A groundbreaking tool designed to enhance the accessibility of chart images for blind and visually impaired individuals has been developed by experts from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Allahabad, in collaboration with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

The innovative tool, the brainchild of Shahid Ali Farooqui and his guide Assistant Professor Mohammed Javed, aims to revolutionize how people with visual impairments interact with charts. Farooqui, a principal technical officer at IISER Kolkata pursuing a PhD under Javed at IIIT Allahabad, has been instrumental in developing this technology.

Traditionally, creating alternative text (Alt-text) for chart images, essential for conveying visual information to those unable to see it, has been a manual and often inaccurate process. Recognizing this challenge, the team at IIIT Allahabad has leveraged artificial intelligence to develop a tool that can generate accurate and informative Alt-text.

The tool functions by retrieving high-quality Alt-text from similar chart images, providing users with a reference point for crafting their own descriptions. This AI-driven approach significantly improves the accuracy and effectiveness of Alt-text creation, making it easier for blind and visually impaired individuals to understand complex visual data.

The research paper detailing this innovative tool, titled “Alt4 Blind: A User Interface to Simplify Charts Alt- Text Creation,” has been accepted for presentation at the prestigious International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs in Linz, Austria.

While the current version of the tool focuses on providing Alt-text examples, the researchers are optimistic about incorporating vision language models in future iterations to further enhance accessibility. This development marks a significant step towards creating a more inclusive digital environment for people with visual impairments.

The tool is set to be an invaluable asset for individuals who have previously faced challenges in understanding visual information. As the technology continues to evolve, it holds the promise of empowering blind and visually impaired people to access and comprehend data more effectively.

(Note: India accounts for around 20% of the global blind population. Project Eyeway is an initiative by Score Foundation that acts as a one-stop knowledge resource for those people who are living their lives with blindness. Eyeway operates a national toll-free Helpdesk — 1800 53 20469.)