Not yet! -----Original Message----- From: 'Mahendra Galani' via AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, December 4, 2020 11:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] This IITian lost vision 8 years ago, he now develops ‘voice app’ that helps visually impaired use p opular apps | Technology News,The Indian Express
great story, however is this app working on Iphone? can someone confirm? thqanks in advance. At 07:31 PM 12/4/2020 +0530, you wrote: >That's an inspiring story indeed! A visually impaired securing >investment from big name like Sequioa and running a successful startup >in tech. > >I think the article would just need a slight correction, IT-BHU was >conferred IIT status in >2012 to what I know and was not one when the honorary would have studied there. > > > > > >On Fri, 4 Dec 2020 at 18:50, pranaya rani ><<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> wrote: >This IITian lost vision 8 years ago, he now develops ‘voice app’ >that helps visually impaired use popular apps | Technology News,The >Indian Express > > ><https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/this >-iitian-lost-vision-develops-voice-app-that-helps-visually-impaired-use >-popular-apps-7083982/?utm_source=newzmate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaig >n=technology&tqid=1vC6MmM6E0MBglWplU1nVx.jC9he477xQVHH3wBuQQ>https://in >dianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/this-iitian-los >t-vision-develops-voice-app-that-helps-visually-impaired-use-popular-ap >ps-7083982/?utm_source=newzmate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technolog >y&tqid=1vC6MmM6E0MBglWplU1nVx.jC9he477xQVHH3wBuQQ > > > >This IITian lost vision 8 years ago, he now develops ‘voice app’ >that helps visually impaired use popular apps > > > > > >International Day of Disabled Persons 2020: >Pramit Bhargava, an alumnus of IIT-BHU and IIM-B, is behind the Louie >app that enables visually impaired users to use popular apps with just >voice commands. > > > ><https://indianexpress.com/profile/author/anuj-bhatia/>Anuj Bhatia >Louie Voice Control, Louie app Android, Pramit Bhargava, apps f > > >A drug reaction 20 years ago affected the retina of Pramit Bhargava, an >alumnus of IIT-BHU and IIM-B. Since then, he slowly started losing his >vision, and by 2012, it had dropped to a point when he could not read >anything. Losing his vision had impacted Bhargava, both mentally and >physiologically. Low on confidence, the 53-year-old even started >questioning himself. > >“I was becoming so dependent on people because of the lack of >technology. Even though I’m a good user of technology, I realised >that the only thing available for the visually impaired was a basic >screen reader that was fairly basic, and was difficult to use,†he >told <https://indianexpress.com>indianexpress.com in an interview. > >Four years ago, Bhargava, who has worked with Hindustan Unilever and ><https://indianexpress.com/about/motorola/>Motorola, >got the idea of developing an app that shows the way as to how tech can >become more accessible to people with disabilities. While seeking help >from a sighted friend to book a cab, Bhargava wondered if he could >create a mobile app that allows visually impaired users to use popular >apps with just voice commands. > >“Louie, in a way, is all about solving my own problem, and with the >hope that it will work for other people as well,†said Bhargava, the >creator of ‘Louie Voice Control’. > > ><https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/the-rise-of-assistive-devices-how-tech-is-helping-people-with-special-needs-7062129/>The > >rise of assistive tech: How tech is helping people with special needs > > > >Bhargava visualised a mobile app that could be a >‘virtual friend’, doing interactions like >humans – something he himself wished existed for >booking a cab or sending a WhatsApp message. >While the idea of a mobile that lets blind and >visually impaired use commonly used apps and >controls the phone with voice commands had a >potential, Bhargava initially struggled to get >developers on board. But once he secured funding >from Sequoia Capital, Bhargava recruited his own >developers and started working on the app. His >team now consists of 14 people, including three >visually impaired developers who are in the area >of testing as well as user experience. >Louie Voice Control, Louie app Android, Pramit Bhargava, apps f ><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-7083358 >size-full" >src="<https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg"; > >alt="Louie Voice Control, Louie app Android, >Pramit Bhargava, apps for visually impaired and >blind, International Day of Disabled Persons >2020, startups in India" >srcset="<https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg > >759w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=450,205>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=450,205 > >450w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=600,274>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=600,274 > >600w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=728,332>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/IMG_8479.jpg?resize=728,332 > >728w" sizes="(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px" >/> Bhargava has worked with the FMCG giant >Hindustan Unilever in the past. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express) > >Bhargava says the mobile app, ‘Louie Voice >Control’, is a part of the larger effort to >make tech products and services accessible for >the people with disabilities and special needs. >With smartphones becoming more accessible than >ever, it becomes natural to design solutions >that benefit a larger section of the society, >including blind and visually impaired people. >The app’s name Louie was derived from Louis >Braille, inventor of the Braille, a system that >enables blind and visually impaired people to read and write through touch. > >“Whichever app we support, whatever phone >functionality we support, we got to make Louie >so good that just like a sighted person, a >visually impaired person should also be able to >do each and everything within that app with just voice commands,†he says. > >Louie is designed to be an accessibility app and >the voice functionality is an integral part of >the solution. “It’s a very complex >technology, and no other app in the world is >actually using it the way we are,†he said. >But how do you differentiate between your >solution vs ><https://indianexpress.com/about/google/>Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri? > > ><https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/apple-updates-accessibility-website-to-make-users-aware-of-new-capabilities-7083580/>Apple > >updates accessibility website to make users aware of new capabilities > > > >“The difference in approach is that if you >take the voice assistants, be it Google >Assistant, Siri or Alexa, they are meant for the >sighted masses,†he explains. Citing the >example of Uber, Bhargava said none of these >voice assistants can actually do a complete >booking. “What Louie does is that it will ask >you for the destination, it will tell you the >rides and the order of increasing prices and >then it will confirm pick up. Even post booking, >you can call the driver and cancel your ride. >They do superficial support for each app, what >we do is we do complete 100 per cent support >within an app that we voice-enable,†he said. >For Bhargava, the blind and visually impaired is >the use case for Louie and that itself >differentiates the app from Google Assistant or Alexa. > >Bhargava says the core technology used to >develop the Louie app is developed in-house. >However, there are many supporting technologies >that are used to make the app come from Google. >For example, the Louie app uses Google’s >speech to text conversion, which is where a lot >of artificial intelligence comes into play. >“With Louie, you can set up any voice engine >and voice that you want. We don’t have a voice of our own,†he said. >Louie Voice Control, Louie app Android, Pramit Bhargava, apps f ><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-7083355 >size-full" >src="<https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg"; > >alt="Louie Voice Control, Louie app Android, >Pramit Bhargava, apps for visually impaired and >blind, International Day of Disabled Persons >2020, startups in India" >srcset="<https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg > >759w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=450,438>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=450,438 > >450w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=600,583>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=600,583 > >600w, ><https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=417,405>https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/12/louie.jpg?resize=417,405 > >417w" sizes="(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px" >/> The Louie app is designed for blind, >visually impaired people, and elderly. The app >works with Uber, WhatsApp, YouTube, among other apps. > >Bhargava says the app, which is currently >available on ><https://indianexpress.com/about/android/>Android, >has a user base in 70 countries and there is a >WhatsApp group that is being used to get the >feedback from users. “Practically 99% of the >users that we have are all visually impaired.†> >Big tech companies like ><https://indianexpress.com/about/apple/>Apple, >Google and ><https://indianexpress.com/about/microsoft/>Microsoft >have been making their products more accessible >for the disabled. With ><https://indianexpress.com/about/ios/>iOS, Apple >has added features designed to make its devices >easier to use for people with disabilities. >Microsoft meanwhile offers an Xbox Adaptive >Controller specially designed for people with >special needs. Google, too, is not behind in its >efforts to make its services accessible for >disabled. It recently added Live Caption, a >feature which transcribes videos and audio on a >smartphone in real-time. Efforts are being made >to make products that benefit everyone, but the >accessibility tech is still in progress. > >“One of the reasons why this app is so complex >for us is that there is no one standard Android >and unlike iOS where accessibility features are >baked in, here there are various versions of >Android, particularly the Chinese phones, where >different phones have got different versions of >Android. Because accessibility is like an >afterthought, it’s not baked in so you can >make an app which will be completely inaccessible,†he said. > >Accessibility tech has a lot of potential to >grow in India, according to Bhargava. “The >core solution has to be technology, and even the >dissemination of these solutions through technology.†> >Right now, the Louie app is in beta stage and >can be downloaded for free from the Google Play >Store. But Bhargava is contemplating on how to >price the app in India. “The whole idea is >that how do you make it so affordable, so it >could be down to Rs 20 a month, it could be Rs >35 a month, but certainly not in the range of Rs >350-400 a month in India†. Bhargava is also >thinking of tying up with an organisation, and giving them a free license. > >📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. >Click <https://t.me/indianexpress>here to join >our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines > >For all the latest ><https://indianexpress.com/section/technology/>Technology >News, download ><https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/india-news-indian-express/id506351833?mt=8>Indian > >Express App. > >© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd > > >Sent from my iPhone > >-- >Disclaimer: >1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, >reflect the thinking of the person sending the >mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > >2. AI cannot be held liable for any >commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. > > >Search for old postings at: ><http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >--- >You received this message because you are >subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. >To unsubscribe from this group and stop >receiving emails from it, send an email to ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]. >To view this discussion on the web visit ><https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/004301d6ca40%24421999a0%24bc00a8c0%40DESKTOPSF8NV9J?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/004301d6ca40%24421999a0%24bc00a8c0%40DESKTOPSF8NV9J. > >-- >Disclaimer: >1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, >reflect the thinking of the person sending the >mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > >2. AI cannot be held liable for any >commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. > > >Search for old postings at: ><http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >--- >You received this message because you are >subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. >To unsubscribe from this group and stop >receiving emails from it, send an email to ><mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]. >To view this discussion on the web visit ><https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAAx3Jh1OGEPt_%2B5svcA5XRMxGX2uTraxSnDhKM2WjgA%2BzPMcXw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAAx3Jh1OGEPt_%2B5svcA5XRMxGX2uTraxSnDhKM2WjgA%2BzPMcXw%40mail.gmail.com. with warm regards Mahendra Galani Whatsapp/Viber/Skype/Imo/Facetime +43 699 174 555 95 Festnetz +43 1 961 77 47 Addresse, Arneth gasse 45/2/2 1160 Vienna, Austria, Europe -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/20201204192453.lFlFkarvDVVAxlFlFkBx0X%40vie01a-pemc-psmtp-pe11.mail.upcmail.net. -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. 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