I was honored when I was invited to take part in a mentorship program for Accessibility as a UX Design and Branding expert at the American University of Beirut, AI for Accessibility Hackathon .All the projects sounded amazing, All of them offer great help to create a better inclusive world were we can all enjoy all aspects of life as equals.
The AI for Accessibility Hackathon is brought by the Talal and Madiha Zein AUB-Innovation Park, and in collaboration with ABLE, the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. This hackathonis aimed at rallying talents and fostering the regional development of the innovative entrepreneurship community related to artificial intelligence while also increasing social inclusiveness. Through this hackathon, participants from the MENA region are encouraged to provide solutions in the form of AI based assistive technology or physical aid, focusing on one or more of the following four areas: Education, Employment, Independent Living and Home, and Community.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion individuals, or 15% of the world population, are considered to have disabilities which exclude them from education and the workplace, weaken their potential to connect and communicate effectively, and limit their ability for independent living. With the shift to online living, more barriers arise and the need for inclusiveness and accessibility is stronger than ever.
More than 40 participants from 9 countries gathered to contribute to a more accessible world today.13 teams proposed different AI-based ideas to solve disabilities ranging from mobility to cognitive, visual, and auditory disabilities Followed by capacity building workshops, and several mentoring sessions, participants were equipped with the necessary skills to take part in promoting accessibility
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