Mobile Apps for Nutrition Tracking: Accessibility for the Visually-impaired; An Actor-Network Theory Analysis of the Post Office Horizon IT Scandal 66 views

In my technical project, I constructed a network of human and non-human actors to design a mobile application for nutrition tracking, aiming to improve accessibility for the visually impaired. To gain insight into how successful technology networks form and stabilize, my STS research examines the network that the UK Post Office built to modernize and automate its accounting systems. Specifically, my STS research project explores the interconnections between actors in the network that significantly contributed to its failure, providing insight into what to avoid when constructing a network. My technical report presents a design for a mobile nutrition-tracking application. After reading studies that found limited accessibility of leading nutrition-tracking apps for people with visual impairments, I decided to create a new design that prioritizes accessibility principles and embeds them early in the software development process. My design offers a simple graphical user interface, a customizable dashboard, and compatibility with Apple accessibility features, including Dynamic Type and VoiceOver. The goal of my technical project was to help bridge the gap in access to health resources for people with and without disabilities. My STS research paper provides an Actor-Network Theory analysis of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal. In my research paper, I argued that the scandal was driven by the interconnections among a diverse network of actors, specifically the mutual effort between the Post Office and Fujitsu to conceal software defects and the Post Office’s exploitation of the common law presumption of computer dependability. To support my argument, I drew on information from the written judgment in Hamilton & Others v Post Office Ltd and relevant news articles. Working on both the technical project and STS project simultaneously was extremely valuable. My technical work gave me a better understanding of how software is designed and implemented, making it easier for me to analyze why the Horizon IT system failed in my STS research paper. Similarly, the research I conducted for my STS project helped me realize how important it is to listen to user feedback and to be transparent with stakeholders. These realizations led me to reflect on my technical work and question whether I was doing that in my software development process. In conclusion, working on the technical and STS projects simultaneously added value to both through new insights from each.

BS (Bachelor of Science)

nutrition tracking mobile app; Post Office Horizon Scandal; actor network theory

School of Engineering and Applied Science Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Technical Advisor: Rosanne Vrugtman STS Advisor: Benjamin Laugelli

All rights reserved by the author (no additional license for public reuse)

2026-05-08