BrailleTouch

It's time for a new campaign! Alright people, here's the news... I spoke with the Principal Investigator for the Braille Touch software just now, Mario Romero. They currently have both an iOS and Android version of the software. However, they are still working on packaging for an app that will be released sometime in the coming months. He said it will hopefully be before their original release date of Fall. What they need now is a programmer that can code an app for iOS that will be easily downloadable and usable by all users, sighted or not. Here is the big thing... this app will NOT enable you to use the Braille Touch software as an iOS keyboard. This app will only teach users to type the Braille Grade 1 alphabet. So... What we need to do is to contact accessibility@apple.com to get them to adopt and flesh out the Braille Touch keyboard for use in iOS. I envision this would be most easily chosen through the two finger rotor motion when you are in an edit field. For example, if you enter a text field and the keyboard is on screen, you could simply rotate with two fingers to choose "Braille Touch" and then type in your text. If you leave the keyboard mode at "Braille Touch", the next time you enter a text field you could use the Braille Touch method or switch back to the regular keyboard with a two finger rotor motion if you desired. Come on, this just makes too much sense for Apple not to listen. The other reason that Apple can't say no is that it is free! The good people that developed the software don't want a dime for the right to incorporate their work into iOS. They do not, however, want Apple to do what it is so famous for doing these days and sue another touch device manufacturer for using their intellectual property. This software is offered to all device makers as a great solution to give the visually impaired community. Who knows, it may change the way all people interact with touch screen mobile devices. Who would want to peck around on a tiny virtual keyboard when you can touch type? So... email accessibility@apple.com and let them know you want this feature included in iOS 5.1. Okay just a joke, as 5.1 will probably be released in the next few weeks. By iOS 6, though, Apple has no excuse as to why they wouldn't incorporate something that has already been created and offered at their doorstep. If you are an iOS or Android developer, contact caleb.southern@gatech.edu to help them get this joker available to the masses.