Siren song
One of the tired arguments against letting Deaf people drive is that they wouldn’t be able to hear ambulances, fire truck, or other siren-emitting vehicles, which we think is probably more of an argument against the folks who drive around with the local alternative rock station cranked to 11 on their amplifiers. Both groups are likely to respond to the types of sirens being installed in ambulances across Oklahoma, which emit not only the traditional squeal but also a very low frequency tone that will make any car in the area vibrate.
OhGizmo: Oklahoma Ambulance Sirens Soon To Be Felt And Heard
Earnest blowfield
Fantalog Interactive is releasing a phone in Korea that lets you take pictures when you blow on it. Intriguing hands-free photography solution for people, and if it responds to doggy breath it could be an improvement on the Wonderful Shot.
AVING USA: New mobile solution to take pictures by blowing your breath
New use for TiVo
TiVo has a new partnership with Domino’s Pizza; you can order a pizza then track its delivery progress, all via your TV. Sounds like a good strategy for people with speech and/or hearing disabilities who don’t have access to or interest in Internet services.
Scratch another gesture interface
Now here’s another gesture interface prototype we’re itching to try. Chris Harrison mounts a simple microphone on any surface — wall, desk, pants pocket, then scratches letters or patterns on that surface to control a computer or mp3 player. Sound carries so well in solids that the audio pattern can be picked up far from the mic, and a two-stroke pattern like the letter ‘V’ is easily distinguishable from a circular one like the letter ‘O’. Chris has in mind using your cell phone’s microphone as the pickup, so any horizontal surface becomes a gesture input device once you put your phone down on it.
Gesture interfaces seem to be falling into 2 categories: 2D, requiring contact like this prototype or a touch-sensitive panel (like Microsoft’s Surface), and 3D, like the camera-based systems we’ve also featured. Their main advantages over last-generation touchscreens is that they don’t need to have a specific target area — you can perform the gesture anywhere in their range — and they can detect complex movements and multiple touches at once, like a chorded keyboard, increasing the encoding capability. These two improvements work better for blind and low vision users, but gesture complexity may foil some users with impaired dexterity.
Say where you’ve been
Here’s a new twist on geotagging; the Visiontac VGPS-900 adds an option for adding tags by voice. Useful for people with cognitive disabilities related to writing, as well as those with dexterity impairments or those whose hands are just full.
Mobile Gadget News: World’s first GPS with Voice recording, microSD, Spy Mode Released
FaceLickBook
We know Fido has been begging for his own Facebook identity, and a company called SNIFtag (motto: “tails told, friends made”) has just made it easier to indulge him. The eponymous tags allow social Setters and convivial Collies within reasonable proximity to exchange detailed information paws-free; the uploaded data is then transferred to the pooch’s Facebook account for further examination. Theoretically, this could be adapted to exchange information between people who would have difficulty presenting or interpreting business cards because of physical or visual disabilities. It’s also a green solution to everyone’s problem of hanging on to cards and remembering their relevance.
In the blink of an eye
Japanese designer Mac Funamizu has come up with a gesture-based means of photography, initiated by putting on a specialized pair of sunglasses. Hold up your hands in two L-shapes to frame the shot, and close your left eye to take the picture. Great concept for lots of people with dexterity disabilities.