Abstract
Visually challenged people form a large population segment, with estimates starting from tens of millions to hundreds of millions worldwide. Integration into society is a major and current goal for them. A substantial attempt has been taken into ensuring a healthcare system. To aid visually impaired people to live a usual life, several guidance system strategies are created. These systems are oftentimes created for a single purpose. The internet has become a necessary means for people to acquire knowledge and information. Today, unfortunately, the advantages of this mighty tool are still away from visually impaired people, and they find difficulty in accessing the web. Over the years, people built different technologies and tools that can help the visually impaired in reaching out to the outside world.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Speech-to-Text (STT): Speech-to-Text (STT) is a type of software that converts spoken words into written text. It allows users to transcribe spoken content into a written format, making it easier to share and access.
Email Notifications: Email notifications are automated messages sent via email to users to inform them about specific events or activities. For example, email notifications can be sent to users when they receive a new message on a social media platform.
Speech Recognition: Speech recognition is a technology that enables computers to recognize and interpret human speech. It allows users to interact with computers and other digital devices using spoken commands.
Beautiful Soup: Beautiful Soup is a Python library used for web scraping purposes. It allows developers to parse HTML and XML documents and extract useful data from them.
Screen Readers: Screen readers are assistive technology devices that allow visually impaired users to access digital content. They read the content aloud using synthesized speech and provide an auditory representation of the visual content on a screen.
Visually Impaired: Visually impaired refers to individuals who have partial or complete loss of vision. They may rely on assistive technology such as screen readers or braille displays to access digital content.
Open Weather: API: Open Weather API is a weather API that provides real-time weather data for any location in the world. Developers can use this API to retrieve information such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and cloud coverage.
Geo IP Lite: Geo IP Lite is a free, open-source API that allows developers to look up the location of an IP address. It provides accurate information about the country, region, and city where the IP address is registered.
Web Applications: Web applications are software programs that run on web browsers. They provide a range of services such as email, online shopping, social networking, and video conferencing. Web applications can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
Audio Feedback: Audio feedback refers to a type of feedback that provides an audible response to a user's action or input. For example, a “beep” sound after pressing a button on a computer keyboard is a form of audio feedback.
Voice Interaction: Voice interaction is a type of human-computer interaction that allows users to interact with computers and other digital devices using voice commands. It is becoming increasingly popular with the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants.
Text-to-Speech (TTS): Text-To-Speech (TTS) is a technology that converts written text into spoken words. It allows computers and other digital devices to read text aloud, making it easier for users to access content.
Twilio: Twilio is a cloud communications platform that provides APIs for developers to integrate messaging, voice, and video into their applications. It simplifies the process of building communication applications by providing a range of pre-built tools and services.
Express.js: Express.js is a popular web application framework for Node.js. It simplifies the development process of web applications by providing useful features such as routing, middleware, and templating.