Introducing Navidys and Scandys iOS / macOS; and seeking feedback

By Michaƫl Dardol, 5 April, 2021

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello everyone,

I was browsing the list of apps but couldn't see my apps there. It is true that my applications are recent, even if the first version of Navidys was released in 2013.

My wife is a speech-language pathologist, and at a conference someone spoke about the lack of mainstream tools to improve reading for people with visual impairments, as well as those with dyslexia. Especially since the number of people increases every year, and in all classes, there are people with dyslexia. So she gave some tips for parents but also for the use of teachers to improve the readability of written documents but which is applicable to websites.

For example, not justifying documents, using sans serif fonts, and increasing the font size and spacing between lines and letters.

Through these aids, the goal is not just to read better, and as the feedback from users, I understood that the goal was to help understanding, by facilitating the ability to quickly decipher the words to extract the meaning of sentences. Allow everyone to find their settings to avoid wasting energy in deciphering letters and words.

So I created:
- Navidys to read websites https://apps.apple.com/app/id1507784155#?platform=iphone
- Scandys to read documents https://apps.apple.com/app/id1512502620#?platform=iphone

These applications are complementary and share the same palette of tools to create your reading profile.

I take this opportunity here to also have your feedback on what works or not for you, and your opinion on these tools.

To test these reading tools, I created an application to try to find its settings and know what works or not, and to know the difficulties of each one : https://apps.apple.com/app/id1559259054

Thanks for reading and I'm here to talk about the topic, I really want to allow people to be able to compensate for these reading issues.

Michaƫl Dardol

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Comments

By Brad on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

I've not used these apps but why would I want to when I already have voiceover that can read for me?

Or is this more a VI thing than a completely blind one?

By Michaƫl Dardol on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

In reply to by Brad

That's a very good question. These applications are for people who have difficulty reading, but which are not directly related to low vision. Dyslexia or other visual disturbances that increase visual stress and lower concentration can be compensated for with Voice Over, but not for reading. These people want to read and understand. A use case is for example a paper document given to a student. Voice reading is a solution, but it does not help children learn to read.

On the other hand, some people have a more auditory memory, and others have a more visual memory. For the latter, it is important to read and see things to remember them.

By Brad on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

From what you've said, I don't think this app is for this forum. This forum is for those who use voiceover; the screen reader built into the phones and computers made by apple.

By Kelly Hill on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

There may be some visually impaired people who can get some use out of these apps. not everyone uses voiceover all the time.

By Brad on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

But I don't think this app is aimed at those people either.

By Michaƫl Dardol on Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 13:46

As you say, not everyone uses Voice Over, but when you have a paper document you need an OCR scanner. To be able to use it, Scandys is fully usable with Voice Over, and you can even launch the scanner with your voice, using a Siri shortcut.

As I haven't added voice reading yet, Scandys is aimed at people with visual impairments and low vision. For example, I had the experience of using the app for people who usually wear glasses and can now read if they don't, by increasing the contrast and the size of the text.