Orca
An iOS accessibility app that helps colorblind users improve color perception using SwiftUI and Metal-powered live camera filters.
The Challenge
Colorblind users often face difficulty distinguishing certain colors in daily activities, especially when relying on visual information from objects, signs, or digital interfaces.
The challenge was to build an iOS application that could help users identify and enhance colors through a live camera experience while keeping the interface simple, accessible, and easy to use.
Tech Stack
Technical Implementation
- Live Camera Color Enhancement
Implemented a live camera-based experience that allows users to view their surroundings with color enhancement support, helping colorblind users better distinguish specific color ranges in real time.
- Metal-Powered Image Processing
Used Metal to process live camera frames and apply color adjustment filters efficiently, creating a smoother visual experience for users while interacting with the app.
- Accessibility-Focused Interface
Designed the user interface with accessibility in mind, focusing on simple navigation, clear visual hierarchy, readable text, and interactions that are easy to understand for users with visual limitations.
- SwiftUI-Based iOS Development
Built the app interface using SwiftUI, enabling a modern, maintainable, and responsive iOS experience across supported Apple devices.
- Team-Based Product Development
Collaborated in a team environment at Apple Developer Academy, contributing to product ideation, feature development, testing, and iteration based on user needs.
struct CameraFilterView: View {
@StateObject private var cameraManager = CameraManager()
var body: some View {
ZStack {
CameraPreview(session: cameraManager.session)
.ignoresSafeArea()
VStack {
Spacer()
Button("Apply Color Filter") {
cameraManager.applyColorFilter()
}
.padding()
}
}
.onAppear {
cameraManager.startSession()
}
}
}Impact & Results
Orca explored how iOS technology can support accessibility by helping colorblind users improve color perception through a live camera experience. The project combined SwiftUI, Metal, and user-centered design as part of the Apple Developer Academy team project.