Blind Egyptian entrepreneur develops AI app to help visually impaired people ‘see’ the world

A visually impaired Egyptian entrepreneur has developed an artificial intelligence-powered application that helps blind people understand and navigate their surroundings.

Mark Morad, 20, created ScribeMe after losing his sight. The application uses AI to describe objects, people and environments through a smartphone camera and can also work with Meta smart glasses.

The technology recently helped Morad’s 16-year-old sister, Karen, experience a safari in Kenya. The app provided audio descriptions of animals, their movements and distances, allowing her to build a mental picture of what was happening around her.

ScribeMe is now reportedly used by thousands of people in 140 countries and supports 20 languages, including Arabic. It can help users identify shops, locate classrooms, choose clothes, read materials and understand images, diagrams and other visual information.

Morad began developing the application after screen-reading tools failed to adequately describe charts, equations and diagrams needed for his studies. After receiving no response from developers working on similar technology, he taught himself computer programming through online tutorials.

By 2023, he had developed a working version of the application. Recognition at technology competitions, including a 2024 Vodafone Egypt AI assistive-technology hackathon, helped the project expand.

The application is available on iPhones, Android devices and Meta smart glasses. While basic access is free, additional features are offered through subscription plans.

Morad’s experience has turned a personal challenge into technology designed to improve independence and accessibility for visually impaired people around the world.

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