Development of a Product Purchase Assistance Application for the Visually Impaired

The purpose of this development is to support visually impaired individuals in receiving accurate product information during convenience store purchases, thereby ensuring their rights as consumers. Currently, visually impaired users face significant difficulties in identifying products due to insufficient braille labeling, especially on cylindrical items such as beverage cans, where the braille is often small, inconsistently placed, or even missing. This makes independent product selection challenging and often unreliable. To address these challenges, the system provides navigation to the nearest convenience store based on the user’s current location. Once inside the store, users can scan the front of a desired product using their smartphone camera. The system employs image recognition technology to analyze the product’s front image and extract key information such as product name, brand, and main ingredients. This information is then conveyed to the user through voice output, enabling them to make informed purchasing decisions independently. This application goes beyond simply enhancing accessibility; it empowers visually impaired users to engage in consumer activities without assistance. Additionally, the solution offers potential for future expansion, including support for multiple product categories, multilingual functionality, and features like real-time pricing and discount alerts. Ultimately, it lays the foundation for a more inclusive and intelligent retail assistance system.