🤖 AI Chatbot for Inclusive Banking

📚 Table of Contents

• 📌 Overview
• 🧩 Problem Statement
• 🚀 Key Features
• 🧱 Architecture & Tech Stack
• 🛠 Installation & Setup
• 🔧 Firebase Configuration

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📌 Overview

Our project is a smart AI-powered chatbot platform designed to empower differently-abled users to independently access and manage their banking needs. By integrating AI, voice interaction, and secure authentication, this chatbot eliminates common accessibility barriers faced in traditional banking platforms.

💡 "Empowering everyone — regardless of ability — with equal access to financial services through AI."

The chatbot enables users to:

• 🎙 Audio Input Support – Speak naturally to interact hands-free

• 🔊 Text-to-Speech Output – Get banking info read out loud in real time

• ⌨ Keyboard Shortcut Integration – For easier navigation, especially for motor impairments

• 🧾 Text & Image-Based Communication – Send queries via typed text or upload images/documents

• 💬 Simple, Accessible Language – Understands and replies in easy-to-follow terms

• 🚀 Real-Time Banking Assistance – Instant responses to financial questions

• 🎚 Voice Output Toggle – Enable/disable speech output anytime for comfort

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🧩 Problem Statement

📍 Context

People with disabilities — especially those who are blind, deaf, or mute — often struggle with traditional banking interfaces. Small text, cluttered UIs, and lack of voice support make banking overwhelming and sometimes inaccessible.

❗ Challenge

Despite advancements in digital banking, many platforms still lack:

• 🔇 Voice-based support
• 🧩 Accessible, user-friendly UIs

🎯 Objective

To build an AI-powered chatbot that ensures:

• 🔉 Voice-first interactions for hands-free accessibility
• 🧠 AI-powered assistance to answer banking queries
• 🔐 Secure authentication with Firebase
• 📱 Inclusive interface with accessibility-first design

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🚀 Key Features

Feature	Description
🧠 Conversational AI (Gemini)	Understands natural language and provides contextual banking responses
🔊 Voice Support	Input/output voice support for users with visual or motor disabilities
🔐 Secure Login (Firebase)	User authentication and data protection
📁 File Upload	Upload images/documents for support requests
🛡 Accessibility Design	Large fonts, keyboard navigation, voice guidance

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🧱 Architecture & Tech Stack

🏗 High-Level Architecture

🔧 Installation & Setup

Follow these steps to set up the project on your local machine.

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📌 Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/mansidhote/ai-chatbot.git
cd ai-chatbot

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📦 Install Dependencies

🔹 Frontend Setup (React)

cd frontend
npm install

🔹 Backend Setup (Node.js & Express)

cd backend
npm install

🔹 FastAPI Setup (Python Backend for AI Processing)

cd ai-service

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🛠 Create and Activate Virtual Environment

✅ Create Virtual Environment

python -m venv venv

✅ Activate Virtual Environment

For Windows:
venv\Scripts\activate

For Mac/Linux:
source venv/bin/activate

✅ Install Required Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

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▶ Running the Project

⿡ Start the Backend (Node.js)

cd backend
npm start

Runs on: http://localhost:5000

⿢ Start the FastAPI Server

uvicorn app:app --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000

Runs on: http://localhost:8000

⿣ Start the Frontend (React)

cd frontend
npm start

Runs on: http://localhost:3000

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This guide ensures clarity, readability, and a structured approach for installation. 🚀

🔧 Firebase Configuration

Follow these steps to configure Firebase authentication for your project.

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📌 Step 1: Create a Firebase Project

• Go to Firebase Console
• Click on Create a Project and follow the setup instructions

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🔐 Step 2: Enable Authentication

• Navigate to Authentication in the Firebase Console
• Go to the Sign-in Method tab
• Enable Email/Password Login

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📜 Step 3: Get Firebase Config

• Go to Project Settings in the Firebase Console
• Find the Firebase SDK Configuration under the General tab
• Copy the provided configuration details

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📂 Step 4: Add Firebase Config to the Project

• Open the file: frontend/src/firebase.js
• Paste the following Firebase configuration:

const firebaseConfig = {
  apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY",
  authDomain: "YOUR_PROJECT.firebaseapp.com",
  projectId: "YOUR_PROJECT_ID",
  storageBucket: "YOUR_STORAGE_BUCKET",
  messagingSenderId: "YOUR_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID",
  appId: "YOUR_APP_ID",
};

export default firebaseConfig;