VoiceBridge

Inspiration

We were motivated to pursue this project by my autistic classmate at school. We saw how hard it might be for them at times to communicate, especially when trying to express basic needs or emotions in a rush. We wanted to create something simple and streamlined to fill the gap, so that they would be able to communicate more easily and be heard.

What it does

The application enables users to choose from a group of simple, clear images of common words and phrases such as "bathroom," "help," "yes," "no," and "tired." When an image is touched, the application has the ability to speak the word out or show it, allowing less verbal or non-verbal users to communicate effectively without getting frustrated

How we built it

We built the app by first making a list of words of essential communication based on what my friend and others usually need. We then discovered or made simple, child-themed icons for each word so the interface is still intuitive and visually clean. We built a grid system design for easy navigation and incorporated audio playback for each word. We sought to make the UI as calming and accessible as possible, considering sensory sensitivities. We used Swift and Xcode.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges we faced was finding or creating images that were simple enough to be easily understood but still meaningful. Another challenge was keeping the app easy to use for people who might not be familiar with technology. We tried different layouts and sought feedback to improve usability. Having the appropriate amount of options so the app wasn't too overwhelming but not too minimalist also required some thought.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're happy to be able to make people communicate more effectively and be more independent. Seeing my friend use it less frustratingly was a huge milestone and motivated me to keep improving it.

What we learned

We gained much in understanding the importance of empathy and universal design for this project. We also had some first-hand knowledge in developing apps, UI/UX design, and troubleshooting for accessibility problems.

What's next for VoiceBridge

In the future, we will incorporate customizable categories whereby the user will be able to tailor the words and images they use most often. We are also thinking about how to link the application to speech-to-text recognition and perhaps incorporate a feature that tracks often used words so that it can better personalize communication support over time.

Built With

• swift
• xcode