Blog post highlighting the lack of options for blind readers

[ALB2012]

Hi, not fantasy as such but as this may affect some of our members I thought I would share.

I have just posted a blog post discussing the options available for readers with limited vision, and also featured an author who writes kids books and suffers from glaucoma.

E-readers and the challenges of a blind author and reader | Library of Erana

 

[CupofJoe]

I've seen [and used] 3D tactile touch screens that feel like they have buttons and icons that you can click. No doubt in a few years this technology will be available on the tablets and e-readers. That may be a way to integrate e-readers with the needs of some visually impaired - if they know Braille or similar...
I think that wearable devices [like the dreaded Google glasses] that you tailor to you own needs might be an answer. With glasses, the virtual screen can be your field of vision and individual items as big as you want/need and designed to work best for you.
Also I can't see with a little improvement in eye movement tracking, why a TTS copy of a book could not be integrated into an e-reader copy to let you listen and read at the same time, or choose which one you want to use.
I think it is up to the willingness of the publishers to say they are going to commit to accessibility and not just go for those formats that give them the largest margins...
An interesting piece.

 

[ALB2012]

Thanks, yes I think you hit the nail on the head...profit. I am sure there are plenty of potential customers, or people who may become so.

 

[Jess A]

Interesting. I saw an article about this in the newspaper this morning. Same topic but different person. Audiobooks aren't cheap here and selection is limited. And that's just audiobooks.

 

[Guru Coyote]

I will have to read your blog post ASAP, but just wanted to not note that I can comment on this topic from first hand experience. As some of you might already have seen me mention, I am almost blind and use a range of assistive technologies for writing and reading - and generally using a PC.

My current most useful piece of equipment is - a standard iPhone 4S with VoiceOver enabled. It's the exact same thing that you would buy, and I could even get by all the way without buying any extra software for it.

 

[ALB2012]

Thanks for the support on this and I am glad you find the post interesting. If anyone (reader or author) wants to follow up with an interview or guest post discussing their own experiences please let me know. What is appropriate for one person might not suit the next. Please also feel free to post a comment or link if it is appropriate as well.

 

[Guru Coyote]

Ok, now I finally got time to actually read the article and the interview. Good stuff.

Some notes: I can only heartily recommend any blind or visually impared person to try out an iPhone or iPad. The combination of touchscreen and VoiceOver Screenreader is awesome and works to a degree that I know several fully blind people who use these devices on a daily (power user) basis. The iPhone has enabled several of my closest friend to again fully participate in the world of mobile communications, social networking and also unlocked un-dreamed-of possiblilities of navigation and such.

A note on Kindle: what is stated in the article is mostly true, the Kindle apps are not generally useful for us blind people. Let me just say that there are way to unlock your content if you dare, and use it in more accessible e-reader software like iBooks.

I've seen [and used] 3D tactile touch screens that feel like they have buttons and icons that you can click. No doubt in a few years this technology will be available on the tablets and e-readers. That may be a way to integrate e-readers with the needs of some visually impaired - if they know Braille or similar...

As someone who has just completed a three year training in these matters - I learned Braille and the use of Braille displays and much more...
The real issue with any (current) tactile displays is the sheer price point of these technologies. A good Braille display will cost somewhere in the region of 7000 EUR... and that is only one line of 80 characters. The type of display you describe would be 16 or more lines of those... imagine the cost.
I've met and spoken with developers working on such tech, and one thing they said is this: "The affordable tactile display is always about 6 months in the future. It's been that way for the last two decades." It still hasn't happened,

And then, there is the touchscreen with VoiceOver. A used iPhone 4S costs 400 EUR and works. It unlocks anything you throw at it, even websites and ebooks. Who needs pesky dots to massage one's fingers ^^