During my internship at Trestle Labs, I worked on a product aimed at improving accessibility for visually impaired users. My primary contribution was the design and development of a portable phone stand that enabled users to easily scan books and hardcopy documents using Trestle’s Kibo ecosystem—a suite of tools that converts printed text into audio, empowering individuals to read independently.

The goal was to create a simple, ergonomic, and reliable physical companion to the Kibo Reader and Kibo XL applications. The stand needed to support consistent scanning results across varied lighting conditions, device sizes, and usage environments—including on-the-go scenarios such as public transport or outdoor spaces.

A key part of the project involved conducting user research and validation testing at NGOs across New Delhi. I engaged directly with visually impaired individuals to understand real-world challenges: hand stability, device alignment, ease of page turning, and workflow fatigue during long reading sessions. These insights shaped multiple iterations of the stand, ensuring it was intuitive, lightweight, and robust.

Through this experience, I gained meaningful exposure to human-centred design, assistive technology, and rapid prototyping. More importantly, I learned the value of designing with empathy and involving users at every stage to create solutions that truly enhance independence and accessibility.