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an accessible iPhone....sort of.
I saw the following information posted to a list-serve for assistive technology:
Silicone Touch: an iPhone case for the visually impaired
12-01-2008
The iPhone has never seemed a likely contender as a smart phone for the blind (it's certainly not designed for touch typing), which makes this case by designer Bruno Fosi all the more impressive. The Silicone Touch covers the phone's screen and features a selection of bas-relief buttons that correspond to menu items in a custom app, allowing those with diminished sight access to all the phone's functions, including multi-touch and finger flick scrolling. Right now it's just a concept, but we're hoping to see this one become a reality sooner rather than later. Link Here.
I've wondered about this concept but see too many flaws in making it a worthwhile purchase. The screen is not universal or stagnant, rather it changes based on which application is being used, something a silicone cover or case couldn't adapt to efficiently. Too touch-screen computers provide no real advantage to blind or visually impaired users vs. an adapted smart phone (like the Mobile Q or the Blackjack II or the Pantech Duo, to name a few) with Mobile Speak or TAlKS text to speech technology loaded on.
But shiny and new is always enticing and I understand the desire to own an iPhone. The practicality and functionality of a completely accessible smart phone instead just seems.....like something that should be funded instead. Ie. making an accessible smart phone that doesn't require a user to switch phone providers or risk paying $400 instead of $300, or giving the user a broader range of choices in which smart phone to utilize with which software. Like we do for computers except more efficient.
awakeSilicone Touch: an iPhone case for the visually impaired
12-01-2008
The iPhone has never seemed a likely contender as a smart phone for the blind (it's certainly not designed for touch typing), which makes this case by designer Bruno Fosi all the more impressive. The Silicone Touch covers the phone's screen and features a selection of bas-relief buttons that correspond to menu items in a custom app, allowing those with diminished sight access to all the phone's functions, including multi-touch and finger flick scrolling. Right now it's just a concept, but we're hoping to see this one become a reality sooner rather than later. Link Here.
I've wondered about this concept but see too many flaws in making it a worthwhile purchase. The screen is not universal or stagnant, rather it changes based on which application is being used, something a silicone cover or case couldn't adapt to efficiently. Too touch-screen computers provide no real advantage to blind or visually impaired users vs. an adapted smart phone (like the Mobile Q or the Blackjack II or the Pantech Duo, to name a few) with Mobile Speak or TAlKS text to speech technology loaded on.
But shiny and new is always enticing and I understand the desire to own an iPhone. The practicality and functionality of a completely accessible smart phone instead just seems.....like something that should be funded instead. Ie. making an accessible smart phone that doesn't require a user to switch phone providers or risk paying $400 instead of $300, or giving the user a broader range of choices in which smart phone to utilize with which software. Like we do for computers except more efficient.
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