Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Technology
  • #TechThursdays – TouchVision SmartStand promises to be a game changer for visually impaired people

#TechThursdays – TouchVision SmartStand promises to be a game changer for visually impaired people

Technology July 11, 2019
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
0

In our weekly feature #TechThursdays, we look at the latest offering by young entrepreneur Ankita Gulati who has developed a device that enables blind and low vision people to access any printed text.

Not every document is reproduced in Braille, making printed text inaccessible to visually impaired people. TouchVision SmartStand aims to change that.

Anaavaran Technologies Private Limited, a social enterprise incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) has launched a device that enables visually impaired people to independently access any form of printed text.

TouchVision SmartStand is a stand that is foldable and portable. It holds the smartphone in a position that facilitates fast, precisely aligned scans of any printed text, ranging from documents, books, cheques, newspapers, greeting cards and business cards.

It is portable, lightweight and user-friendly, folds down flat and fits in a backpack or laptop sleeve. It’s easy and intuitive mechanism enables visually impaired users to use any smartphone application to scan their documents in real time and listen to the scanned text in their preferred language. – Ankita Gulati, Founder- CEO, Anaavaran Technologies Private Ltd.

With the device, users can scan any long document within minutes with the help of the stand. They can also share the scanned file in different formats including EPUB, PDF and text.

“With this, users can scan even a 100-page document in three minutes”, adds Ankita, who has been won a national award for developing affordable assistive technologies. Her start-up has received grants from the Ministry of Human Resource and Development and the Department of Science and Technology for the development and dissemination of inclusive products.

Lighter, cheaper

What makes her latest innovation unique is that it is cheaper and lighter than available products. “The scanners in the market are imported and bulky”, points out Ankita. The other problem is that they are available in English language only, making them inaccessible to users in other languages.

The SmartStand is available in two versions, one priced at ₹1,840 and the other at ₹1,250. The team has been working on the design for over three years and plans to officially release it in a few weeks’ time. It is being used in various state government offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Rajasthan as well as in colleges, banks and government organisations. Around 1,000 books have been converted since February 2019.

Akashdeep Arora, an IAS officer in Jaipur started using the SmartStand five months ago. “This is a great breakthrough in my life in areas of accessibility. I can take the images of written documents myself without anybody’s assistance and convert it into text with the help of Optical Character Recognition software and read it and access in on my laptop as well.”

Another visually impaired bank employee in Rajasthan used it to translate the books he needed for his exams. “He could convert 60 books in a week for him and his classmates”, adds Ankita.

The launch and adoption of SmartStand, hopes Ankita, will serve as a milestone in enabling India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and contribute to the Development with All, For All agenda for inclusive development.

ALSO READ:
#TechThursdays: TouchVision brings pictures alive for people with visual disabilities

Watch in Sign Language

0

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Read more on Newz Hook

  • Employment,Independent Living
    My journey from a hearing impaired individual to a Social Changemaker
  • Get-hooked
    #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth – Early detection & treatment is critical to prevent permanent vision loss
  • Accessibility
    Top 10 Accessible Brands & Brand Campaigns Globally
  • Employment
    InReturn Strategies is redefining the way American companies talk about diversity & inclusion
  • Accessibility,Independent Living
    Affordable and Independent Mobility for Persons with Disabilities still a distant hope in India (series 1 of 3)

Contribue to Newz Hook. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature your inspiring story or share an event with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Related News

Employment

My journey from a hearing impaired individual to a Social Changemaker

Woman getting her eyes tested

Get-hooked

#GlaucomaAwarenessMonth – Early detection & treatment is critical to prevent permanent vision loss

Logos of the 10 brands featured in the article

Accessibility

Top 10 Accessible Brands & Brand Campaigns Globally

Jim Atwater and Scott Brouilette, Co-founders of InReturn Strategies.

Employment

InReturn Strategies is redefining the way American companies talk about diversity & inclusion

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Get-hooked

Pick festive gifts at amazing prices made at Utthan, a centre for people with mental disabilities

Get-hooked

Dance video from parent support group ‘Youngistan’ aims to spread message of inclusion & diversity

Get-hooked

#LovePossible - How Anitha knew Immanuel really loved her

Headlines

Colleges in Karnataka to reopen on 17 November

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook is a media site focusing on Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight stories that share insights into the lives of people with disabilities, offer solutions and create collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who share knowledge about disability, inclusion & accessibility.

Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.