Thread Subject: Re: Touchscreen Accessibility

From: Phill Jenkins
Date: Wed, Sep 26 2007 10:05 AM

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> The Chocolate vibration feature is used as a prompt. . .

Oh, then that is not what "tactilely discernible" is all about. Its about
being able to locate the controls (button, keys, etc) without activating
them. This topic is not about audio, visual, or tactile feedback, such as
systems beeps, LED indicators, or vibrations.

> I don't think this feature is as sophisticated as we are implying from
an accessibility perspective. Perhaps the Samsung phone is more so.

But as Gregg commented:
"This is orders of magnitude less that nibs [on keys]. Best way to
understand is to give it a try sometime.
Close your eyes and try to count the buttons on screen and do a rough
layout."

So, if the vibrations can't be used to locate the buttons, determine how
many there are, and when one starts and one stops, then it doesn't meet
the needs of tactilely discernible. I was hoping that one would be able
to determine the number, understand where each vibration originated, and
could do that without actually seeing it or activating it. Sounds more
like the vibrations are the equivalent of painting color on physical keys
or buttons. Painted or colored labels on buttons or keys do not help make
them more tactilely discernible.

I'll have to take a field trip to the mall and find a Samsung phone store
and try it out.

Regards,
Phill Jenkins
IBM Research - Human Ability & Accessibility Center
http://www.ibm.com/able

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