I'll start at the beginning: Why am I actually doing this?
Not just for others. For me and my environment. There are impairments within myself and among people I know — some visible, some not. When you look closer, you realize how much more difficult daily life is than it should be. Not because of a lack of will. But because the tools designed specifically for one's own situation are missing.
At the same time, I see every day what AI is capable of now. Object recognition, speech recognition, live subtitles, real-time sensor evaluation — things that were specialized, expensive solutions just three years ago are running on a standard smartphone today. Free, offline, without a cloud corporation eavesdropping.
These two observations together led to 15/15.
What 15/15 is
Multiple apps, some sharing a common technical core, each for a different situation:
- View — for blind and visually impaired people
- Hear — for deaf people
- Understand — for people with cognitive load, sensory overload, or stress
- Mobility — for people with motor impairments, e.g., wheelchair users
- Seniors — specifically against fraud schemes, with a vital sign function for relatives
- Speech — support for children's language development
- Watchdog — fraud check for photos and texts, also for anyone who is simply unsure
- Companion — a language companion, selectable persona, currently the only app already live and accessible
Five of the apps (Seeing, Hearing, Understanding, Mobility, Seniors) share a common technical basis: on-device whenever possible — no image or audio necessarily leaves the device —, an SOS button that is always accessible, announcements that can be turned off when not needed. Speaking, Watchdog, and Companion are independent projects that have grown from the same fundamental idea.
Where we stand
To be honest, it varies widely. Sehen is completely in alpha and is running on two test devices. Sprechen has already completed two full test runs with 30 simulated user profiles. Mobilität is the least developed app, especially being in early alpha. Begleiter is already live. Wachhund is finished but currently only accessible locally. I'm not sugarcoating anything — what is finished is finished. What is pending remains marked as open.
The vision behind it
Where all of this is headed: navigating the world more safely and with fewer barriers using a smartphone and, eventually, VR glasses. True independent participation — and more enjoyment in everyday life, not just problem-solving. The apps today are the first step toward that, not the final goal.
In the following articles, I will go into each app individually — who it is intended for, what is already working today, and what is still in development.
Why I am sharing this
Because 15/15 is not a corporate project. It is self-funded, driven by my own initiative, motivated by people I know — and by myself. No investors behind me, no team of twenty people. Only the conviction that it is worth it.
And that is exactly why I need help. More on this in the final article of this series — but let me say this much upfront: if you are personally affected, know someone who is, or come from the AI industry and want to contribute your ideas — this is only the beginning.
For media: Press kit for 15/15 — Press release, Fact-Sheet, Contact.