[Electronics-talk] Color Identification Technology
Jim McCarthy
jmccarthy at mdtap.org
Fri Dec 18 16:34:53 UTC 2015
Ben
I think Tracy was imagining clothes remaining on the same hangers so the
hanger is labeled and not the garment. I probably would prefer labeling the
item as you suggest, but there is the issue of the label bugging your skin
as I think it would be somewhat large and wonder the best placement. The Pen
Friend labels are discrete affixed right to the garment. Your solution is
nice as a bit more low tech and less costly. I don't know if the labels
would stay on or how long they would but it seems like something worth
trying in my opinion.
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Benjamin Vercellone via Electronics-talk
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 10:21 AM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Cc: Benjamin Vercellone
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Color Identification Technology
Thank you Jim.
I will consider solutions such as the Pen Friend as well. That concept
definitely has its own benefits, like the ones you described.
Thank you,
Ben
> On Dec 18, 2015, at 8:59 AM, Jim McCarthy via Electronics-talk
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Ben, I agree with you about color identifiers, though I may not go as
> far as to say they are the least supportive of independence of
> technologies. In my opinion, they help me confirm clothing is that I
> believe it to be or help when two items feel the same, two identical
> shirts of different colors, for example. I also use to identify socks.
> Expensive solutions for those uses, I suppose but I own one so... I
> agree completely with Tracy that the hard ware devices work better
> than the mobile apps and that neither works with patters as she
> described for her skirts and the like, information that is quite
> necessary to coordinate well. I have used, with quite good success,
> the ID Mate bar code readers to do this. That is a costly solution
> that the Pen Friend could accomplish in quite the same manner for less
> cost. The reason I think these better solutions than braille is that
> one can record coordinating information for items like men's ties. You
> can say not only the colors and patterns but what color suits you own that
each tie would work with and even how that might change based on the color
of the shirt chosen.
> That degree of detail takes up lots of braille, though one might come
> up with short notations that works for him in braille. My biggest
> challenge in all this is making the original investment of time, but
> as you said, once made, the information remains available so it is
definitely worth doing.
> Best
> Jim McCarthy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via Electronics-talk
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 8:49 AM
> To: 'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'
> Cc: Tracy Carcione
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Color Identification Technology
>
> Hi Ben.
> I have the Cobol color identifier, and it does OK. I hear the
> Colorino does OK, too. My Cobol works better than the Color ID app on
> my iPhone, which seems to require optimal light conditions for even
adequate results.
> The trouble with any of these solutions, IMO, is that they don't tell
> me anything about the pattern. I have several multi-color skirts, and
> several tops with stripes, checks, or other patterns, and I need to know
that.
> Therefore, the best solution for clothes I have figured out is to rope
> in some sighted person whose color sense I trust, and get her to
> describe the item in question. Then I write a braille label on a
> piece of braille paper (thick plastic would also work), punch a hole
> in the top of the label, attach a twist-tie, and attach the other end
> of the twist-tie to the hanger for the piece of clothing. If it
> doesn't go on a hanger, I fold the label in with the clothing, or pin
> it on with a safety pin. It takes more initial investment than
> zapping something with a color identifier, but, once it's done, it's done
for years, and is very accurate.
> For example, I could write "blue, purple, brown leaf pattern", or
> "blue and white stripes".
>
> It would be possible to do something similar with something like the
> Pen Friend--create a recorded label with all the info needed and
> attach it to the clothing.
> HTH.
> Tracy
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Benjamin Vercellone via Electronics-talk
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 6:14 AM
> To: electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Benjamin Vercellone
> Subject: [Electronics-talk] Color Identification Technology
>
>> Hello.
>> I have some questions regarding color identification technology. This
> could include dedicated devices, smart phone apps, etc.
>> I would like to know if anyone on this list has used a color
>> identifier
> and found it to be consistently helpful. I have used several hardware
> solutions up to this point, and have encountered considerable difficulty.
> With each color identification tool I have owned over the years (maybe
> 2 or 3), I have asked sighted family members or friends to tell me if
> they agree or disagree with the answer given by the technology. The
> problem in my experience is that a large percentage of the time, the
> sighted people disagree with the answer given by the technology. I
> have had people tell me all kinds of things, like how everyone
> interprets colors differently. Some people have told me that the human
> brain doesn't see the actual color anyway. I don't know if this is
> true, but I honestly don't care very much personally. I simply want to
> coordinate my clothing largely according to color, and to do this as
> effectively, independently, and spontaneously as possible. I desire to
> use technology to this end if possible. I therefore care how people
> interpret the colors of my clothing. I want to have technology that
> agrees with the color analysis of sighted people most of the time. If
> it's not perfect, that's fine. But the technology I have tried has
> given results different from the human answers a huge percentage of
> the time. Even if this has been less than half of the time, it still
> concerns me a lot. Furthermore, most sighted people from whom I gather
> color information give answers that are mostly the same. Most people
> say a garment is a certain color, and if there has been an outlier in
terms of the answer, it is usually on the part of the technology I have
tried.
>> Has anyone else experienced this? Also, if anyone has bought a more
> expensive color identifier, I am wondering if this has increased
> accuracy. I am open to suggessions as well as questions.
>> I have also tried using some apps on my iPhone. I have definitely had
>> the
> most success, though still spotty, with Tap Tap See. I am confident
> that others have tried this kind of approach as well. I like Tap Tap
> see more than other solutions I have tried thus far for a couple
> reasons. Most of all, I am pleased that there are humans available on
> the other end. This allows me to get an answer that I feel I can trust
> somewhat more. Also, when this method works its best, I am often told
> the pattern of my garment as well, such as plaid. I am totally blind,
> by the way. I know that many blind people have used various types of
> low-tech labeling solutions with clothing, such as metallic braille
> tags, various shapes, etc. I am open to using these methods as well.
> However, I want to gather information and perspectives from other blind
people who have used color identification technology.
>> To summarize my opinions, I believe that color identification
>> technology
> is one of the least reliable technologies I have used for independence
> up to this point. If others have had much better experiences, I would
> love to hear more, and be proven wrong. However, I can say for certain
> that in my experience, I have not had enough success with color
> identification technology to confidently coordinate my clothing by
> this means alone. Also, I went completely blind at age 4, and only
> know about 10 to 15 colors accurately in my head. In other words, I do
> not desire a color identifier that boasts more than 600 colors or
> whatever. I am able to understand light, medium, and dark for many
> colors. Also, if there is a color that I did not have in my vocabulary
> as a small child, I will need someone to describe it in relation to
> the basic colors. This helps me a fare amount. Still, I prefer simpler
> answers over sophisticated ones. Finally, can anyone give advice regarding
how to find opti mal lighting for apps like Tap Tap See?
> Any and all advice is appreciated!
>> Thank you,
>> Ben
> _______________________________________________
> Electronics-talk mailing list
> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Electronics-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/carcione
> %40acc
> ess.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Electronics-talk mailing list
> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Electronics-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/jmccarth
> y%40md
> tap.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Electronics-talk mailing list
> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Electronics-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/ben.verc
> ellone%40icloud.com
_______________________________________________
Electronics-talk mailing list
Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Electronics-talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/jmccarthy%40md
tap.org
More information about the Electronics-Talk
mailing list