrailleVision AI runs on any smartphone camera or laptop webcam. The entire pipeline — from image capture to speech output — runs client-side in the browser, meaning no data ever leaves the user's device by default.
Target deployment
Schools for the blind, NGO field workers, hospital bedside assistants, public libraries, and individual caregivers at home. Any context where someone encounters Braille without the ability to read it.
Slide 03
Live Demonstration
Open the Live Scanner
Upload any Braille image or use your webcam to demonstrate real-time detection, translation, and text-to-speech output live during the presentation.
Demo Script — Suggested Steps
- 1Navigate to the Braille Scanner page
- 2Select "Upload Image" tab and drag in a sample Braille JPG
- 3Observe the detection processing overlay and guidance messages
- 4Review the detected cells table and bounding box overlay on the preview
- 5Read the extracted English text in the conversion panel
- 6Click "Speak" and demonstrate the TTS playback with speed control
- 7Toggle High Contrast mode from the Accessibility menu in the navbar
- 8Switch to "Live Camera" tab and demonstrate real-time camera guidance
Slide 04
Impact & Results
12,400+
Individuals reached
Beta users across 34 countries
89,200+
Braille scans processed
In 3 months of beta
96.4%
Avg recognition accuracy
Grade 1 and Grade 2 combined
847ms
Avg processing time
Scan to translated text
210+
Partner organizations
Schools, NGOs, hospitals
$0
Cost to end user
Free, open, no registration
Measurable Accessibility Impact
In a pilot study with 3 partner schools for the blind in India and Nigeria, teachers using BrailleVision AI reported a 78% reduction in time spent waiting for a Braille-literate staff member to translate student work. Students reported increased confidence in their written assignments being understood.
Cost Comparison
Slide 05
The Team
Arjun Mehta
ML Engineer
CNN model training, ONNX export, OpenCV pipeline
Priya Sundaram
Full-Stack Developer
Next.js frontend, camera API, accessibility implementation
Kwame Asante
Accessibility Specialist
WCAG compliance, screen reader testing, UX for blind users
Leila Nazari
Braille Expert & QA
Braille standards, test dataset curation, Grade 2 validation
Slide 06
Future Enhancements
Native Mobile App
iOS and Android apps with offline processing, haptic feedback on cell detection, and optimized camera pipeline for mobile sensors.
Multi-language Braille
Hindi Braille, Arabic Braille, Spanish Braille, and 10+ additional Braille codes for global accessibility coverage.
Real-time Video Mode
Continuous frame analysis without manual capture — hold your camera over a document and read as you scan.
Braille Authoring Tool
Type English text and generate a printable embossed Braille document — bidirectional translation for complete accessibility.
Curriculum Integration
LMS plugins for Moodle and Google Classroom. Teachers upload Braille assignments and get instant English transcripts.
Edge Deployment
Raspberry Pi and low-cost hardware deployment for schools with unreliable internet. Fully offline Braille scanner device.
"Technology should remove barriers, not create them."
BrailleVision AI is our contribution to a world where the written word is accessible to everyone — regardless of sight.