Egyptian University Student's ScribeMe App Uses AI to Empower Visually Impaired Globally

In a move that truly shows how Egyptian universities are becoming innovation powerhouses in the age of AI, Dr. Ahmed Hamad, the Acting President of Egypt University of Informatics (EUI), announced an exciting new digital achievement for the university. This achievement is the development of a smart application called ScribeMe, designed by one of the university's Faculty of Engineering students. Today, ScribeMe is a powerful tech tool that helps people with visual impairments and low vision in over 130 countries worldwide, supporting 15 different languages with their local dialects. The app uses advanced artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies to offer a complete digital experience. This allows users to be more independent in their daily lives by converting visual content into accurate audio descriptions and reading printed documents and digital content aloud with clear voices. It also describes images and surrounding environments, interpreting visual elements in real-time through a smartphone camera. This really boosts users' independence and helps them integrate better into daily life, education, and work. Dr. Ahmed Hamad emphasized that this achievement highlights the ability of young Egyptian talent to use AI technologies to tackle real-world challenges. He pointed out that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a genuine opportunity to bridge technology gaps and boost the national economy's competitiveness, especially with the rapid transformation in the communications and information technology sector, where AI has become a key driver. He added that the university places student innovation at the heart of its strategy. They do this by providing a comprehensive educational and technical environment that helps students turn their ideas into practical projects, contributing to economic growth and increasing added value. On his part, Dr. Ashraf Mehran, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, explained that the university's decision to adopt the app and use it internally shows their deep belief in their students' abilities. It also reflects their commitment to supporting digital solutions that address real societal problems. He noted that the Faculty of Engineering focuses on blending theoretical study with practical application, which helps prepare graduates who can innovate and become entrepreneurs. He also mentioned that these kinds of projects strengthen the university's direction towards empowering students to turn their innovations into startups with real economic impact. The app has gained significant international attention, catching the eye of various organizations and entities in the United States, Spain, Qatar, the UAE, and other countries. This happened after it won several international awards, including a hackathon organized by Vodafone in partnership with Ata'a Fund, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Plug and Play, which saw over 200 teams participate. It also won the 'Empowering Inclusion in Employment' competition, supported by Enpact and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), beating out over 160 other startups. Plus, it was chosen as the sole international participant at the Meta Wearables Summit hosted by Meta in the United States.