Scan enabled applications for persons with mobility impairment (SABARI)

Individuals with multiple disabilities have difficulty in communicating with the external world. A predominant method of communication is to have a chart of pictures or letters/words and make the individual point to the particular picture or letter. For individuals with limited mobility, a partner is usually employed, who points and reads the item one by one in the chart. When the particular item is pointed, the individual indicates an yes choice through some means such as eye-blinking. In this paper, we have described an initiative called SABARI, where technology has been used to replace the partner. In other words, the computer acts as a partner, highlighting the item one by one and when the particular item is highlighted, the individual presses the switch or moves a body part to activate the switch. We have developed several software applications based on this methodology and some of these are being used by Vidyasagar (Formerly called Spastic Society of India).