Inclusive Low-Cost Assistive Communication Board for Non-Verbal Users

Objective: Develop an affordable, customizable communication board to enable non-verbal individuals in underserved Indian communities to express basic needs and interact socially.

Millions of non-verbal individuals in India—including those with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, and speech impairments—face daily challenges communicating with caregivers, educators, and health workers, leading to isolation and limited opportunities. This problem disproportionately affects rural, low-income, and marginalized groups due to high costs and limited access to assistive technologies. Addressing this aligns with SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, focusing on accessibility and inclusion for vulnerable populations.

The proposed solution is a digital and printable assistive communication board platform that leverages open-source technologies and local language resources. The solution will offer customizable symbol-based boards (digital and printable), tailored for Indian contexts (languages, cultural icons), with a companion mobile/web app supporting voice output, dynamic customization, and offline usage. The build will emphasize extreme affordability and ease of use for caregivers and frontline workers.

Key features include: (1) drag-and-drop communication board designer, (2) offline-capable mobile/web app with text-to-speech and image-based communication, (3) support for at least three Indian languages, (4) printable PDF boards for low-tech settings, (5) a library of culturally relevant icons and phrases, and (6) simple impact tracking for caregivers. Deliverables include a working prototype, open-source resource library, and field-tested usability reports.

Impact will be measured by pre/post pilot surveys on user empowerment and caregiver satisfaction, with a minimum pilot group of 20 non-verbal users in a local school or NGO setting. The project is designed for easy scaling via open-source release and collaboration with NGOs and special educators, potentially reaching thousands of underserved users across India.