Latest news with #braille
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Important purpose behind markings all over Australian footpaths: 'I had no idea'
Whether it's on city streets, in shopping precincts or train stations, millions around the country walk beside them every day. But how many of us actually know what the trails of bumps and bars on the ground are really for? The City of Brisbane Council issued an important reminder recently, prompting many residents to reveal they had no idea. The council explained that, like in many densely populated cities, the raised markings used on the pavers of areas like Queen Street Mall are part of a braille trail, there to assist people with impaired vision to move about safely. Also known as tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs), these markings are the long, raised strips or dot patterns installed in public areas that often span many metres through busy thoroughfares. They're designed to be felt underfoot or with a cane and are typically located in high-traffic or hazard-prone areas. For many, they act as an essential substitute for visual information, allowing for greater independence, confidence, and safety when navigating public spaces. "Don't stand, walk or place items of braille trails," the City said online. "Keep them clear to help others." Many responding after seeing the post admitted that they didn't realise the markings' important purpose. "I had no idea what these were. I honestly thought it was flooring design or something. What a great idea," one woman said. "I doubt most people know the purpose of these. Good post," echoed a second. "I never knew — now that I know, I will be conscious not to be in the way," wrote a third local. In Australia, TGSIs began to be more widely implemented from the late 1990s, following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. National standards were later developed to guide their use, with tactile indicators now required in most new public infrastructure and major upgrades. Their presence has since become a quiet but critical part of inclusive urban design — often unnoticed by many, but life-changing for those who rely on them. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
CBC
30-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Saskatoon student receives national recognition for innovative braille device
Watching his grandfather begin to lose his hearing sparked a passion in Joti Gokaraju to support the deafblind community and the idea for an invention that would earn him a national award. Gokaraju, a Grade 11 student at Walter Murray Collegiate in Saskatoon at the time, grew concerned about how his grandfather would communicate the hearing condition worsened. " That's what really started, you know, my passion for helping the deaf blind community, because I found out that it's not just my grandfather who could suffer from this situation," Gokaraju said. That passion led him to create TouchTalk, a braille-based communication system that is now the winner of a 2025 national Ingenious+ Award. "There are about 160 million deafblind people around the world who face this exact same problem," Gokaraju said. "I just wanted to make sure that these people have a way to connect with their communities and their families." With TouchTalk, deafblind people receive and send messages through braille, inputting text through a computer app that translates the message into braille for the TouchTalk's physical display. Gokaraju has just finished the preliminary testing for TouchTalk. He said he built the device for under $100, while similar products on the market usually cost much more. "The most common technology right now costs about $5,000. And if you think about how a lot of deafblind people aren't in first-world countries, having that low cost is really important," Gokaraju said. Youth leading innovation Ingenious+, run by the Rideau Hall Foundation, seeks out creative solutions to complex challenges when selecting its finalists. Amy Mifflin-Sills, a director at the foundation, calls it "innovating for good." "With Joti, what he's done so far with his innovation is a clear example of innovating for good," Mifflin-Sills said. The Ingenious+ Award is open to youth aged 14 to 18 with projects focused on innovation in areas like community and civic engagement, climate change, equity and inclusion, health, technology and entrepreneurship. "There are amazing ideas out there and incredible prototypes, just like Joti's. Our goal is to support as many of them as possible every year through financial awards, mentorship and learning opportunities," she said. "To give them that initial seed money so they can get started and move forward with their innovations. Ideally, we want to help them reach commercialization, move beyond the testing and prototype stages, and even take these projects with them as they go on to college or university." Servicing his community Gokaraju credits much of his success with TouchTalk to hands-on work from researchers at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, whom he connected with to learn more about issues with blindness and deafness. "It's been really nice to actually get some field testing done," Gokaraju said. His work in blind and deaf communication was also recognized by the Loran Scholars Foundation, which awarded him with a four-year scholarship valued at more than $100,000. "It's also nice to, I guess, feel that your innovation has also been recognized, and it's something I think can go forward and I can actually make a company out of it to do something meaningful." Gokaraju hopes more young people become inspired to create solutions to the world's problems. He made sure to note that he wouldn't be here without the support of his family and community. "This is something that I could only do by having that whole community behind me."
Phone Arena
14-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Apple announces new iPhone, iPad, Mac accessibility features for iOS 19
Apple is adding new accessibility features to its devices this year, developed to help those with disabilities use their iPhone, iPad, or Mac without struggling. New Accessibility Nutrition Labels will be coming to the App Store, and these won't reveal the sugar content or the amount of carbs in a frozen dinner. These accessibility nutrition labels will show off accessibility features available with a certain app. This will let users know if they will be able to use that app because of their disabilities before they download it. The labels will show whether an app will work with accessibility features such as Voice Control, Larger Text, Reduced Motion, VoiceOver, Sufficient Contrast, captions, and more. The accessibility nutrition labels will be found on the App Store worldwide. -Eric Bridges, president and CEO, the American Foundation for the Blind. A new accessibility feature called Braille Access turns the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro into a braille note taker. Typing with the Braille Screen Input or a connected braille device, users can open any app, and take notes in braille. Users will a;sp be able to do math calculations with Nemeth Braille. The latter is employed in classrooms to help teach math and science to students with low vision capabilities. Braille Ready Format (BRF) files can be opened by users directly from Braille Access. This will unlock a wide variety of books and files previously created on a braille note-taking device. An integrated form of Live Captions allows users to transcribe conversations in real time directly on braille displays. Braille Access for iPhone. | Image credit-Apple Did you know that Magnifier on iPhone and iPad has been around since 2016? They have helped users of those devices with poor vision read texts, zoom in for a close look, and help them see what is around them. Now, Magnifier is coming to the Mac. The app will work with the user's camera, allowing it to magnify a screen or a whiteboard. The Continuity Camera turns your iPhone's camera into a webcam for your Mac. It will also work with an attached USB camera. Magnifier for Mac will also help you read documents using Desk View; this feature shows your face and an overhead view of your desk at the same time. Magnifier for Mac. | Image credit-Apple If you have low vision or are dyslexic, Accessibility Reader will give users ways to customize text including the font, color, and spacing. It is built into the Magnifier app for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It can be launched from any app. The Vision Pro is getting improved Zoom that will allow users to magnify everything including their surroundings. Personal Voice, which allows those losing their voice to record certain messages before they are no longer able to say them, will also be improved. Using AI and Machine Learning, users will be able to create a more pleasant and natural sounding voice in under a minute using only 10 recorded phrases. The feature will now support Spanish (Mexico). Some of these new accessibility features might be previewed by Apple during the WWDC Keynote on June 9th. This will commence at 10 am PDT/1 pm EDT.
CNA
13-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Apple introduces new accessibility features including braille note taker
Apple said on Tuesday it is bringing a host of new features later this year that are geared towards making its devices more accessible, including a braille note taker and expanded 'zoom' for its mixed-reality headsets, Vision Pro. For users who are blind or visually impaired, vision accessibility features will be expanded using Vision Pro's camera system. The updated zoom features can help users magnify everything in view using the main camera, the iPhone maker said. "We are dedicated to pushing forward with new accessibility features for all of our products," said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple's senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. Apple will allow approved apps to access the main camera on Vision Pro to provide live, person-to-person assistance for visual interpretation in apps such as Be My Eyes. Be My Eyes is an application that connects people who are blind or visually impaired with volunteers and companies worldwide through live video. The Vision Pro, lauded by analysts for its technology, represents Apple's entry into the headset market otherwise dominated by Meta Platforms. Apple is also introducing 'Braille Access' that turns iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro into a braille note taker. With this feature, users can open any app by typing with a connected braille device or Braille Screen Input - an Apple system that allows users to enter braille into their devices. Apple's new features also include a system-wide reading mode designed to make text easier to read for users with disabilities such as dyslexia or low vision, the company said.
