By Zayed Alzyoud
A student from the University of Jordan (UJ) proposed an AI-powered application designed to help people with visual impairments live more independently.
Bara’ah Hatem Hussein Al-Barraj, a student at the School of Physical Education in the Department of Movement Sciences and Sports Training, presented her project Sableh 2025 during the Sabelat El Hassan 2025 programme, held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal. Her proposal was selected among the top three winning innovations.
The proposed app is fully voice-activated, allowing completely hands-free operation. By using the device’s camera, it can recognize surroundings, identify people and objects, read text aloud, and provide real-time audio descriptions. It also features GPS-based navigation and an emergency voice-activated alert system that shares the user’s real-time location with trusted contacts and connects directly to ambulance and police services.
To turn the idea into a real product, Al-Barraj partnered with JAIP, which is currently developing the app under the commercial name VISION.MATE.
Al-Barraj described her innovation as “a step toward inclusion and dignity for people with visual impairments.”
UJ praised her achievement as a testament to the creativity and social responsibility of its students.