RESPECT FONK

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Inspiration

We noticed a lot of images online either don’t have alt text or the alt text is super vague. For people with visual impairments, that makes apps and websites way harder to use. So we wanted to make something that fixes that in a quick and easy way. That’s basically where the idea for RESPECT FONK came from.

What it does

RESPECT FONK is a browser extension that checks any image you hover over or click on, and then generates clear and detailed alt text for it. It also lets users edit the alt text if they want it more accurate. The whole goal is to make websites more accessible without making it annoying or slow.

How we built it

We built the extension using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for the frontend. For the actual alt-text generation, we connected it to an image-description API. We also added a small UI so users can see, copy, or tweak the alt text. Most of our time went into making sure the pop-up looked simple and didn’t break on random websites.

Challenges we ran into

One big problem was getting the API responses fast enough so the extension didn’t feel laggy. Another issue was making it work on sites that load images weirdly or have hidden elements. Styling the pop-up so it didn’t cover important stuff on the screen was also annoying. We had to fix a bunch of random bugs we weren’t expecting.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that the extension actually works consistently and gives good alt text. We also like how simple it looks and how easy it is to use. Honestly, the biggest accomplishment was figuring out problems we didn’t know how to solve at the start and still getting the whole thing finished.

What we learned

We learned a lot about accessibility and how important alt text really is. We also learned how browser extensions work behind the scenes, how to deal with APIs, and how small design choices can change the entire user experience. Plus, we learned how to debug better.

What's next for RESPECT FONK

Next, we want to add support for videos and maybe even generate captions. We also want to make the alt text smarter by giving users style options like “short,” “detailed,” or “strictly objective.” Another idea is adding a community-rated alt text option so people can share better descriptions. Basically, we want RESPECT FONK to become a full accessibility toolkit, not just an alt-text generator.

Built With

• chrome
• javascript
• python
• react
• webdev
• webpack