Anne DeWitte

Anne DeWitte

Jun 24, 2016

Group 6 Copy 177
1

Overlays now available for purchase

Hi Backers,

Since the experiment ended I have continued to work on the overlays - more tactile icon development with RIT Professor Deborah Beardslee and student Emma Echols, plus extensive in-home testing with Kay, Kirstyn and Lisa.  

Now to make the overlays available to others. The custom overlays are called HALOS - Home Appliance Label and Overlay System and are sold on etsy here.

Thank you for making all this possible!

Anne DeWitte

Update 1/25/17:  Articles, podcasts, updates about the tactile overlays:

  • "VizLens and HALOS: Making Touchscreen Appliances and Other Devices More Blind Friendly"- AFB AccessWorld- HALOS product profile (Jan 2017)
  • "Tactile Overlays for your Home Appliances" (Mystic Access Podcast)- Profiled by Mystic Access, podcast on assistive technology (Nov 2016)
  •  "Send in the Crowds: Engineering’s New Idea Factory" (Global Spec Article)- Experiment crowdfunding campaign was profiled for this article (Apr 2016)
  • Webpage on my company website describing the HALOS products at http://tangiblesurfaceresearch.com/halos.html.  This page is formatted for screen readers.

1 comments

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  • Don Riling
    Don RilingBacker
    This is fantastic! Are there ways to spread news to the community who can benefit the most?
    Jun 27, 2016
  • Anne DeWitte
    Anne DeWitteResearcher
    Hello Don, our local organzation - the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) will be spreading the word. Also I may find someone to produce a simple video. I've tried to make contacts with the larger advocacy organizations but no luck. To them I'm just another vendor trying to sell stuff. I will stick with the grass roots effort. If people like it, word will spread. Other ideas are welcome. Thanks Don!
    Jun 27, 2016

About This Project

Tangible Surface Research, LLC

Many new ovens, dishwashers and other home appliances have flat, touch sensitive control panels instead of tactile buttons and knobs. Though these smooth interfaces are sleek and easy to clean, it is difficult for people with visual impairments to identify the appliance controls. Our goal is to develop and evaluate low-cost home appliance tactile cues for people with low vision.

Blast off!

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