The App I Created
About a year ago, I created RC Line based on my own experiences with reading difficulties.
The app scans text with a camera, breaks it into readable chunks, and highlights one line at a time. This is designed to help prevent skipping lines while reading and losing focus.
The Challenge I Face
Until now, I have developed the app based mainly on my own experiences. I was able to turn my past thoughts of “I wish I had something like this” into an actual product. However, as I continued developing the app, I realized there was one major challenge.
My own experience is not enough to create an app that can truly support other people.
The symptoms and difficulties associated with dyslexia vary greatly from person to person.
However, I have been developing the app based primarily on my own experience with dyslexia.
To learn about difficulties and symptoms that differ from my own, I have researched dyslexia and different approaches to support using web searches and AI. However, information available online alone cannot give me a deep understanding of the specific situations in which each person struggles or the kind of support they actually need.
This made me want to meet people with dyslexia in person and hear about their experiences directly. I looked for opportunities to do so in Japan, but I was unable to find a place where I could meaningfully interact with people with dyslexia.
Why I Am Going Abroad
During this search, I found an organization in Bali that provides dyslexia support and also accepts students for learning opportunities. I presented my app and study-abroad plan during the Tobitate! Study Abroad selection process and was selected as a member of the 11th cohort.
Since I have been given the opportunity to study abroad, I want to take this beyond support limited to Japan. I hope to develop RC Line into an app that can help more people, including people living in different cultures and educational environments.
During my time abroad, I want to interact directly with people with dyslexia and the people who support them. I want to learn about the difficulties they face, the support they need, and what support actually looks like in practice.
I will then apply what I learn to RC Line and work toward creating an app that makes reading easier and more comfortable for as many people as possible.
My Goals After Returning to Japan
After returning to Japan, I want to publish RC Line on the App Store and develop it into an app that many people can actually use.
I also want to create accessibility components for web pages using Next.js. (That is why I rebuilt this website with Next.js.)