Check out this silicon iPhone case for the sight-impaired, via Core77:
Portugal-based designer Bruno Fosi has developed a prototype iPhone case that would enable the sight-impaired to use the device. The silicone case has debossed, tactile logos, icons and characters, yet is still thin enough for the screen to register touches. Used in conjunction with text-to-speech features, it opens up a world of possibilities for those without sight. Not to mention the blind could eke out some extra battery life by turning down the backlight.
Don't think of it as something that lets a blind person use the iphone as-is, thing of it as something that can transform the iphone into a completely different device that's blind compatible. It takes advantage of a touchscreen's reconfigurability and the Iphone's mutitouch ability to create a completely new interface with minimal of hardware.
It's a somewhat expensive solution, but vision impaired access is a very real problem that more geeks should work on.
Posted by: St.Eligius on December 4, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Amen Bob D
The Engineer in me says:
Leave it to Designers to f-up and come up with a cute solution that is totally unpractical. Something that is all form over function. An Engineer would realize that since the client has a sight impairment a screen would be a waste of material and energy resources. A phone with a Braille readout and buttons plus a single chip MP3 player would be more efficient.
The Designer in me says:
I like the clean/sleek look of it. Drop the iphone hardware get one of our Chinese fab house to stuff it full of cheap commodity GSM hardware plus a single chip MP3 player and start shipping.
Well I was going to chime in on how stupid this is but everyone else beat me to the punch.
Well I will just point out how stupid it is too design something for a product which is overly priced and mainly sight based for a blind person.
There are plenty of cheaper phones that have the same functionality that a blind person would use. But then again maybe I'm thinking to logically and forgot about the blind people that want to just have one to say they have one and they are cool and trendy(sadly I don't know any blind person like this).
I think this is perhaps designed more for partially sighted people. A post on (Ithink) Engadget showed an application that comes with it that was simple and high contrast that fit with the indentations on the screen.
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Oh for pete's sake silicon is not silicone...
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So...this wouldn't work at all. Concepts are great and all, but when there's no way they would work, it makes it kinda pointless, doesn't it?
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Don't think of it as something that lets a blind person use the iphone as-is, thing of it as something that can transform the iphone into a completely different device that's blind compatible. It takes advantage of a touchscreen's reconfigurability and the Iphone's mutitouch ability to create a completely new interface with minimal of hardware.
It's a somewhat expensive solution, but vision impaired access is a very real problem that more geeks should work on.
Reply to this comment
So why would a blind person buy a phone that is more display than anything else?
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The Engineer in me says:
Leave it to Designers to f-up and come up with a cute solution that is totally unpractical. Something that is all form over function. An Engineer would realize that since the client has a sight impairment a screen would be a waste of material and energy resources. A phone with a Braille readout and buttons plus a single chip MP3 player would be more efficient.
The Designer in me says:
I like the clean/sleek look of it. Drop the iphone hardware get one of our Chinese fab house to stuff it full of cheap commodity GSM hardware plus a single chip MP3 player and start shipping.
Reply to this comment
This is stupid for obvious reasons.
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now if they can only fix it so iphones work with 4 inch long finger nails for all those sistas out there hurtin for some iphone
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The Engineer in you says:
if the blind doesn't sees! lets make a new expansive product just for them. with just a bunch of features.
The Designer in me says:
if the blind sees! lets just adapt one great product that fits most of us! and yes, please include the digital camera.
Reply to this comment
Well I was going to chime in on how stupid this is but everyone else beat me to the punch.
Well I will just point out how stupid it is too design something for a product which is overly priced and mainly sight based for a blind person.
There are plenty of cheaper phones that have the same functionality that a blind person would use. But then again maybe I'm thinking to logically and forgot about the blind people that want to just have one to say they have one and they are cool and trendy(sadly I don't know any blind person like this).
Reply to this comment
Is there any reason the letters aren't in braille? Isn't that what blind people use to recognize letters?
Reply to this comment
I think this is perhaps designed more for partially sighted people. A post on (Ithink) Engadget showed an application that comes with it that was simple and high contrast that fit with the indentations on the screen.
Reply to this comment