High Schooler's Research Could Aid Color Blind Users Online

New research conducted by an Indian high school student could help make visual content online more accessible to color blind users.

Animesh Tripathi, 17, is investigating algorithms that could determine how to most effectively adjust color schemes online. The technology would let color blind users consume content such as videos, images, and charts, which would otherwise be difficult for them to see, more easily.

"Some simple technical changes on the receiving end go a long way in enhancing the visual experience for the color blind," he told Mashable. "Devices tend to have magnifying and color-inversion features for visual problems, however, despite the prevalence of color blindness, there has not been any native, inbuilt feature that can correct visual content at the press of a button."

Tripathi, whose father serves in the Indian Navy, was inspired to begin this research when a friend was unable to fulfill his dream of becoming a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force because he was diagnosed with red-green color blindness — the most common form of the deficiency. He hopes to continue his work when he starts college in the fall, where he plans to study computer science.

Using this data, manufacturers could include accessibility features in their software, but the research could also be used in programs users would manually install. Tripathi is currently developing a Google Chrome extension, called ReColor, which automatically adjusts color depending on settings chosen by the user.


"I felt that responsible design should be inclusive and should cater to the needs of the color blind," he said. "A universal solution could have the potential to assist a significant number of people."

Approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women in the United States with Northern European ancestry are red-green color blind, according to the American Academy of Ophthamology.

Tools such as Color Oracle, a color blindness simulator and web page filters can help make websites more accessible to people who are color blind, but the benefits that could come out of Tripathi's research aren't dependent on original design choices.

Tripathi's research was selected as a regional finalist at the Google Global Science Fair in June and will represent India at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May. He is seeking to fund the next phase of his research on Indiegogo. As of press time the campaign had raised a little more than $900 out of its $1,000 goal with 25 days to go.


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