A smartphone application to assist visually impaired people to read document files on mobile phones was recently launched. Innovation Garage Limited, a local tech-based company, developed the application with assistance from VIEW Foundation, a non-government organization, and jointly arranged the launching programme at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.
Accessible Doc Reader can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free. A visually impaired person can use this app to go over document files written in Unicode fonts and reads out text to the user.
Innovation Garage Limited’s Managing Director Ashiqur Rahman Amit said they will make the app’s source code open to all within a few days, so that anyone can contribute to its improvement.
“We work to invent technology for visually impaired people, to ensure their accessibility to the modern amenities. As part of our endeavour, we developed the Doc Reader,” Ashiqur said.
Ashiqur also said they will unveil a pdf reader for the visually impaired on Pahela Baishakh, on the occasion of Bangla New Year.
Speaking as chief guest at the inauguration ceremony, Dhaka University (DU) Vice Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman said the app will be of much help to the visually impaired, especially students.
The Accessible Doc Reader app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
