I remember my childhood, a time when the radio was our only window to the world. For a visually impaired person like me, the news bulletins, cricket commentaries and entertainment programmes broadcast over the airwaves weren’t just pastimes – they were our sole source of information.
The limitations never bothered us back then. We never questioned whether the news was filtered through government controls, nor did we wonder whether it truly served public interests. We consumed what was available because that’s all there was.
Back then, braille books were a lifeline. But they were slow to print and difficult to access. Our educational journey was marked by waiting, dependency and a lack of real-time access to information. But, with the passage of time, our methods of learning and consuming information began to evolve.
First came the tape recorders, allowing us to listen to audiobooks, followed by CDs and DVDs, which made storage and access slightly more convenient. Then came memory cards and pen drives, compact tools that let us carry entire libraries in our pockets.
However, the real revolution began in the 2010s, when the rise of smartphones, laptops, and AI-powered assistive technologies transformed our world in ways we had never imagined. Screen readers became our digital eyes, allowing us to access information independently. Websites and mobile apps started replacing physical newspapers, making real-time news accessible at the touch of a button. For the first time, many of us could read books in PDF format and, most importantly, we could write our own exams without relying on scribes.
From total dependence on human assistance to digital self-reliance, the journey of India’s visually impaired community has been shaped by the quiet but profound power of technology. But while these advancements have brought greater autonomy, they have also exposed the deep financial and infrastructural inequalities that still exist in our country.
The question remains: Is technology truly making life easier for all visually impaired Indians, or is it widening the accessibility gap between those who can afford it and those who cannot?
From total dependence on human assistance to digital self-reliance, the journey of India’s visually impaired community has been shaped by the quiet but profound power of technology. But while these advancements have brought greater autonomy, they have also exposed the deep financial and infrastructural inequalities that still exist in our country.
The high cost of accessibility
Despite advancements in assistive technologies, there are significant economic and developmental barriers in India that hinder their widespread adoption. From screen readers to smart glasses, the high costs prevent many from benefiting. Infrastructural challenges and localisation issues further complicate their implementation.
The economic burden of visual impairment in India is substantial, with significant implications for both governments and individuals. A study published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology estimated that the cumulative loss of Gross National Income due to avoidable blindness in India is approximately Rs 11,778.6 billion (US $535 billion).
This figure underscores the profound economic impact on the nation. For many visually impaired individuals, the high costs associated with assistive technologies, healthcare and daily living aids often exceed their purchasing power. While the government allocates resources to address visual impairment, their per capita expenditure is limited.
There’s a need for enhanced support systems and policies to alleviate the financial strain on visually impaired individuals and reduce the overall economic burden on the country.
Research indicates that individuals with visual impairments often face significant economic challenges including reduced income levels and limited purchasing power. A study by the American Institutes for Research found that working-age adults with disabilities in the United States have a total disposable income of approximately $490 billion, with discretionary income around $21 billion. This suggests that, despite substantial collective income, discretionary spending remains limited within this population.
Furthermore, a systematic review published in BMJ Open highlights that individuals with visual impairments incur higher annual expenses compared to those without such impairments. The study found that mean annual expenses per patient ranged from $12,175 to $24,180, depending on the severity of the impairment. These increased costs are attributed to medical services, assistive devices, and informal care, further straining the financial resources of visually impaired individuals.
Devices, affordability and drawbacks
Now, most of you reading this piece probably never suffered from any kind of disability and do not suffer from information inequality. There’s a high chance you don’t know how blind people use accessible devices and apps for their reading, navigation, entertainment and other purposes.
So, allow me to introduce you to them. I’ll also explain their price points so you’ll understand (a) how important they are; and (b) how unaffordability is a huge obstacle.
1: Screen readers
Ever since people with disabilities got access to computers, they primarily used screen reader software to interact with websites, apps and social media platforms. Screen readers are one of the most important tools used by blind people across the world, used extensively on iPhones and Android phones.
a) Job Access With Speech (JAWS)
Developed by Freedom Scientific, JAWS offers comprehensive features including support for various applications and web browsers, customisable settings, and regular updates.
Affordability: The home annual licence for JAWS is priced at $95 while the professional version costs approximately $1,200. Given the average income levels in India, the cost of JAWS is prohibitive for many users. The high price point limits accessibility, especially among students and individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Many blind users opt for the pirated version for their personal use. Additionally, the high cost does not include ongoing support or updates, so further expenses are likely.
Drawbacks: Despite its robust features, JAWS has a steep learning curve. Users often require extensive training. Users often require extensive training to utilise the software effectively.
b) NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA)
NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader developed by NV Access. It provides essential functionalities including support for popular applications and web browsers, and is continually updated by a community of developers. I’m writing this article using the help of NVDA.
Its website clearly spells out its statement of purpose: “We believe that every blind + vision impaired person deserves the right to freely and easily access a computer! We create the software which makes that possible.”
Affordability: NVDA is free, making it an attractive alternative to commercial screen readers. But users may face costs related to compatible hardware, such as computers and braille displays. Access to training resources may be limited, particularly in rural areas.
Drawbacks: NVDA may not offer the same level of support or advance features as commercial screen readers like JAWS. Users have reported issues with compatibility in certain applications and less comprehensive customer support. This has improved a lot, however, over the years.
c) TalkBack and VoiceOver
These are the default screen readers on smartphones – TalkBack developed by Google for Android, and VoiceOver for iPhones. They offer various gestures and features to effectively operate smartphone apps like WhatsApp, YouTube and other social platforms. VoiceOver in particular is highly accessible, simple and fast for blind people.
Affordability: Since these are inbuilt features on devices, they’re free for all. But iPhones are expensive – they start at Rs 79,000 – and can only be afforded by those with economic resources. Android phones are more affordable but affordability comes with its own challenges, such as slowing screen reader capabilities and issues like hanging.
Drawbacks: Android’s TalkBack is slow and sometimes hangs. It also creates problems in web navigation. For iPhones, most third-party apps are not accessible.
2) Braille displays and notetakers
Braille displays and notetakers are devices that provide tactile feedback, allowing visually impaired users to read and input information using Braille.
a) Orbit Reader 20
The Orbit Reader 20 is a portable braille display that offers 20 cells of refreshable braille. It functions as a stand-alone reader, a notetaker, and a braille display when connected to a computer or mobile device.
Affordability: The Orbit Reader 20 is priced at around Rs 45,000. Its high cost makes it inaccessible to many potential users in India. While some organisations offer subsidies, these are often insufficient to bridge the affordability gap.
Drawbacks: Users have reported that the single-line display can slow down reading efficiency. Additionally, the device requires maintenance, with service costs ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 15,000, adding to the overall expense. There’s also been very little research and development to improve the quality of the braille display since the device was launched.
b) BrailleNote Touch Plus
Developed by HumanWare, the BrailleNote Touch Plus is an advanced braille tablet that combines a traditional braille notetaker with modern tablet functionality. It features a touchscreen, braille keyboard, and access to numerous applications.
Affordability: The device is priced at approximately $5,695, which is over Rs 4 lakh. The exorbitant cost places it out of reach for most individuals in India, even with potential subsidies.
Drawbacks: While rich in features, the BrailleNote Touch Plus’s complexity may overwhelm some users. The reliance on a touchscreen can also be challenging for those accustomed to traditional braille keyboards.
3) Smart glasses
Smart glasses are wearable devices equipped with cameras and sensors to assist visually impaired users by providing audio descriptions of their surroundings. A user would wear the glasses and use a mobile app to scan their surroundings and receive descriptions. It also offers the ability to read documents and colour recognition.
a) Envision Glasses
Envision Glasses are AI-powered smart glasses that can read text, recognise faces, describe scenes and more, providing real-time audio feedback to a user.
Affordability: The glasses are priced between Rs 1.49 lakh and Rs 2.66 lakh – price points that make the glasses inaccessible to the majority of visually impaired individuals in India.
Drawbacks: Despite their advanced features, users have reported limitations in accurately describing complex scenes and difficulties in recognising certain objects or text in low-light conditions.
b) Smarton Glasses
The Smarton Smart Vision Glasses are an AI-powered assistive device designed to aid visually impaired users by providing real-time visual assistance. The glasses utilise advanced technology to interpret visual information and convey it audibly to a user, enhancing their ability to navigate and understand their surroundings.
Smarton’s website says it “assists individuals with walking, access to printed and handwritten materials and allow access to books, newspaper, etc”.
Affordability: The device costs Rs 14,999. It costs Rs 2,000 more for apps subscription. As compared to other glasses available in the market, where the prices go into lakhs of rupees, the Smarton Smart Vision Glasses could be considered somewhat affordable.
Drawbacks: Due to Apple’s privacy guidelines, the device can’t be used on iOS platforms. It’s therefore only available for Android users.
4) Mobility aids
Mobility aids assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their environment safely and independently. In past centuries, people used traditional white canes but with the advent of the 21st century, many organisations have tried to develop ‘smart canes’ that can offer additional features.
SmartCane
Developed by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, SmartCane is an electronic travel aid that detects obstacles using ultrasonic sensors and provides vibratory feedback to a user.
Affordability: Priced at Rs 3,500, this is relatively affordable though the cost can still be a barrier for individuals from low-income households.
Drawbacks: Users have reported issues with the accuracy of obstacle detection, particularly in crowded or complex environments. SmartCane cannot detect small objects like potholes. The vibration feedback is often confusing, leading some users to prefer the traditional white cane.
5) Reading and Optical Character Recognition apps and devices
These are devices that use OCR to extract text from image-based pdfs and books. They’re developed to read Latin-based scripts and regional scripts such as Devnagiri and texts from other Indian languages.
a) Envision AI app
The Envision AI app uses OCR to allow blind users to read printed text, recognise objects, describe scenes, and identify faces. It supports over 60 languages and can read handwritten text, food packaging, and books.
Affordability: The app was initially offered on a subscription bases (Rs 69 per month, Rs 690 per year, Rs 7,999 for a lifetime). In 2022, it became free for all users.
Drawbacks: The app’s quality declined ever since it became free. Users report slower processing speeds and reduced accuracy in image descriptions. The app depends on internet connectivity for advanced features like scene description and colour recognition. It has inconsistent text recognition, particularly with Indian scripts. It offers no offline mode for some critical functions.
b) Kibo XS
Developed by Trestle Labs, Kibo XS is a dedicated scanning device that converts printed material into accessible text and speech. This is primarily designed to scan books, documents and printed content for blind users.
Affordability: The device costs Rs 27,000 for individuals and Rs 99,000 for institutions. There are monthly and yearly subscription costs for Kibo apps too. This makes it very expensive for personal users. Some purchases might be subsidised by NGOs or CSR initiatives but many struggle to afford it.
Drawbacks: The device requires manual scanning of each page which is time-consuming. It has limited portability compared to smartphone OCR apps.
6) Digital library and Daisy players
Daisy – Digital Accessible Information System – players are specialised media players that allow visually impaired individuals to listen to audio-based digital books with features like bookmarking, page navigation, and speed control.
a) EVO E11 Daisy Player
Developed by Saksham Trust, this is a portable Daisy player with support for 15 languages and playback of multiple file formats, including pdf, epub, txt, doc and daisy. A user can use this device to read any type of book with support such as bookmarking, page navigation, and speed control (blind people are fond of listening to increased speeds that are often unimaginable for their sighted peers).
Affordability: It costs Rs 13,700 though there are some discounts available through NGOs. This is a very high cost compared to basic audio players. Many visually impaired users would rather use a free mobile app like Voice Dream Reader instead of purchasing a separate device.
Drawbacks: The EVO E11 is bulky and outdated compared to modern apps. It doesn’t have cloud-based access, requiring manual loading of content. It offers short battery life compared to alternatives like iPhones and Android devices.
b) Angel India Online Daisy Player
This device is a Daisy media player with features like internet radio, e-book reading, and audiobook playback.
Affordability: It costs Rs 11,300 which, while cheaper than the EVO E11, is still a significant expense. It might be preferable for a user who doesn’t want to spend time on booting up a PC.
Drawbacks: The device has limited storage capacity compared to a smartphone. It’s not as portable as a mobile phone that has Daisy app support.
7) Entertainment and digital accessibility
a) Nobaflix
Nobaflix is India’s first accessible OTT platform dedicated to visually impaired users. It’s a video-streaming platform with audio-described content that’s tailored for visually-impaired audiences.
Affordability: A Nobaflix subscription costs Rs 69 per month or Rs 343 per year. To make it accessible for it, it has a dedicated section where you can sponsor a subscription or content for blind users. This makes it more affordable even though a lot of people might not have heard about it.
Drawbacks: Nobaflix’s catalogue is understandably limited compared to Netflix or Prime Video. Under regional content, it only has a couple of Punjabi movies though there are many blockbuster Bollywood films available. Visually impaired users might be more likely to use a free alternative that YouTube rather than pay for a separate subscription.
Major challenges
There are newer devices and apps everyday as more companies try to develop accessible solutions related to different aspects, including reading, navigation and entertainment. But due to lack of funds, the development sometimes stops altogether or the cost of devices and apps gets so high that it’s too expensive to purchase.
Affordability is a major issue, since even those in government institutions can’t afford these devices. CSR programmes can’t do enough to bridge the gap too – most companies have inadequate CSR funds to start with.
The second issue is that there’s very limited support from the government. Most government college libraries haven’t purchased even the most essential apps and devices. Campuses of major universities are still inaccessible, including the libraries.
The only library that’s fully accessible and stocked with devices for blind users is at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, which even has a dedicated studyroom for blind persons. The government should follow the JNU model to bring other libraries in India under the fold of accessibility.
Apart from this, government schemes such as the Accessible India Campaign do provide some funding but not enough to cover most devices. In 2016, India passed the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act that says every government building, website and study material must be accessible. Nearly 10 years later, we’ve not made any progress.
The only library that’s fully accessible and stocked with devices for blind users is at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, which even has a dedicated studyroom for blind persons. The government should follow the JNU model to bring other libraries in India under the fold of accessibility
The third major problem is that apps, devices and screen readers struggle in Indian languages. Many assistive tools are designed for English-speaking users, making them less effective for individuals who primarily use Indian languages. NVDA and JAWS offer some support for Indian languages but the accuracy of text-to-speech conversions and OCR in regional languages is inconsistent.
There isn’t as high a demand for Hindi in western countries, so users report difficulties in reading Hindi pdfs accurately using NVDA, for example. Many screen readers and OCR tools also struggle with Indian scripts like Hindi, Tamil and Bengali.
Additionally, visually impaired users struggle to learn assistive technology due to the lack of structured training programmes. Most learn from peers or through YouTube tutorials instead.
The fourth major problem is with navigation and shopping experiences for people with disabilities. We face obstacles every single day while crossing roads and locating stores. Navigation tools like SmartCane, which is designed to detect obstacles, are often inaccurate and unreliable in crowded environments. Visually impaired individuals struggle with tasks like reading food labels, navigating transportation systems, and using ATMs, as many of these services lack tactile or audio-based accessibility features.
This lack of affordable and practical mobility aids forces visually impaired individuals to depend on informal assistance, reducing their independence.
Those are the challenges. But to understand them more deeply, my interviews with visually impaired individuals reveal how they navigate these barriers.
Chunnu, a visually impaired user, said affordability dictates technology adoption. While he initially held out against buying an iPhone due to its high cost, he eventually had to invest in one due to its improved accessibility features compared to Android devices.
Shankar Kumar Verma told me that assistive devices require substantial investments in learning. He suggested that AI-powered tools, capable of real-time scene descriptions and object detection, could greatly enhance accessibility.
Kriti Sahu, a working professional, said many corporate employers often provide assistance software like JAWS, but many job seekers struggle to afford such technology before securing employment.
But there are ways to fix this
While there are numerous challenges, they aren’t insurmountable. Many of these issues could be effectively addressed if we adopted an accessibility-focused strategy, invested in research and development, and enhanced government subsidies.
A collaboration between public and private sectors – governments, tech companies, NGOs – is essential to develop and distribute affordable assistive technologies. Initiatives like Trestle Labs’s Kibo Access have demonstrated that such partnerships can significantly reduce device costs. The government should expand financial aid programmes to cover devices like the Orbit Reader, Envision Glasses and Kibo Access. NGOs and CSR initiatives play a pivotal role by scaling up subsidies and implementing donation-based funding models.
We can substantially improve accessibility by implementing tactile paths, braille signage, and audio-based navigation systems in public spaces. Many visually impaired users currently learn to use assistive devices through trial and error. Investing in structured training programmes, including online tutorials and peer support groups, by both government and private institutions, can empower these individuals to utilise assistive technologies more effectively.
Encouraging local innovation is essential to create cost-effective alternatives to imported assistive devices. Indian developers should prioritise incorporating regional language support in screen readers, OCR tools, and navigation applications to cater to India’s diverse linguistic landscape.
It's crucial to approach this matter from a rights-based perspective rather than a charity-based one. Persons with disabilities are citizens with equal rights enshrined in the constitution. Therefore, the government has a duty to bridge accessibility gaps and ensure that essential applications and devices are both accessible and affordable. This shift from viewing disability through a lens of charity to one of rights is fundamental to fostering true inclusion.
Empathy, rather than sympathy, should guide our actions. By understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, we can work towards a more inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
The world is moving fast. AI is changing the environment of information, and apps and devices are opening doors of visual data to blind users. But the lack of awareness towards the lives of blind people makes it harder to integrate into society. People are unaware of how we use screen readers, navigate alone, read books and consume movies. So-called normal people are totally unaware of how we perform our day-to-day tasks.
In this situation, talking about the affordability of accessible devices and apps seems like a dream. We know so little about new technology and how AI will shape our future. It’s even possible that scientific advancements may help blind people to see. But until that time arrives, it’s our duty to make them more independent by providing accessible solutions.
Uttam Kumar Verma is a dedicated Assistant Professor of History with a strong academic background in ancient Indian history, specialising in music and theatre in Natyashastra. He is passionate about research, teaching, and accessibility in education, with multiple publications and conference presentations. He currently serves as the Head of the History Department at DK College, Baloda Bazar.
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