Exquisite control
Oh my, we do like the Sony RM-KZ1 universal remote. Originally designed for kids, its main buttons are all distinct shapes (easy to distinguish by touch for blind folks) and have high-contrast labeling. Plus, it prevents volume from being changed too much too fast. It’ll set you back all of $18 at Target.
Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?
The AlphaUi keyboard is an interesting concept: you hold it like an iPad, but you press actual keys on the bottom with eight fingers rather than virtual keys on the top with your thumbs. The screen has a display that lights the keys as you press them. Our jury’s out as to whether the physical setup will provide an accessibility edge. Instead, what really intrigued us was the key order–alphabetic rather than QWERTY, which is great for people with cognitive disabilities as well as those who’ve never learned touch typing. Has QWERTY finally met its match? Will we see this reflected in other keyboard designs?
Engadget: AlphaUi Back-Type keyboard for tablets will never catch on, but we wish it would
Yakkity yak
The Conversacube is a small box that “listens” to ambient conversations and provides the user with cues about chiming in. Theoretically created for the shy, but could easily be helpful for people with disabilities such as autism, and possibly as a supplement to lipreading for some Deaf folks as well. That is, as long as they’re not too put off by the ugly green color.
iPad tie
The Hand-e-holder attaches to your iPad and then wraps around your hand so you can hold the iPad one-handed and grip-free. Potentially useful for people who find the iPad difficult to hold and operate. But shouldn’t it be called the Hand-i-holder?
Not-so-silly wabbit
Turns out the Nabaztag bunny’s story isn’t over after all…after the original manufacturer, Violet, filed for bankruptcy, the little rabbit became Real got bought up by Mindscape and released in a new version called–oh please–Karotz. In addition to its traditional roles such as reading RFID tags, new capabilities will include a webcam for face recognition.
Computter adaptation
SensoGlove knows from good golf grips, and tells you when yours is off. It’s got both video and output to help you adjust your finger positions. Something like this might be helpful for people who need dexterity retraining as a result of, say, a stroke, or need permanent assistance due to neuralgia or similar conditions.
Gizmodo: Digital golf glove tells you exactly hard to grip it
Nokia if you got ‘em
You’ve got a Nokia N8 phone. You’ve got a TV or other display with an HDMI interface. You plug the former into the latter, and voila: an instant magnified, touchscreen-style interface for a limited number of functions, such as running a slide show or operating a calculator. More capabilities to come, we hope.
MobileCrunch: Nokia turns any display into a touchscreen with “Plug and Touch.”