SparshJa: A User-Centric Mobile Application Designed for Visually Impaired

摘要

Every person has an ability of exploring the world by means of touch and this specifically becomes the core ability if a person is visually impaired. This core ability is unfolded by the mobile application SparshJa that accepts the input through touch-based Braille keypad. SparshJa is a Sanskrit word which means "Gaining Knowledge through Touch". SparshJa presents a user interface which mimics the Braille cell on touch screen phone where position of each dot is identified by means of distinct vibratory patterns. This Haptic feedback is augmented by auditory feedback that spells out the input letter. This dual feedback system makes the design of application and especially graphical interface totally user centric. The user-centric design improves utility of the application by simplifying navigation and reducing the learning curve. These claims are validated by means of on-field user trials which evaluate usability of SparshJa.