BrailleTouch app developed
22 February 2012
A prototype iPhone app called BrailleTouch has just been unveiled by researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States with the aim of improving accessibility for blind and partially sighted iPhone users.
The BrailleTouch app is a braille writer using touch screen technology. When the user places three fingertips on each side of the iphone screen, virtual keys align underneath each fingertip. The user then receives audio feedback to confirm that the desired character has been typed. There are also gestures for adding spaces and deleting incorrect letters.
BrailleTouch has been shown to be up to six times faster than other texting solutions for the partially sighted, with speeds up to 32 words per minute at 92 percent accuracy. While the app is currently only compatible with iPhones and iPads, the developers plan to make BrailleTouch available for all smartphone platforms.