Blind Egyptian Teen Uses AI App Developed by Brother to ‘See’ the World Again -

A 16-year-old Egyptian schoolgirl who lost her sight five years ago has been using an artificial intelligence-powered app developed by her blind brother to experience the world around her in a new way.

Karen Morad used the app, called ScribeMe, during a family holiday in Kenya in June. Integrated with Meta smart glasses, the technology provided her with real-time descriptions of animals, their distance and movements, allowing her to build a detailed mental picture of the safari.

“I always thought this would be impossible to happen – but it did and I could truly see,” Karen said.

ScribeMe was created by Karen’s brother, Mark Morad, 20, who also lost his sight after developing a rare and incurable condition affecting the optic nerve. The siblings both became completely blind by late 2021.

Mark initially developed the app to overcome difficulties he experienced at school. Screen-reading software often struggled to describe charts, diagrams and equations, making subjects such as physics and chemistry particularly difficult.

After receiving no response from developers working on similar technology, Mark taught himself computer programming through online tutorials. By 2023, he had developed a working version of ScribeMe.

The app has since expanded beyond document reading and can answer questions about a user’s surroundings through a smartphone camera. It supports 20 languages, including Arabic, and has been integrated with Meta’s smart glasses, allowing blind users to receive information while keeping their hands free.

ScribeMe is now reportedly used by thousands of people across 140 countries. The basic app is free, while additional features are available through subscription plans.

For Karen, the technology has become part of everyday life, helping her navigate school, recognise shops, choose clothes and study. Her father, Morad Sedky, said the family’s experience had taught them not to consider anything impossible.

“Dreams grow, they grow,” he said. “We, as a family, stopped saying anything is impossible.”-ERMD/TS

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