⚠️ Disclaimer
This project was created by a caregiver with no formal programming background.
Most of the code was generated with AI assistance (ChatGPT) and refined through testing.
It is not professional-grade software, but an open-source example of what families and caregivers can achieve using AI to build bespoke accessibility tools.

This project was developed for Ben, who lives with TUBB4A-related Leukodystrophy (H-ABC) and uses only two switches (head left/right) mapped to Spacebar and Return to interact with his computer.

It gives Ben the ability to:

• Communicate using a robust predictive text keyboard
• Speak quick communication phrases from a customizable list
• Watch and navigate his favorite shows and movies
• Play simple games
• Access trivia and word challenges
• Control his computer with system and emergency functions
• Search Images and Videos on YouTube via his new Search Web app as of Sept 2025

The project is shared openly to inspire others to build similar accessibility tools.

• Custom-built predictive text engine (developed by hand, not AI-generated)
• Optimized for scan-and-select navigation with two switches
• Supports quick phrases (data/communication.xlsx)
• Text-to-Speech (TTS) for all typed content
• Includes Spanish keyboard variant (keyboard/spanish/)

• Central interface with scanning menus
• Integrated emergency, settings, communication, and entertainment menus
• Auto-hides when Chrome is active, restores after closing

• Show Tracking

  • data/shows.xlsx → Master list of favorite shows
  • Two playback modes:
    • Marathon Mode → Most shows run continuously, tracked via last_watched.json
    • Episode Selection Mode → Some shows link to EPISODE_SELECTION.xlsx for season/episode navigation

• Supported Platforms

  • Plex (best navigation, supports media keys)
  • Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max
  • YouTube
  • Spotify

• Control Bar (control_bar.py)

  • Always-on-top playback bar over Chrome
  • Play/Pause, Volume, Previous/Next Episode, Exit

• Concentration.py → Memory game
• TicTacToe.py → Classic tic tac toe
• WordJumble.py → Word scramble
• TowerDefense.py → Simple tower defense
• MiniGolf.py → Mini golf with sound effects
• baseball.py → Probability-based baseball with animations
• Trivia.py → Pulls questions from trivia_questions.xlsx
• 'Bennysays.html' → Game like "simon" with easy, medium, hard modes.
• 'BENNYSPEGGLE.html' → Game like "Peggle" with 3 difficulty levels and the ability to make custom games.

• 'narbe_scan_browser.py' allows the user to use scan/select to type and say phrases with kenlm predictive text and search. Search brings up a slide-show style browser of images/videos.

• Stored in data/communication.xlsx
• Customizable with new phrases for fast TTS playback

• Messenger App is tied to a private discord server which you will have to configure.
• The DMs come from a Bot configured for the private server (it needs to be added to the server with the correct permissions)
• When the Bot gets a DM, the messenger/simple_dm_listener.py will read the message and send via TTS to the system.
• When accessing messenger/ben_discord_app.py you will be able to see new messages highlighted GREEN and respond using the built-in keyboard app (messenger/narbe_keyboard_send.py)
• As currently configured, the app will store 25 private channel messages and 10 DM messages per user (this can be expanded but is less for Ben's convenience)

• Emergency alert
• Volume up/down
• Sleep timer (set/cancel)
• Display off / lock / restart / shutdown

# Clone this repository git clone https://github.com/NARBEHOUSE/ben-s-software.git # Navigate into the repo cd "Ben's Python Computer Software" # Install required dependencies pip install -r requirements.txt # Run the main software python comm-v10.py

• Shows → Edit data/shows.xlsx
• Episodes → Populate data/EPISODE_SELECTION.xlsx for detailed navigation
• Quick Phrases → Edit data/communication.xlsx
• Trivia Questions → Add to data/trivia_questions.xlsx
• Word Jumble → Add words in data/wordjumble.xlsx

⚠️ A web scraper (scripts/) was used to collect episodes but is not included as part of the main repo.

• Python 3.8+
• pyautogui
• keyboard
• pyttsx3 (TTS)
• pygame
• pymunk
• flask (optional, web interface)

This project still contains duplicate functions and quick patches. It’s meant to show what’s possible with AI-assisted code, not perfect engineering.

Pull requests to improve stability, refactor code, or add features are welcome.

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

• Ben — inspiration and primary user
• Nancy & Ari — caregiving and development
• OpenAI’s ChatGPT — AI-assisted coding partner
• Predictive Keyboard (keyboard.py) — developed by Ari Rosenberg
• Accessibility & open-source community — proof that collaboration makes technology better

This is more than just one program. It’s an open-source example of how AI + caregiving can create accessible, personalized tools for people with severe disabilities.

We hope it inspires others to build and share similar projects.