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<P>Software developed during a summer course at Stanford University could one
day radically shift the way the visually impaired use modern <A
href="http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/" section="luke_topic">tablets</A>,
potentially removing the need for a wireless Braille display. </P>
<P>Adam Duran, a senior at New Mexico State University, has developed <A
href="http://engineering.stanford.edu/news/stanford-summer-course-yields-touchscreen-braille-writer">a
stunning way for blind people to type on tablets</A>. Duran created the
touch-screen Braille writer software with Adrian Lew, a Stanford assistant
professor of mechanical engineering, and Sohan Dharmaraja, a doctoral candidate.
</P>
<P>It's all in the fingertips. The eight keys (similar to a standard Braille
keyboard) in the software do not have a predefined position, but rather work
with the location of the fingers. A user simply presses eight fingers anywhere
on the screen, and voila, the keys are automatically oriented to that location.
</P>
<P>If there's a problem, users simply lift their fingers and put them down
again. As shown in the video below, typing is a breeze. Curiously missing is the
mention of haptic feedback (vibration), or voice support, but for a first
version this software is very encouraging. </P>
<P>Traditional wireless Braille displays are often limited in design. Dharmaraja
noted that the software out of Stanford is much more adaptable to a variety of
situations, and "can accommodate users whose fingers are small or large, those
who type with fingers close together or far apart, even to allow a user to type
on a tablet hanging around the neck with hands opposed as if playing a
clarinet." </P>
<DIV style="WIDTH: 270px" class="cnet-image-div image-MEDIUM float-right"><IMG
class=cnet-image alt=""
src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/10/11/oct_135_tablet_blind_sf_270x184.png"
width=270 height=184>
<P class=image-caption>This Android tablet for the blind costs a fortune, but is
actually on the low end of the pricing spectrum.</P><SPAN
class=image-credit>(Credit: LevelStar)</SPAN> </DIV>
<P>We've covered a <A
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10213356-1.html">vibrating
touch-screen Braille concept</A> previously, but an app like this could greatly
shake up the ultra-expensive Braille input device market. If inexpensive
software allowing the visually impaired to write on an <A
href="http://www.cnet.com/apple-ipad/" section="luke_topic">iPad</A> or an <A
href="http://www.cnet.com/android-atlas/" section="luke_topic">Android</A>
tablet matures, it could blow away devices that cost thousands of dollars more.
</P>
<P>An upcoming <A
href="http://blog.laptopmag.com/designing-an-android-tablet-for-the-blind">Android-based
Braille display device</A>, for example, is projected to cost "under $4,000."
</P>
<P>Currently, Apple's iOS offers much greater accessibility options than
Android. Apple's mobile OS (and OS X) natively offer <A
href="http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/vision.html">VoiceOver</A>, a
highly advanced screen reader that works with any app, and support double-tap,
drag, and flick gestures. iOS4 also <A
href="http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/braille-display.html">supports
30 Bluetooth Braille displays</A> in more than 25 languages. </P>
<P><A
href="http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html">Accessibility
support</A> in the regular builds of Android is surprisingly weak (and
unsurprisingly fragmented), especially for those who are visually impaired. </P>
<P>A better option for Android users is the $99 <A
href="http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415#getit">Mobile
Accessibility</A> app, which offers a suite of apps and a web browser, and
includes a screen reader powered by Nuance. Motorola includes a screen reader
named <A
href="http://responsibility.motorola.com/index.php/consumers/accessibility/">Voice
Readouts</A> with its newer Android devices that does work well (and supports
third-party apps).</P>
<P>Further reading can be found at <A
href="http://accessibleandroid.blogspot.com/">Accessible Android</A> and <A
href="http://www.applevis.com/">AppleVis</A>. </P>
<P>This story can be found at: <A
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20118728-1/tablet-app-brings-new-touch-to-braille/">http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20118728-1/tablet-app-brings-new-touch-to-braille/</A></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>