AI App Helps Blind Egyptian Teenagers Experience the World Anew

Sixteen-year-old Cairo schoolgirl Karen Morad, who lost her sight five years ago, experienced a safari in Kenya as if she could see again after using ScribeMe, an AI-assisted app developed by her blind brother, Mark. Integrated with Meta smart glasses, the app provided a continuous audiovisual description of animals, their distance and movements, helping Karen build a vivid mental picture of the surroundings. “I always thought this would be impossible to happen – but it did and I could truly see,” she said.

ScribeMe was created by Mark, 20, after he and Karen both became completely blind due to a rare, incurable optic nerve condition. Mark struggled with schoolwork because conventional screen readers could not properly describe charts, diagrams and equations. After receiving no response from developers, he taught himself coding through YouTube tutorials and built a working app by 2023. Recognition in technology competitions, including Vodafone Egypt’s 2024 AI Assistive Tools Hackathon, helped the project expand into a broader accessibility platform.

The app now serves thousands of users in 140 countries, supports 20 languages including Arabic, and can answer questions in real time through a phone camera. Its integration with Meta smart glasses allows blind users to keep their hands free for mobility aids such as a cane. For Karen, ScribeMe has become useful for finding classrooms, recognising shops, selecting clothes and studying. Her family says the technology has transformed their outlook, turning what once seemed impossible into new possibilities for both siblings.

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