Students create app to aid the visually impaired

Those who are visually impaired can use a new mobile app to help them read signs such as those at a bus stop or toilet.

The app, The Sixth Sense, was developed by nine students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) with the help of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.

They have been working on the app since last year.

Group representative Jaclyn Yeo, 18, said: "They can click on the link given, select the 'launch camera' option and point to any sign...

"(A voice on the app) will read out the sign."

Jaclyn's team was inspired after listening to concerns of visually impaired people, who feel vulnerable when it comes to reading the words on or even spotting signs.

"They said they prefer to be independent and not be reliant on others to read the signs, so we kept that in mind when we developed this product," she said.

Though the project is still in its early stages, the team hopes to make the app available to all in the near future.

The project is one of 16 presented at the biennial ITE-Vocational Training Council (VTC) International Student Seminar.

The two-day event ending today brings together more than 600 students, aged 17 to 19, from six territories, including Singapore and Hong Kong. It is being held at ITE College West and is organised by ITE and VTC.

Participants' projects are based on the theme of "Post-Covid-19 World: Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Future".

At the opening ceremony yesterday, Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman said Singapore must continue to encourage innovation and technological adoption to adapt promptly to post-Covid-19 norms.

Dr Maliki added that at the same time, the country needs to redesign jobs so that they boost productivity and reduce the dependence on foreign labour.

"This is critical for densely populated and fast-ageing societies like Singapore and Hong Kong, while at the same time enabling us to remain agile and nimble to handle the challenges of the future."

Another team - comprising students from Hong Kong and Singapore - presented a project called Looking Through The Human Canvas.

The 41-member team used body painting to portray the different stages of Covid-19.

The body art depicts elements of the pre-pandemic, pandemic and transition phases and a vision of the new normal.

Team representative Shemaiah Jenn Gongon Dacanay, 21, said the project widened her team's views on issues such as climate change and the vulnerable in society.

She added: "Only when we were exposed to this project did we realise that we have to think about sustainability and inclusivity for others to benefit, and for the environment actually to be better than what it is now."