Braille SMS app being developed

The visually impaired may soon be able to compose text messages on their smartphones, thanks to an open-source app that removes the need to look at the screen.

 

Georgia Tech researchers have built "BrailleTouch," a prototype texting app that can be used in mobile devices using a touch-screen.

 

"Research has shown that chorded, or gesture-based, texting is a viable solution for eyes-free written communication in the future, making obsolete the need for users to look at their devices while inputting text on them," said Mario Romero, Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Interactive Computing (IC) and the project's principal investigator, according to an article on EurekAlert.

 

"BrailleTouch is an out-of-the-box solution that will work with smartphones and tablets and allow users to start learning the Braille alphabet in a few minutes," he added.

 

The free app uses the Braille writing system used by the visually impaired.

 

EurekAlert cited early studies with visually impaired participants proficient in Braille typing showing users can input at least six times the number of words per minute when compared to other research prototypes for eyes-free texting on a touch screen.

 

Users reach up to 32 words per minute with 92 percent accuracy with the prototype app for the iPhone.

 

Caleb Southern, an IC graduate student, said they are now designing a study to formally evaluate BrailleTouch through both quantitative and qualitative methods.

 

"We will measure the typing speed and accuracy of visually impaired users and capture the feedback from study participants in areas such as comfort, ease of use and perceived value," Southern said.

 

The researchers are also looking at how BrailleTouch could be a universal eyes-free mobile texting app to replace soft QWERTY keyboards and other texting technologies.

 

"It also reduces the need for expensive proprietary Braille keyboard devices, which typically cost thousands of dollars," Romero said.

 

Also, the researchers have designed BrailleTouch to address the limitations of soft keyboards, which do not provide tactile feedback.

 

They also noted physical keyboards often use small and numerous fixed buttons.

 

A separate article on tech site CNET said the app uses a gesture-based solution by turning the iPhone's touchscreen into a soft-touch keyboard programmed for Braille.

 

It requires only six keys that fit on the screen, with users keeping their fingers in a relatively fixed position while texting.

 

"This design allows users to hold their device with the screen facing away from them ¬– cradling the device with their palms or pinkies and thumbs – and to type with a majority of their fingers, identical to typing Braille on a standard keyboard," it said.

 

CNET also said that while the research group has developed iPhone and iPad versions of BrailleTouch, it is working on Android versions.

 

It added the app recently won the MobileHCI 2011 competition for design at the MobileHCI conference in Stockholm, Sweden. — TJD, GMA News