Company founded by 15-year-old wants to help the blind browse the web

By Lulu Chang Published August 20, 2016

Expanding access to the web has been a topic of much concern for a number of major tech companies over the last several years. From Facebook’s internet.org to Google’s Project Loon, ensuring that people around the world are able to get online has been a key focus of the industry. But when it comes to access, there’s one key demographic that often seems to go overlooked. After all, the internet assumes that its users can, well, read its content. And for the visually impaired, this may not always be the case. That’s where Braigo Labs comes in.

Earlier this week, Braigo Labs launched a beta version of its service aimed at helping the visually impaired and blind recognize text placed on images. It’s the first release of a larger overall platform aimed at making the web more accessible to those with visual impairment.

Recommended Videos

Braigo currently exists as a free web app for anyone who may need accessibility solutions. It supports more than 50 languages, and can extract text from images from a variety of sources, TechCrunch reports. And while screen readers are nothing new, Braigo is unique in its ability to help individuals read text that’s laid atop images, or screengrabs of text.

“This is our step towards the right direction,” Shubham Banerjee, the 15-year-old founder of Braigo Labs told TechCrunch. “We are looking at Braigo as a whole product that creates, support, and expands an ecosystem for the visually impaired. Not simply as a stand-alone software or hardware tool.”

Banerjee has been in the business of helping the blind for a few years now, making headlines two years ago when he was just 13 for raising money from Intel Capital for his Lego Braille printing project. And now, a couple years later, he’s founded Braigo Labs, which seeks to develop “humanely optimized” technologies to benefit people worldwide.

“Braigo Labs feels that technology can bridge the gap by creating a software platform for the visually impaired,” said the company in its latest press release. “We embarked on a journey to create one platform for accessibility needs with a road map that will try to integrate new and existing technologies as a complete solution under the Braigo Platform umbrella.”

Former Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Topics

Cars

The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Entertainment

Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts

Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.