TactPlus is a Braille and 3D imaging printer designed to enhance accessibility for individuals with visual disabilities. Compact and portable, it prints Braille on specialty paper in under two minutes. With audio instructions and a price of $1,400, TactPlus offers an affordable and efficient solution for educational institutions and users on the go. Key Accessibility […]
Assistive Technology: TactPlus Read More »
Introduction Assistive technologies have revolutionized the way individuals with disabilities navigate the world, granting greater independence and usability for everyday activities. As one of the most widely used navigation tools, Google Maps has taken meaningful steps to improve accessibility through features like wheelchair-accessible routes and voice-guided navigation for blind or visually impaired individuals. To understand the effectiveness of these features, I
Assistive Technology: Google Maps’ Accessibility Features Read More »
During the summer of 2017 my best friend had to get surgery on her thumb, temporarily disabling her. At the time we loved playing Blizzard’s Overwatch on the Playstation. She wanted to be able to keep playing with me and our online friends, but her casted thumb was making the standard controller almost impossible to
Accessible Technology: Playstation Access Controller Read More »
For individuals with color blindness, navigating a world designed around color can be frustrating. Everyday tasks such as interpreting traffic signals and distinguishing between similarly colored objects become far more difficult. EnChroma glasses are an assistive technology designed to enhance color perception by filtering specific wavelengths of light. While they cannot “cure” color blindness, they
Assistive Technology: Seeing the world in a New Light (EnChroma Glasses) Read More »
As a school librarian, I will be focusing on assistive technology that can be used in a school setting. I will be reviewing the CIE Soundfield System. This is a form of voice amplification technology which allows the speaker to wear a microphone to transmit sound around the room through speakers. In schools, this is
Assistive Technology: CEI Soundfield Systems Read More »
Conditions like strokes or arthritis can make applying lipstick challenging. Lancôme’s Hapta, designed for people with limited hand, wrist and arm mobility, is a computerized lipstick holder that compensates for disabled users’ dexterity.
Assistive Technology: Hapta Read More »
Siri is Apple’s AI-powered virtual assistant, integrated into the company’s devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It enables hands-free interaction through voice commands, assisting users with tasks like messaging, navigation, and scheduling. As an assistive technology, Siri enhances accessibility by enabling hands-free control, voice dictation, and screen reading, supporting users with disabilities and making technology
Assistive Technology: Siri, Apple’s Virtual Assistant Read More »
Apple’s VoiceOver is a built-in screen reader that provides spoken feedback and gesture-based navigation for users with visual impairments. It improves accessibility (social model) and usability (functional solutions model) but has challenges like affordability (economic model) and gesture limitations (medical model). Developers and policymakers must enhance accessibility for a more inclusive digital experience.
Assistive Technology: VoiceOver on iPhone Read More »
Partiful is a mobile app designed for creating and sharing party invitations with friends. Hosts are able to plan an event quickly with a fun page crafted for their event. Guests are able to be invited on a number of platforms, and coordination happens conveniently through text blasts. This brief critique uses Norman’s Design Principles
Design Critique: Partiful Read More »
The Ulta Beauty app makes shopping enjoyable by enabling users to book salon services, earn and redeem points through the Ultamate Rewards program, and explore and buy beauty products. It has a barcode scanner for in-store discounts, order monitoring, and personalized product recommendations. Beauty shopping is made more convenient and fulfilling by providing users with
Design Critique: Ulta Beauty App Read More »