Questions
Which app do I need?
The questions people ask out loud, answered plainly — each one pointing to the project that actually helps.
What is the best free app to read text and labels aloud?
AiVi — See & Speak is free on iOS and Android. Point your camera at a sign, letter, menu, or package and it reads the text aloud and answers questions about what it sees. It works best with headphones. For food packaging specifically, Just Tell Me focuses on ingredients, allergens, nutrition panels, and expiration dates using only what is visible in the photos.
How can I tell if a food contains an allergen without asking someone?
Just Tell Me answers one question at a time about a package. Ask whether a product contains a specific allergen, then photograph the package from up to six angles, since ingredients, warnings, and dates are usually printed on different sides. It answers only from what is actually visible and verifies barcodes against Open Food Facts. Always double-check critical allergy decisions another way.
Is there an app that describes what is happening around me?
Yes. AiVi describes surroundings in a live conversation, Visual Narrator narrates scenes in more detail, and SceneCast is built for describing scenes you want captured and shared. Awareness Engine focuses on noticing what is changing around you rather than describing everything at once.
What can I use if speaking is difficult or tiring?
Kaidence is built so speech is never the barrier to being understood — it helps you say what you mean in your own way, at your own pace. TypeRight supports accessible typing and writing, and Type Braille is for people who prefer braille input.
Are there accessible apps for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users?
ASL Speaker gives a spoken voice to American Sign Language, Sign Sense helps with recognizing and learning signs, and SpeakEasy Translator supports everyday spoken conversation across languages.
Is there a free app to help me learn American Sign Language?
Sign Sense is the project focused on recognizing and practicing signs, and ASL Speaker works alongside it for conversations with people who do not sign. The reasoning behind both is written up in an article about the ASL work.
What app can help me make a mental wellness plan?
Jen — Wellness Planner is based on the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) model. It helps you name what keeps you well, notice early warning signs, and build a plan for harder days. It supports reflection and planning, and does not replace professional care, therapy, or emergency help. Echo Pal is a gentler companion for talking things through.
Is there an app that helps with focus, routines, and remembering things?
NORA supports daily routines, Beth helps with everyday living tasks, and Cue Interpreter helps make sense of social and visual cues. Career Compass covers work and career decisions.
Are there accessible games I can actually play?
Warden's Call is a free audio-first game designed so play never depends on sight. How it was built, and why audio-first design matters, is written up in the updates feed.
How can I find accessible places near me?
Access Atlas is the accessibility mapping project — a free way to look up and share what places are actually like to get into and move around in.
Can I learn to build my own accessible apps?
Open Builder is a course for building your own accessible tools, written for people who are not professional developers. The thinking behind it is that accessibility has to reach the people doing the building too.
Which Open Independence apps are free, and which cost money?
Most projects are free, including AiVi, TypeRight, Access Atlas, and Warden's Call. Prism and SceneCast are paid. Several projects are still in beta or in active development, and the projects directory can be filtered by free, paid, in beta, and works in progress.
How do I become a beta tester?
Sign up on the beta page. You choose the areas you care about — visual assistance, hearing assistance, mental wellness, communication, focus and executive functioning, or games — and you are contacted when something in those areas is ready to try.
Who is behind Open Independence?
Open Independence is an independent developer and public accessibility laboratory, kept deliberately anonymous so the focus stays on the work rather than the person. Everything is built in public and targets WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility.
How do I get help with an app, or report a problem?
Email openindependence@gmail.com, or use the support page. Accessibility problems are treated as bugs, not requests — if something blocks you, that is worth reporting.