Beacon is an accessible navigation app for Android that uses text-to-speech and mapping components. It has four main components - the Beacon engine that coordinates everything, a map database from OpenStreetMap, a text-to-speech engine from Android, and a user interface. It uses Python for routing and runs on Android using its APIs and scripting capabilities. The goal is to provide turn-by-turn navigation instructions to visually impaired users through voice commands and text.

1. Beacon
Accessible Navigation for Android
Sajjad K.M, Nijad Ashraf, Shehzad Abdulla, Saalim Jabir

2. Outline
The Beacon
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3. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
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4. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
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5. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
Tools
Android
OpenStreetMap
Python
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6. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
Tools
Android
OpenStreetMap
Python
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8. Beacon is a guiding or warning signal, as a light.

9. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
Tools
Android
OpenStreetMap
Python
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10. Accessibility
Degree of coverage of target
users of a product.
Inclusive Planet!
Ability to access.
Assistive Technologies.
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11. a11y
Accessibility means helping people with disabilities to participate in
substantial life activities.
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12. Disabilities
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13. Why Assistive Technologies?

17. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
Tools
Android
OpenStreetMap
Python
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18. Components
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19. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
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20. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
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21. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
Creates map database from the local file.
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22. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
Creates map database from the local file.
Activates Pyroute for routing.
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23. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
Creates map database from the local file.
Activates Pyroute for routing.
Delivers text input for TTS.
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24. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
Creates map database from the local file.
Activates Pyroute for routing.
Delivers text input for TTS.
Fetch map data from online server.
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25. Beacon Engine
Blood and Body of the system.
Coordinates other components.
Creates map database from the local file.
Activates Pyroute for routing.
Delivers text input for TTS.
Fetch map data from online server.
Manage application crashes and recovery.
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26. Map Database
Flesh of the system.
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27. Map Database
Flesh of the system.
Map data from OpenStreetMap project.
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28. Map Database
Flesh of the system.
Map data from OpenStreetMap project.
Contains road networks, POIs etc.
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29. Text-To-Speech
Voice of the system.
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30. Text-To-Speech
Voice of the system.
Shipped with Android.
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31. Text-To-Speech
Voice of the system.
Shipped with Android.
Supports a number of languages: English, French, German,
Italian and Spanish.
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32. Text-To-Speech
Voice of the system.
Shipped with Android.
Supports a number of languages: English, French, German,
Italian and Spanish.
Different voice files available.
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33. User Interface
Usability is crucial. Research is happening.
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34. User Interface
Usability is crucial. Research is happening.
Interacts with the user.
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35. User Interface
Usability is crucial. Research is happening.
Interacts with the user.
Voice Commands, Text inputs through physical keyboard.
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36. Data Flow
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37. Outline
The Beacon
Accessibility
Design
Components
Beacon Engine
Map Database
Text-To-Speech
User Interface
Data Flow
Tools
Android
OpenStreetMap
Python
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38. Tools
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40. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
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41. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
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42. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
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43. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
Programmed in C, C++ and Java.
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44. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
Programmed in C, C++ and Java.
Open Source. Apache License.
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45. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
Programmed in C, C++ and Java.
Open Source. Apache License.
Current version 2.3. Gingerbread.
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46. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
Programmed in C, C++ and Java.
Open Source. Apache License.
Current version 2.3. Gingerbread.
Pretty UI.
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47. Android
Mobile operating system from Google Inc.
Would-be market killer.
Modified version of Linux kernel.
Programmed in C, C++ and Java.
Open Source. Apache License.
Current version 2.3. Gingerbread.
Pretty UI.
Community Driven.
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49. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
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50. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
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51. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
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52. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
Inspired by Wikipedia.
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53. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
Inspired by Wikipedia.
Founded in July 2004 by Steve Coast
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54. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
Inspired by Wikipedia.
Founded in July 2004 by Steve Coast
Open Database License.
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55. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
Inspired by Wikipedia.
Founded in July 2004 by Steve Coast
Open Database License.
Core programming is in Ruby on Rails.
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56. OpenStreetMap
“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and
providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who
wants them.” - www.openstreetmap.org
Collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world.
Created using data from portable GPS devices, aerial
photography, other free sources.
Inspired by Wikipedia.
Founded in July 2004 by Steve Coast
Open Database License.
Core programming is in Ruby on Rails.
Efficient APIs.
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57. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
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58. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
General-purpose high-level programming language.
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59. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
General-purpose high-level programming language.
Emphasizes code readability.
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60. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
General-purpose high-level programming language.
Emphasizes code readability.
Large and comprehensive library.
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61. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
General-purpose high-level programming language.
Emphasizes code readability.
Large and comprehensive library.
Supports OOP, Imperative and Functional programming styles.
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62. Python
Designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
General-purpose high-level programming language.
Emphasizes code readability.
Large and comprehensive library.
Supports OOP, Imperative and Functional programming styles.
Dynamic and Interpreted.
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63. Scripting Layer for Android
SL4A brings scripting languages to Android.
Access to APIs and
full-fledged Android
applications.
Python, Perl, JRuby.
Lua, BeanShell,
JavaScript, Tcl.
Run scripts in
background or compile
on the fly.
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64. A bunch of thanks to..
Braille Without Borders, Center for Social Innovation.
http://bwb-iise.org/
Rahul Gonsalves. @gonsalves r
Sajith N.
Dr. Sambhavi Chandrasekhar.
Flickr.
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