AI-Powered Research Assistant

RAG-powered search across 1,500+ disability inclusion solutions.

CLIENT

Zero Project / Essl Foundation

TIMELINE

November 2023 – November 2024

TECH STACK

Azure AI, RAG, STT/TTS, Responsible AI

ROLE

Project Lead

The Challenge

The Zero Project maintains a database of more than 1,500 innovative solutions for disability inclusion. But accessing this knowledge was inefficient.

The goal: simplify research and policy development in disability accessibility. Policymakers and researchers needed a way to quickly find relevant information across documents, videos, and reports.

The team needed a tool that could handle complex queries and make this wealth of knowledge accessible – without requiring users to know exactly what they were looking for.

The Solution

We built two AI-powered tools: an intelligent assistant and a smart search interface. Both draw from the same knowledge base but serve different needs.

The AI Assistant uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to answer complex questions in natural language. Ask “How can people with disabilities be involved in policy-making?” and get a synthesized answer with sources – not a list of links.

The AI Search lets users search the database in plain language, with optional filters for media type (database entries, documents, videos, images, weblinks) and source organization. All results link directly to original sources.

Built-in accessibility features include Speech-to-Text, Text-to-Speech, and plain language options. The tools work for everyone, including users with visual, mobility, or cognitive impairments.

The Results

The Zero Project AI Assistant and Search pilot was completed in 2024, developed with support from Microsoft. The project created an accessible platform that bridges gaps in disability inclusion research and policy-making.

A key feature: transparent, fact-based responses. Users can view original sources directly within the web app – building trust and accountability.

From concept to delivered pilot

0 months

Innovative solutions indexed and searchable

0 +

PDFs, videos, images, office documents, databases, weblinks

0 data types

“Across the EU, disabled people are advocating for more inclusive policy, such as the Zero Project initiative emerging from Austria and supported by Microsoft. It uses AI to make the world’s accessibility best practices and innovations readily available to policymakers, tech innovators, and the disability community.”

— MICROSOFT EU POLICY BLOG, 2024

Technology Used

Azure AI Services: Foundation for all AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Combines knowledge base with generative AI for accurate, sourced answers
Multimodal Data Processing: Handles PDFs, videos, images, Office documents, and SQL databases
Speech-to-Text / Text-to-Speech: Enables voice interaction for users with visual or mobility impairments
Responsible AI Testing: Red teaming and holistic user testing with the disability community

About Zero Project

Founded by Austrian non-profit Essl Foundation in 2008, the Zero Project is a global and research-driven initiative to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), by finding and sharing innovative solutions that remove barriers for persons with disabilities.

Over the past decade, the Zero Project has established a global network of 10,000+ experts, policy makers, corporates, academics, and other persons with and without disabilities. This network contributes to the Zero Project’s work and continues to grow, fostering a global community for disability inclusion.