Text-to-Speech & Speech-to-Text device

This device or tool will benefit those who can't see to help them with their reading and writing so they don't drop the idea of continuing their education.

I have been in contact with visually impaired students since 2013 at Kinnaird College, Lahore. They were with me in our hostel too. I have indirect experience of the difficulties they had to face. For two years, while I was there, I would tutor them...translating the material from English into Urdu. There are some who are continuing with undergraduate programs, but their textbooks are not in digital form. Also when they take exam they have to rely on sighted individuals to write on their paper what they dictate, because there were limited to no facilities for them.

It occurred to me if there could be anything digital that could read out the text to them just like the text-to-speech software. Can they not have the physical copy read out loud to them by a device? Also would turn the speech they record into text form on a paper?

It's MIT! It can create such tool that would set the visually impaired youth free. It's important because all their lives, these students learn Braille but when they enter college/university, its usage stops & so does their learning, sadly, very sadly!

Many of these disadvantage girls stop continuing their education because they have to rely on the audio recording of the lecture and that makes them not produce good project or anything close to what's in the textbook. This affects their learning because they are not familiarized with technical terms in their textbook that other students know of. 

I'm sure this is not an issue limited to my friends but the youth with no ability to see face challenges like these. I firmly believe technology will definitely help in making their learning easy!

The specific problem that it solves is connected with the learning obstacles that visually impaired students in Pakistani colleges and universities face. Even their textbooks are not in digital form, scanning has issues of its own. In Pakistani universities there are not enough teachers who are trained in knowing Braille. Even the Board exams that take place are not designed for them. They've to get someone to write what they dictate to them in their exams.

The solution conceptualized here will resolve their reading and writing challenges by the help of technology. 

Well, it's MIT and there was time when people couldn't even think of talking to others while seeing them but it happened. Look, MIT algorithm measures pulse by looking at one's face, so how can I not expect it to create a tool that would read the text on physical copy and turn the speech into text on a paper? 

I definitely want to see in action a digital pen that reads printed text of any language and turns speech, of anyone with any language background, into text on a paper.

The solution will impact the reading and writing of visually impaired students across Pakistani Universities. They will use the device to get through their degree programs. And, have the physical copy of their textbooks read out to them by the device & their recorded speech turned into text on a paper. In Pakistan nonnative speakers of English language exist, so unlike Siri it'll be designed to accept the different variety of English and support any language speaker.

MS Excel works well to measure the plan - Visually impaired learners in Pakistani Universities use the tool

It's innovative, because no such device exists that converts the speech into text form on paper. Devices like finger reader and saytext exist (links provided) but finger reader doesn't work for Urdu Language. Saytext users have to get iphone to use it. 

The device that I'm conceptualizing is such that it's designed like a pen and reads out the text of any language on paper and also converts the audio into text and writes on paper. 2 in 1. 

Supporting any language user  (nonnative speakers of English) is what this device aims, that's how it's different from other existing devices.

It'll meet the need of visually impaired individuals from any background and anyone who can't write or read, so it's absolutely human-centered. 

It'll be free of cost, because the community that requires this type of device are already dependent financially on others, most of them. So this will be provided by raising funds to get them have it for free. It'll be given to university students at Pakistani universities to help them with their learning as a reader and writer. 

Plan is to raise funds through networking, campaigning and get people to donate, just like Abdul Sattar Edhi would raise funds for his projects to benefit the people of Pakistan through the people of Pakistan. 

I initiated fundraising culture in underprivileged area Balochistan to help Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital Lahore with treatment of poor patients, and our team in Quetta, Balochistan was managed to get regular donors. Therefore I plan to do the same for this project to sustain it financially.

That's the only way that could be thought of for now. 

To start with, I don't have knowledge of technology, so I do need support with that. I also don't have any financial support from anyone to get this started. I don't live in the US and don't have any means to travel so that will definitely limit my ability to succeed in this cause. I don't have any knowledge of annual budget, it may exceed than what I have mentioned in here. It's totally based on rough estimation.  

http://mv.ezproxy.com.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/sites/default/files/paper317.pdf

http://www.docscannerapp.com/saytext/

I'm applying to become solver because if we don't help others how can we expect to be helped and live peacefully for the benefit of others. 

I don't like to limit myself within the mountains of Balochistan! On 28th April '16 someone said "Although I know there are limited opportunities in Balochistan, but you are needed there." I was disappointed hearing that but I empowered myself by believing "we are here for the people, not from them" So here I’m to benefit others and therefore looking for Solve to take advantage of the knowledge connected with technology to help youth...!

None so far. I'm open to partnering, though. :) 

No one so far I know.