Neuro-Adaptive Reader

• 

  in use

Inspiration

My brother, having down syndrome has trouble understanding long, complex passages about topics, as well as a struggle to stay engaged. I am dyslexic and can struggle keeping my place

What it does

Neuro-Adaptive Reader is a Chrome extension that makes digital text more accessible. By leveraging AI, it instantly simplifies dense or overwhelming paragraphs, reducing cognitive load and reading fatigue for neurodivergent individuals and everyday readers alike.

How I built it

I built the user interface with React and Vite. For the core functionality, I used the Chrome Extension API (Manifest V3) to handle background service workers and message passing. The text simplification engine is powered by the Google Gemini API, and I developed the entire project using WebStorm, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

Challenges I ran into

My biggest hurdle was mastering asynchronous message passing in Chrome's Manifest V3. Initially, the connection between my React frontend and background script kept closing before the Gemini API could return its result. I had to debug via the Service Worker console and properly implement the return true; logic to keep the communication channel open while the AI processed the text.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am thrilled to have built a fully functional, end-to-end AI Chrome extension during the hackathon. Bridging a modern React app with Chrome's strict background workers was a major milestone, and I am proud of designing a clean interface that provides immediate visual feedback to the user.

What we learned

This project was a crash course in browser extension architecture. I learned exactly how strict Chrome’s environment is compared to standard web apps, and I gained highly valuable experience integrating large language models into a live application while managing asynchronous UI states.

What's next for Neuro-Adaptive Reader

Next, I plan to secure the API key management—either via an "Options" page or a proxy server—so I can safely publish the extension on the Chrome Web Store. Beyond that, I want to add customizable reading profiles, like ADHD-focused summary modes and dyslexia-friendly font toggles, to better serve specific neurodivergent needs. This is both a project for this hackathon as well as a now passion-project to hopefully help make reading easier for those who struggle

Built With

• chrome-extension-api
• css
• gemini-api
• html
• javascript
• react
• vite
• webstorm