Inspiration: A Spark of Compassion
The idea behind Sibonelo was ignited during a simple act of kindness. While waiting in line at a supermarket, I witnessed a visually impaired individual struggling to count their SASSA disability grant. The interaction sparked a deep sense of empathy and a realization of the daily challenges faced by those with visual impairments. This personal experience became the catalyst for developing Sibonelo, an app designed to empower visually impaired individuals and provide them with the financial independence they deserve.
What it does
Sibonelo is an app that helps blind people identify paper money. It takes a picture of the money, uses a special computer program to figure out what it is, and then tells you the amount in a voice. This makes it easier for blind people to manage their money and be more independent.
How we built it
Developed using a combination of Python programming language, the TensorFlow machine learning framework, and the OpenCV computer vision library.
What's next for Sibonelo/Maliphakathi
Once the core functionality is validated on a desktop or web platform, the project will be extended to develop a mobile application. This future mobile app will maintain the same core features but will be optimized for use on smartphones, providing greater convenience and accessibility to users on the go.
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