Device that lets visually impaired to identify currency notes

Mani Teja Lingala and Mrudul Chilmulwar

NID alumni’s whose device lets visually-impaired identify currency notes, sans Braille

Most times, problems come paired with a solution. It is the innovator’s job to identify and implement the correct one.

This belief has continued to inspire and motivate two innovators- Mani Teja Lingala and Mrudul Chilmulwar- to come up with a unique solution to help the visually-impaired identify currency notes correctly. Hence, they came up with an innovation called Drishti, a pocket-sized sheet that helps recognise currency notes without the use of sophisticated technology or braille.

Visually impaired individuals who were used to identifying older currency based on the length and texture, after the demonetisation, were caught in a fix, having to unlearn and adjust to the new kinds of notes. Although the Reserve Bank of India’s mobile application aimed to solve this problem, lack of widespread access to such technology, created problems for many visually-challenged people.

Finally, recognising the problem, the duo created Drishti, made of polypropylene plastic sheets that are cut using a laser cutter and marked with various cuts to determine width and height. By placing it against a currency like a template, these cuts would aid the user to identify the currency notes accurately.

“When a currency is placed against this template, and its width goes beyond the template, it is an old note, and if it is within the template, it is a new one. To know the denomination, there are three edges on the top (like steps) to identify based on height,” explains Mani, who has decided to make this technology open-source for a wider reach and use.