Two mobile applications - Digital Nethra for Eyes (Dignify) and Visual Intervention Kit with Analytics for Children with Special Needs (VIKAS) - developed by MindTree Foundation in collaboration with Aravind Eye Care System to help visually challenged people were launched here on Thursday.
While Dignify can read out text from printed books, the VIKAS application helps in diagnosis and rehabilitation of those having cognitive visual dysfunction (CVD).
Highlighting that CVD was not caused by problem in the eyes but in certain areas of brain that process the inputs from eyes, P. Vijayalakshmi, Chief, Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Services, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, said that people with CVD, for instance, could face difficulties in recognising faces, colours, or limitations in field of view.
ADVERTISEMENT
“CVD is often caused due to premature births resulting in lack of blood flow or development in certain parts of brain, disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or damage to brain,” she said.
Stating that CVD was difficult to diagnose since children often cannot express their difficulties, Dr. Vijayalakshmi said that the VIKAS application, which includes variety of simple exercises involving pattern matching, colour recognition, and puzzle solving, will help not only in diagnosing the precise problems faced by those affected by CVD, but also help in their rehabilitation.
“If one part of the brain responsible for doing a particular activity is not functioning, another part can be tutored to an extent to carry out the task, for which this application can be of help,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
M. Manickavelu, Programme Director, MindTree Foundation, said that the future plan included providing the application as a physical kit with an tablet-like device just running VIKAS.
“We will include enhanced functionalities in that,” he said.
Dignify, the other application, which needs a small gantry to hold the mobile phone above the book to be read, can scan the pages of the book and read out the content.
“As of now, it can process only English. The application will be made to support other Indian languages in the future,” Abraham Moses, General Manager, MindTree Foundation, said.
He added that though both the mobile applications could be downloaded free of cost, the foundation was planning to bring the kit needed with Dignify within ₹ 10,000 range to make it more affordable.
Rostow Ravanan, Chief Executive Officer, MindTree, lauded the vital inputs and periodic feedback provided Aravind Eye Care System, without which he said that the applications could not have been developed.
R.D. Ravindran, Chairman, Aravind Eye Care System, said that the hospital would collaborate with MindTree Foundation for more such initiatives.