February 19, 2012 01:28 am EDT

Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app

It wasn't all that long ago that we saw a student turn a tablet into a Braille writer, and now some researchers from Georgia Tech have done the same thing for smaller touchscreens, too. The Yellow Jackets produced a prototype app, called BrailleTouch, that has six keys to input letters using the Braille writing system and audio to confirm each letter as it's entered. To use the app, you simply turn the phone face down, hold it in landscape mode and start typing. As you can see above, it's currently running on an iPhone, but the researchers see it as a universal eyes-free texting app for any touchscreen. Early studies with people proficient in Braille writing show that typing on BrailleTouch is six times faster than other eyes-free texting solutions -- up to 32 words per minute at 92 percent accuracy. Skeptical of such speeds? Check out the PR and video of the app in action after the break.

Continue reading Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app

Georgia Tech researchers turn an iPhone into a Braille writer with BrailleTouch app originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | ||Comments

Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/georgia-tech-researchers-turn-an-iphone-into-a-braille-writer-wi/

View Full Article

Engadget

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics. Engadget was launched in March of 2004 in partnership with the Weblogs, Inc. Network (WI

More About this Source Visit Engadget