LookTel: The Future of Mobile Accessibility

RantWoman definitely detects the feel of marketing hype about the item below. However, RantWoman is just the sort to save the link and check back over time about several points.


-----Original Message-----From: Christopher Chaltain
Fwd: [infoshare] LookTel: The Future of Mobile Accessibility
Wow, this is definitely interesting and exciting software. I would correct one thing you said though. From reading the web pages, this software runs onWindows smartphones so it's not "using a different operating system thatgives spoken feedback."
--Christopherchaltain@gmail.com

-----Original Message-----From: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List[mailto:VICUG-L@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG]
On Behalf Of To: VICUG-L@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG
Subject: [VICUG-L] Fwd: [infoshare] LookTel: The Future of MobileAccessibility Technology - LookTel: The Future of Mobile Accessibility

LookTel is a company whose aim is to sell software than can be downloaded onto mobile devices, making them completely accessible to the visually impaired in ways that are truly incredible.
The software they've designed will be tethered with camera enabled smartphones and features artificial sight programs used to identify objects andlandmarks. For example, by pointing the phone's camera at a can of peas, thephone will speak aloud to its user, "Peas." If you move the phone to thenext can which happens to be corn, the phone will say, "Corn." Beyond that,you can actually create custom labels for the software to recognize. So ifyou have a Tupperware container of salad in your fridge, you can stick a unique label onto it and teach the phone that that label means salad.Whenever it sees that label, it will say, "Salad." It can also recognize every denomination of US currency.
Another feature is that the software will be able to recognize landmarks,namely street signs and storefronts, to help the user navigate. It even goesso far as allowing the user to access assistance if they need it. By usingthe GPS imbedded in most smart phones, the user could connect to someone else, transmit live video of where they are, and the other person could seewhat the phone sees, as well as their location on a map, and guide them to their intended destination.This feature gives added comfort to those who may be able to navigate mostplaces with ease, but will require help from time to time.
The software also incorporates a text-to-speech feature, allowing the user to take a picture of any text and listen to the phone read it back to them.Beyond that, it makes touch screens entirely accessible by using a different operating system that gives spoken feedback and relies on easy to remember pattern placement of common phone functions.
This is a huge step forward in accessible mobile technology that canliterally open up the world to people with visual impairment. The softwareis being released in spring of this year as a beta test, and will most likely be available for purchase late this year. It will be compatible withevery major US cell phone carrier.
To read more about the LookTel software, go to http://www.looktel.com/