The document discusses developing a touchscreen user interface for smartphones to make them accessible for blind and visually impaired users. It describes creating a new "Talking View" component that handles touch input and speaks feedback to the user. Gesture recognition is also implemented using the Android Gestures API. Usability testing with blind and low vision users provided positive feedback and showed the interface was intuitive to use. Ongoing work includes adding text input and testing on additional platforms. The goal is to create solutions for accessible access to new technologies like touchscreen smartphones.

1. Take out your mobile phone,
dial a number,
but imagine you are blind.
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

2. And you don’t have
physical keys
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

3. A Touch Sensitive User Interface Approach on
Smartphones for Visually Impaired and Blind
Persons
Elmar Krajnc, Mathias Knoll, Johannes Feiner, Mario Traar
USAB 2011, 25.-26. November 2011, Graz
26.
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

4. Project Ways4all Complete
www.ways4all.at
Routing and way finding
Indoor navigation
Communication with public transport vehicles
Integration in one device, a mobile phone
This paper: a barrier free UI for
Touch Screen Phones
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

5. Mobile Phone Market
Smart Phones overtakes Mobile
Phones
Android: 52.5% of the
global smartphone
market
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-15/tech/30400572_1_smartphone-android-ios
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

6. Accessibilty on Smart Phones
Mostly Touchscreens
No Standards
Examples
Symbian - Talks
Apple - Voice Over
Android
Talkback/Eyes Free Project/Self Voicing Apps
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

7. Previous Result
Previous Version of the application
Java ME platform
Screen reader Talks
Transfer to Touchscreen
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

8. Ways4all App on Android
General Concept
Android
Open Source
Developer Friendly
Built in TTS Engine
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

9. UI Talking View
New View Componet
Handling Touch Input
Self Voicing
if ((touchEvent() … ){
tts.speak(itemTexts[0],… );
}
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

10. Gesture Input
Gestures API
Writing or Gestures as
User Input
… GestureLibraries.fromRawResource(this,
R.raw.myGestures);
…
predictions = … recognize(gesture);
if (prediction.name.equals(“3")) {
doSomeThing();
}
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

11. Talking User Interface
Video or Demo
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

12. Usability Testing
Thinking Aloud Test
7 Testuser
2 Blind, 2 Visual Disorder 3 Normal
Disorder,
Feedback
Intuitive UI
Users could fullfil most Tasks
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

13. General Problems on Smartphones
Accessible Apps vs. Accessible
Smartphones
2D Touchscreen vs. 1D Lists
No Standards
Different Usage on Different Platforms
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

14. Outlook
SW Development is in progress
Text input
More reviews and tests
Converting to other platforms like iPhone
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

15. Conclusion
Developing for special user groups is
challenging
New technologies needs new
Solutions
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.

16. Thanks for your Attention
Elmar Krajnc
elmar.krajnc@fh-joanneum.at
elmar.krajnc@fh
Mathias Knoll
Mathias.knoll@fh-joanneum.at
Mathias.knoll@fh
Johannes Feiner
johannes.feiner@fh-joanneum.at
johannes.feiner@fh
Mario Traar
mario.traar@fh-joanneum.at
mario.traar@fh
FH JOANNEUM
University of Applied Sciences
www.fh-joanneum.at/itm
joanneum.at/itm
Krajnc E., Knoll M., Feiner J., Traar M.