London, 4-5 October 2008
It is well known that the installation, more and more frequent every day at
our homes, of many electronic devices whose aim, in theory, is intended for
making our daily housework much easier and more bearable. They are also present
in order to help us in our leisure, studies, personal tidiness, etc. They are
related with the information process about what is going on in our environment,
too.
Nowadays, the cultural and development rate of any society can be measured in
accordance with the quantity and quality of the different appliances set in
their homes.
Many activities, which we are to perform, are linked to the action of pushing or
turning a certain knob.
About 30 years ago, even though the technology could be somehow complex at that
time, that used generally in the building of such devices was easy to assimilate
by the customer, He would just have to make a small effort to read or to listen
to the explanations provided by the shopkeeper or the distributors of the
devices.
Nowadays, the introduction of microelectronics and microcomputing in the
manufacturing of many devices is having a boomerang effect. Even though these
devices are more and more flexile, they include more functions, they are better
complemented with other accessories, etc and their use is more and more
complicated.
Sometimes, it is almost compulsory to have certain "technological" knowledge in
order to work and benefit from all its features, what gets them somehow further
from their original purposes.
If, to a non-handicapped customer in general, it is complicated or very
difficult to manage and fully use some of these devices, let's think about what
this could mean to an elder person or to someone with a visual impairment!
The difficulties which are generally met by the customer when using theses
appliances, can be summed up in the following causes:
1. Lack of understanding on the use of the device. What purpose has it
been developed with? Some may not be so intuitive at first sight.
2. The complexity of the functions to perform. There could be many of
them. For instance, the different programmes and alternatives of washing in a
wash-drier or in a cooking multi-robot, could make the user doubt about which
one to choose.
3. The capability to rapid and simply understand the different interfaces
for the use, as well as the steps to take in order to have it set or programmed.
Let's have a look at the user's manual of a video player/recorder or a hi-fi
system, etc.
Of course, there should be a special mention to the problems faced by a user
with blindness or severe visual impairment when working these multifunction
appliances.
Generally, people with visual impairments and with very little help from the
manufacturer could manage to work a high percentage of these devices by
following the guidelines listed below:
1. The colours in contrast with the key panel, information labels with
colours and sizes of fonts larger than 16 dots (approximately 6 mm in height)
could be enough to access to the necessary information on these labels and to
clearly locate their positions and functions.
2. It is important that the indicators within the knobs or the control
panel are in contrast with the base colour. This is the case of the indicators,
selection areas, etc.
3. An important device to bear in mind is the type of display used. Those
with an appropriate size of font and, above all, whose characters are in control
with the base colour will be much preferred by this group of users. The own
customer can enhance this contrast as long as the device includes systems of
appropriate back lighting.
4. If the different functions of these devices are related with acoustic
signals, a feedback on the actions of selection or use of the device will be
obtained. This feature will make the customer feel secure about its use,
avoiding possible accidents, which may result from doubts or mistakes.
5. The manuals of the devices should follow the above-stated guidelines,
making special emphasis on the contrast and size of the printing character.
As we can see, these simple and basic guidelines should not seriously affect the
design and, in our opinion, should not be a reason to unreasonably increase the
price of a device in mass production.
These guidelines should also result, very importantly, on the support from a
group of users who are not registered as visually impaired but who, in many
aspects, are close to them. They are the "elders".
The increasing number of older people should often make manufacturers become
more aware and we must selfishly resort to this fact, laying our claims to them.
Population is growing older. Its number is getting larger and larger and should
influence manufacturers and relevant entities with their demands on the problems
they have to face.
To help elder people with the use of appliances would also benefit a large
number of visually impaired, as there are common parameters to solve many of
their problems.
Blind customers encounter many difficulties in the use of most electronic
domestic appliances. It is already a long time since these appliances had their
control panel physically identifiable and easily workable.
Many of these appliances had some common features, which could be classified as
follows:
1. The controls and knobs had indicators that were easily identified by
touch.
2. The movements of the different switches and controls were, in many
cases, easily identified by their position.
3. By pushing or pulling, right or left, up or down, turning or selecting
discrete positions with a clear starting and finishing gap, the user could
simply choose among the various options.
4. Small acoustic signals - often issued by the actual mechanism - when
performing the function (this is the case of switches or controls in the oldest
TV screens), would guarantee an effective control of all functions.
The customer's memory played - in these situations - an important role, though
it was not so vital as nowadays. It was rather simple to add markings or
embossed labels in order to help with the process of location and memory of use.
At the present time, it is totally different. By reducing the size of the
appliances thanks to the high integration enabled by means of microelectronics,
the knobs and control panels have had to be adjusted to this new reality. The
use of a microprocessor and, therefore, the built-in "firmware" (programming of
manufacturer's circuits) has resulted in new procedures to comprehend and use
the various phases to set and select appliances.
Sometimes, with only three switches, you may use a device with multiple
functions. If one of the switches has a "shift" function, the combination of
this switch together with other, either pushed or not, could result in multiple
variations.
A blind customer starts having problems with just the location of the controls.
Some of them are so small and hidden that they are almost impossible to identify
by the touch.
Others are difficult to find because they are fully built on their panel. They
are designed in order to be located by the sight either by means of graphisms,
areas of different colours or by other visual marks. Their location would be
much easier if there were complementary tactile markings to delimit their
functions and layout.
Once you have found the control, you only have to push it. We shall usually have
a slight "feedback", by the touch, of the action performed. This will make us
doubt whether it was correctly worked or not. This is much more difficult to
detect for those people with a limited sense of touch or who suffer from other
diseases related to diabetes. In order to solve this situation, it is advisable
to have switches with physical adjustments that are clearly marked by a movement
or to-and-fro motion.
Once we have pushed a button, we shall have to wait and receive a signal related
to the action performed. Sighted people can easily confirm this by the sight of
any change occurred in the state of a light (i.e. on and off). In these cases,
different acoustic signals - with high and low pitches - would be helpful enough
to undertake this control.
In modern electronics, colours also provide additional information. If a light
is on, it means that the function chosen has been activated. However, it could
be "red", for instance, to warn you of a prohibition or "green" to allow you to
continue. Sometimes, intermediate stages - such as a stand-by process or
situation - could be associated to "intermediate" colours (such as orange).
Again, acoustic signals with various pitches would play a determinant role in
this control.
Not so long ago, there were as many flashing lights built-in as functions to
work. Nowadays, the high integration allows having a same light (generally a
diode) which flashes distinct colours.
The current trend, mainly due to cost-reduction, shows a mass use of displays of
various sizes. Even "customerized" designs may be used for each device.
Under these circumstances, the acknowledgement of receipt and the state
selection is shown on the screen.
The most complicated matter comes with the use of sensitive screens, i.e. those
associating the control panel of the incoming data (keypads) with the outgoing
information (the screen). This causes many complications to the blind customer
who, keen to "explore" the device by his touch, will often turn various
functions on.
There are some screens where it is almost worthless to mark the sensible areas
with transparent labels, as they will change their position as they initiate new
menus. To solve the accessibility to these peripherals, the most efficient
technique is, by no doubt, to resort to voice synthesis or digitalized voice.
The use of an interface (serial, parallel, etc) could offer very good prospects
of controlling.
Sometimes, the controls are made through keyboard with different shapes that
allow a better location by the touch. This refers to the keyboards built with
silicone bedding. The use of this type of keyboard is advisable to blind people
although it is more limited to small devices or remote controls.
It does not mean, however, that they are optimum although they are very easy to
locate. The feedback of each stroke, or the state control, still remains
outstanding.
We must make a special point on the standardisation of the controls and their
groups. For instance, a group of the keys laid out as in the telephone keypad
will make its location and understanding easier. Even if there are ink
characters on the number or function, a simple technique - that is becoming very
common - is to raise a single dot on the number five key in order to enable the
user to have a reference.
Keys that have been laid out by means of circular sectors or crossshaped
alignments will immediately suggest which ones refer to the selecting cursors.
By making embossed marks, it will be possible to complement the relevant
indications in order to achieve a perfect location. This is a very simple and
easy technique to carry out when building a silicone pattern.
Controls such as "potentiometers" mean two very concrete problems for the blind
and partially sighted end users:
1. When acting as switches or selectors, they do not include an indicator
to help the user to identify which direction they are pointing at.
2. They do not have a defined starting and ending position in its scope.
As a result, the user can not clearly locate it within its selection or
adjustment.
A sheer change towards the right direction would enable the user to make an
appropriate choice by means of "stops" easily noticeable from a well-known
reference dot. This kind of system is installed on those appliances that may
require some adjustments, clearly defined in advance.
The use of acoustic signals, which mark a clear difference to the various
functions, should be a target to achieve.
The use and lower cost of the electronics have enabled to resort to circuits -
which were very expensive in the past - with digital speech. This allows a
perfect knowledge of the selection or functioning state. This technique is used
- above all - in those processes where sight can not detect the different phases
of the device or where the events occur at random.
One encouraging technological sign to use many of these appliances, either by a
blind or visually impaired person, is the growing standardisation of the named
"remote control ports", that are resorting to infra-red technology or to radio
control transmission.
This technique has allowed controlling either all functions in the device, a
large number of them or the basic one for its correct use.
There are some appliances where you can only programmed certain functions, only
by this channel.
The control device is usually rather small, with knobs (silicone type) that are
laid out in-groups of keys, very easily identified.
This technology is now being very much used in those devices within the "brown
line" (radio, TV, audio, video players, satellite, etc). It seems that its use
is widening to the complete range of domestic appliances.
The user's manuals of these appliances are essential in order to deeply know all
functions in the device. They should be printed in braille (or, at least, a
quick reference guide) and recorded in audio.
We must outline that, nowadays, there are some models of remote controllers
manufactured by some companies which have implemented some features such as:
voice recognition, function learning (by copying the functions from the original
remote control). They could be an important alternative to help, or control, the
use of these appliances.
Even though the working condition of these devices are not ideal to the blind
and visually impaired, it is true that - with some training - they are rather
simple to use either by themselves or with some initial help from a friend.
Nowadays, new mechanisms and technologies, such as "Bluetooth" (a short-range
radio system) are introducing new paths to interconnect the various systems in a
standard way.
This technology enables the radio-connection among different devices, within a
short distance (not further than 10 m). One of them is becoming the "master"
unit and the others will be dependent.
It is also possible to interact other groups of devices, which are already
interconnected.
The communication is performed with 2.4 GHZ rate, with "hosting" technology.
This provides an extraordinary quality in the communication as well as the
control of any likely error during the transmission.
This system has been developped to connect small terminals, personal computers,
printers, telephones, etc.
If this technology keeps developping and is finally introduced at a general
level, we could be close to having a standardised communication channel, which
could set the basis in order to ask and share any information amongst the
various devices. One of them could be perfectly adapted to explore and analyse
the data, sent or received, to the other systems. We could even consider keeping
a special channel for the use of the blind and visually impaired.
We trust that, with the help of the European Commission and the EU Initiatives,
all companies will become more sensitive to the accessibility problems and they
will design an appropriate software aiming to review and command all functions
available in a device by means of a simple port.
It is not crazy to think about this possibility as it should not mean a high
cost to the manufacturer, who will not need to have any complementary circuit
affecting the size, design, etc.
There are some more fancy ways to control, which are to send and to receive
control messages through the connection of systems in a network. This will be
built with connectors and special control buses or with the actual electrical
network as an alternative to interconnect and share data.
We are about to come into the "domotic" phase. These techniques can solve a
great deal of the problem and they are most needed for a group of impaired
people to live independently at home. However, the cost and the dependency on
this kind of installations are two major factors to consider.
Right now, we must eagerly insist on the so-called "everyone design". This
concept intends to make all manufacturers aware and work on an inclusive design
so that users easily identify controls and accesses to these systems with
multiple impairments.
We must try to promote an informative activity and make all manufacturing
companies fully aware of this. However, we should not leave behind the
activities that the various organisations should place to the competent
standardisation bodies, and even to the different governmental entities in order
to promote appropriate laws, which will guarantee the access to information as
well as the control to these devices, vital in our daily life.
As we have observed throughout the discussions of the Expert group members
during the London meeting (4-5 October, 2008) that there are some solutions to
design devices that are accessible as an alternative to the way they are being
manufactured right now.
We just have to try and set the guidelines to some alternative designs as well
as to and encourage the different manufacturing companies to apply them with
full knowledge of the facts.
It is up to us, as a group of blind and partially sighted professionals, to
propose the guidelines to the different Standardisation Entities so that they
are incorporated within the manufacturing process.
The European Blind Union, with the European Parliament, must make a special
emphasis and demand solutions so that the general public, as well as the
manufacturing companies, will become fully sensitive by means of announcing
appropriate laws.