Code for EchoTables (IKILeUS)

EchoTables is an innovative accessibility tool developed as part of the IKILeUS project at the University of Stuttgart. It is designed to improve the usability of tabular data for visually impaired users by converting structured tables into concise, auditory-friendly textual summaries. Traditional screen readers navigate tables linearly, which imposes a high cognitive load on users. EchoTables alleviates this issue by summarizing tables, facilitating quicker comprehension and more efficient information retrieval.<br>
Initially utilizing RUCAIBox (LLM), EchoTables transitioned to Mistral-7B, a more powerful open-source model, to enhance processing efficiency and scalability. The tool has been tested with widely used screen readers such as VoiceOver to ensure accessibility. EchoTables has been adapted to process diverse data sources, including lecture materials, assignments, and WikiTables, making it a valuable resource for students navigating complex datasets.