How it works
The smartphone would be mounted on the user's chest with the camera pointing forwards. The menu is activated by pushing a button on the phone. The user can move their hand up and down in front of them to hear the options in the menu. The user pinches their fingers to select a menu option and pinches twice to go back.
The system works best with bone conducting headphones. The GPS knows where the user is and the compass which way they are facing. An audio message can be recorded and left at their current position. Other posts from different social networks are played through virtual 3d sound in relation to the position and angle of the user.
The user can connect to ticket and vending machines through bluetooth and use their phone to purchase tickets instead of a touch screen.
The Initiative
Blinput was developed by Erik Hals in an attempt to tidy up the application market for the visually impaired and make it more available for everyone.
Although the initial goal was to design a product, the benefits of mass production and investment in new technology by the smartphone manufacturers made it difficult to beat through product design alone.
Enhancing the capabilities and combining the applications of the smartphones made more sense than designing yet another advanced piece of metal and plastic that would be too expensive to manufacture. Upgrading and supporting the product on the same level as smartphones was also deemed unfeasible.
The Philosophy
Many people feel left behind by the escalating speed of technological development. They simply give up trying to learn using computers and mobile phones and stick to more familiar concepts like letters and landline phones. There is nothing wrong with this, and sometimes it is good to step off the conveyorbelt and view the world from a different perspective.
However, technology is creating a gap in society between those who find it difficult, such as elderly and people with impairments, and those who adopt it easily and it is harder and harder to cross. Someone must develop the technology to integrate those who are behind rather than pushing the early adopters even further away. This is the main aim of blinput.