Consumer electronics giant Samsung has announced a slew of special usability accessories, compatible to its mid-range smartphone Galaxy Core Advance.
The new accessories Ultrasonic Cover, Optical Scan Stand and Voice Label were specially designed and developed after intense research and in-depth interviews to assist the disabled and visually impaired users.
Brief description and applications of accessories:
The Ultrasonic Cover: This accessory enables users to navigate through a walking corridor and, if obstacles are detected, it sends alerts via series vibrations and also the option of TTS (Text To Speech) feedback. By holding the cover upfront, it can also enhance the visually impaired users' awareness of the surrounding, by sensing the presence of a person or an object nearby (up to 2 meters).
Optical Scan Stand: This feature-rich accessory has to be placed in front of the reading material (like a book or a hotel dish menu), it automatically gets activated and intuitively begins to scan the text from the printed images on the paper and instantly reads the words aloud.
The Voice Label: This accessory makes use of the wireless communication feature NFC (Near Field Communication) in Galaxy Core Advance to assist users to distinguish objects, by allowing them to take notes with voice labels. This feature comes in handy for visually impaired users to operate electronic devices, by allowing them to record short explanation.
All three accessories - Ultrasonic Cover, Optical Scan Stand and Voice Label - will be made available as separate optional accessories for Galaxy Core Advance, and the company has promised to introduce similar assistive auxiliary devices to other Galaxy smartphones in the coming days. However, the availability and price details are still under wraps.
