[nfbwatlk] A Deafblind Woman Found a Hidden Feature in Her Apple Watch That Changed Her Life, News.Mic, May 4 2015

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Sat May 9 03:10:40 UTC 2015


I am not convinced. IMO maps aren't refreshed often enough to be truly
useful, especially for someone who is deafblind.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Nightingale, Noel via nfbwatlk
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 4:00 PM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Nightingale, Noel
Subject: [nfbwatlk] A Deafblind Woman Found a Hidden Feature in Her Apple
Watch That Changed Her Life, News.Mic, May 4 2015


Link:
http://mic.com/articles/117316/a-deafblind-woman-found-a-hidden-feature-in-h
er-apple-watch-that-changed-her-life

Text:
A Deafblind Woman Found a Hidden Feature in Her Apple Watch That Changed Her
Life
By Max Plenke
May 04, 2015

Using one overlooked feature on her Apple Watch, a blind and deaf woman
learned to navigate any city.

This is Molly Watt, a woman living with a genetic disorder called Usher
syndrome that affects her sight and hearing. She began experimenting with
the functionality of her Apple Watch in April.

There's been plenty of negative commentary popping up online about Apple
Watch. Some reviewers have dismissed it as a luxury item - "an iPhone sales
engine" - without any real, game-changing features. But Watt found one
crucially important function that's been overlooked by the press, something
most users take for granted.

"I was born deaf and registered blind when I was 14. The condition I have is
Usher Syndrome Type 2a. I am severely deaf and have only a very small tunnel
of vision in my right eye now," she explained. She ordered the Apple Watch
Sport in the larger size, she said, "so I'd not lose it quite so easily."

Watt was already accustomed to using an iPhone, so navigating her Apple
Watch wasn't too difficult. She had to tweak a few accessibility features
first. She increased the default font size to match the settings on her
phone. Then she turned on another accessibility feature, called Prominent
Haptic.

Apple Watch uses tiny vibrations, called "taps," to communicate with the
wearer, usually to signify a phone call or text. Apple calls this feature
the "Taptic Engine." Watt was able to adjust the taps so they were more
intense and more frequent.

On the watch's Maps app, these taps double as directions.

"Prominent Haptics is definitely awesome for me as a deafblind person," Watt
wrote on her blog. "So far for me the most useful App on the Apple Watch is
Maps - on my iPhone I can plan my journey from one destination to another."

She added, "I can be directed without hearing or sight, but by a series of
taps via the watch onto my wrist. 12 taps means turn right at the junction
or 3 pairs of 2 taps means turn left. I'm still experimenting with this but
so far very impressed - Usher syndrome accessible!"

Watt, who's used to using a Bradley timepiece, found that her Apple Watch
was a great complement to her guide dog. She also discovered that her mom
could communicate with her without sound or sight by using haptic feedback.
Better yet, the watch could also be used to send a sketch or message to a
friend while in a dark or loud environment, like a concert or bar, if she
needs help or feels uncomfortable.

"Apple products have been more than just up-market gadgets to me," she
wrote. "They really have been my access to the many things most take for
granted but that those of us with deafblindness particularly struggle with."

That's not to say the watch is a perfect experience for deaf and blind
users, however. Watt noted that the size of the home screen makes it
difficult to select certain apps. She also said the audio could be improved
and the price was an impediment to many with sensory impairment who are
"reliant on the sort of accessibility features Apple offers."

But overall, she wrote, "the positives far outweigh the negatives."

Watt demonstrated how the watch can be more than just a toy. She found
multiple ways it could actually improve her life - which is, after all, what
most tech should do.
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