Our friend Michael from Home Healthcare Adaptations has done it again! This time, he has created an infographic that explains what sensory impairment is, tells us the difference between vision and hearing impairment, and lists some really great apps for both types of impairment and explains how they work. Look at the infographic below for more details (click twice to enlarge). The apps listed are either free or very nominally priced.
Best Mobile Apps for Sensory Impairment
What is sensory impairment?
Sensory impairment or disability, is when one of your senses; sight, hearing, smell, touch or taste, is no longer functioning normally.
A person does not have full loss of a sense to be sensory impaired.
95% of the information about the world around us comes from our vision and our hearing.
Vision Impairment vs. Hearing Impairment
285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide.
39 million people are completely blind.
More than 4 in 5 people living with blindness are aged 50+.
360 million people have moderate to profound hearing loss.
Current production of hearing aids meets less than 10% of global need.
Approximately 1 in 3 people aged 65+ are affected by disabling hearing loss.
Mobile Apps for Vision Impairment
App: Tap Tap See
What it does: Uses the device’s camera and VoiceOver functions to photograph objects and identify them out loud for the user.
Features: Double tapping the screen enables the user to photograph any 2D or 3D object at any angle and define the object within seconds.
The device’s VoiceOver function audibly identifies the object to the user.
Includes the ability to repeat the last image’s identification and save the image to the camera roll with the attached tag.
Allows the upload of identified images from the camera roll and can share identification via twitter, facebook, text or email.
Platforms: iOS and Android
Cost: New users are provided with 100 trial pictures to start. 4 subscription plans are available starting from $4.99+.
App: Be My Eyes
What it does: It connects blind people with volunteer helpers globally via live video chat.
A blind person requests assistance via the app.
The volunteer receives a notification for help and a live video connection is established.
Features:
Utilises the iPhone VoiceOver technology which enables synthetic speech and a touch based interface.
At the end of each session there is a ‘rate it’ or ‘report misuse’ option both for the helper and the user.
Platforms: iOS. Android version in production.
Cost: Free, but a subscription may be put in place from September 2015.
more —> Assistive Technology Blog: INFOGRAPHIC: Best Mobile Apps for Sensory Impairments.
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