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Presenter(s)
Lucia Gomez
VisuAide
841, Boul. Jean-Paul Vincent
Longueuil, Quebec J2G 1R3, Canada
Email: lucia.gomez@visuaide.com
Palm top computers, also known as Personal Digital Assistants(PDA), are a very popular product amongst sighted people. This low price multipurpose computer concept that fits into the palm of a hand, is now available to visually impaired. Maestro, the first accessible Mainstream handheld PC was launched in the fall 2004. It is developed and manufactured by VisuAide, the leading innovation firm in providing high-tech solutions for the blind and visually impaired. VisuAide's accessible PDA objective is to provide the users with a low cost and highly portable mobile computing solution. By doing so VisuAide wants to make the technology aids more available to a larger number of blind and visually impaired. That will also increase their accessibility and enjoyment of the most useful and interesting opportunities found in their environment.
The main characteristic of an off-the shelf PDA is its touch screen centric interface which remains inaccessible to blind and visually impaired until today. Maestro uses it as an adapted keyboard easy to manipulate. It also delivers fully accessible applications that behave like the already known PC environment, with a short learning cycle.
The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how a mainstream PDA is used and what are the main benefits brought to a blind user. It will expose how various tasks and characteristics such as: managing contacts and appointments information, writing and consulting documents, recording quick notes or accessing information though the Web, synchronizing with the PC. The user will explain how, by using the same data structure than the native Windows CE applications, the information can be easily shared with other computers. The visually impaired can also display information on his device for the benefit of other sighted people.
The testimonial will also describe the benefits of having available in the same highly portable device other application, important aids such as an orientation tool to tell the user where he is and how to get to a destination just when needed, or a Daisy reader software to access books or any electronic text information.
The presentation will discuss about the availability of wireless communication networks and how they are used to offer advantages to the blind users. For example, the use of Bluetooth to produce a modular system that can be operated with or without an external keyboard (Braille or standard) and how the device can be used to access public information networks though its Wi-Fi capability.
Based on the users experience we will also propose various improvements to today's functionality that will deliver new benefits not presently achieved. We will also explore the possibilities that are available when extending the accessible applications on the stand-alone PDA.
Finally, as the mobile electronics is an evolving industry and a highly innovating environment, we will explore the potential of a product based on mass-market electronics and what are its future possibilities in terms of price, power, and connectivity
Note from submitter: a user of Maestro who is not working for VisuAide will perform the presentation. We have two or three candidates today for this task but it is impossible to confirm 6 months ahead the exact person who will present. We have submitted this paper under the name of a VisuAide employee for now.
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