AccessMatch

A project not about software, but about people, dignity, and the energy to live freely.

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Inspiration

The inspiration came from a simple, heartbreaking realization during our interviews with the SMA community: Energy is a currency. For someone living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), every physical action costs energy.

We noticed a massive gap in the digital ecosystem. There are over 2 million apps on the Apple and Google Play stores, but they are organized by genre (Games, Productivity, Social). They completely ignore the body. Finding a game that supports "Eye Tracking" or a communication tool that works with a "Whisper Voice" requires hours of high-energy research—energy that many users simply cannot spare.

We wanted to tear down this "Invisible Wall." We realized that we didn't need to build another assistive tool; we needed to build a better way to find the amazing tools that already exist, without the exhaustion of searching.

What it does

AccessMatch is the first "Human-Centric App Store" organized by physiological capability rather than software category. Instead of a search bar, it uses a 3-Step Diagnostic Wizard:

  1. Input Diagnostic: The user selects how they interact (Eye Gaze, Voice, Single Finger, Switch).
  2. Energy Filter: The user defines their current energy reserve (Low, Medium, High).
  3. Goal Setting: The user selects their desire (Communicate, Control Home, Play).

The platform then generates a curated list of tools that match those exact physical constraints.

Key Features:

  • The Fatigue Score: We replaced the 5-star rating system with a "Battery Cost" metric. We rate apps based on the physical exertion required to use them (e.g., "Low Fatigue" for eye-tracking apps).
  • AccessBot (Powered by Gemini): An AI specialist that users can chat with naturally. It understands context like "I'm too tired to hold my phone, how can I read?" and recommends solutions like Audible or Voice Access.
  • Smart Simplify (Powered by Gemini): A "Simplify" button that instantly rewrites complex technical app descriptions into 15-word, plain-English summaries to reduce cognitive load.

How we built it

We built AccessMatch as a responsive web application to ensure immediate accessibility on any device (laptop, tablet, or mobile).

  • Frontend: We used React for a fast, modular interface and Tailwind CSS to create a "Soft UI" design language (rounded corners, warm colors) that feels welcoming rather than clinical.
  • The Logic Engine: We created a JSON database of 20+ top assistive tools, tagging them with metadata for "Input Method," "Energy Cost," and "Category." The filtering logic maps user inputs from the Wizard to these tags.
  • AI Integration: We integrated Google's Gemini API (gemini-2.5-flash-preview).
    • For AccessBot, we used system prompting to give the AI a persona: "An empathetic assistive tech expert who prioritizes energy conservation."
    • For Smart Simplify, we used Gemini's summarization capabilities to strip away jargon from app descriptions.

Challenges we ran into

  • Quantifying "Fatigue": It was difficult to turn a subjective feeling like "tiredness" into a data point. We had to define clear criteria for our "Fatigue Score" (e.g., Does this app require fine motor skills? Does it require sustained voice volume?).
  • The "Human" Tone: We struggled initially to make the AI sound empathetic. Standard AI responses felt robotic. We had to iterate heavily on the system prompts to ensure AccessBot acknowledged the user's physical state before offering solutions.
  • Data Complexity: Mapping the vast world of accessibility features (Head tracking, Switch access, Sip-and-puff) into a simple UI without overwhelming the user was a UX challenge.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • The "Fatigue Score" Concept: We are incredibly proud of shifting the paradigm from "rating by quality" to "rating by effort." We believe this is a standard that should exist in all app stores.
  • The "SMA Verified" Badge: We implemented a concept for community verification, ensuring that apps aren't just recommended by algorithms, but trusted by peers.
  • Zero-Exhaustion UI: We managed to build an interface that requires minimal clicks and zero typing to find a solution, staying true to our promise of energy conservation.

What we learned

We learned that Innovation isn't always about new hardware. Sometimes, innovation is just about connecting the right person to the right existing tool. We learned that for the SMA community, "independence" often looks like being able to turn on a light or send a text without asking for help. By reducing the friction to find these tools, we aren't just saving time; we are preserving dignity.

What's next for AccessMatch

  • Crowdsourcing: We want to open the database so the global SMA community can submit and rate apps, making the "Fatigue Score" a community-driven metric.
  • API Integration: Connecting directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play APIs to fetch real-time pricing and download links.
  • Expansion: Expanding the diagnostic wizard to support other conditions like ALS, MS, or Cerebral Palsy, making AccessMatch a universal hub for accessible discovery.

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