Silicon Touch: an iPhone case for the visually impaired
by Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Dec 1st 2008 at 4:58PM
The iPhone has never seemed a likely contender as a smart phone for the blind (it's certainly not designed for touch typing), which makes this case by designer Bruno Fosi all the more impressive. The Silicon Touch covers the phone's screen and features a selection of bas-relief buttons that correspond to menu items in a custom app, allowing those with diminished sight access to all the phone's functions, including multi-touch and finger flick scrolling. Right now it's just a concept, but we're hoping to see this one become a reality sooner rather than later.
[Via Yanko Design]
[Via Yanko Design]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rseijas @ Dec 2nd 2008 4:05PM
THAT is an iPhone condom! Kinda defeats the concept of an aesthetically pleasing handheld like the iPhone when you wrap it completely in silicone. Protection is one thing, turning your iPhone into "bubble-boy" is another.
Mikey P @ Dec 1st 2008 6:08PM
I'm not sure that blind people are too concerned with aesthetics...
Steve @ Dec 1st 2008 6:50PM
What part of "for visually impaired" don't you understand? Do you think a blind person cares how aesthetically appealing the phone is? Seriously...
Cory @ Dec 1st 2008 6:51PM
Well the design is for the blind genius. Of course those who can see it wont find it asthetically pleasing seeing as the design is for function not looks.
cl347bv @ Dec 1st 2008 7:12PM
You sir, are an idiot.
Or you cant read.
This case has nothing to do with looks. It is purely functional.
Kraig R. @ Dec 1st 2008 10:01PM
Guys, maybe the original commenter is blind himself =0
civilian @ Dec 1st 2008 7:23PM
still, how are they going to read the page once they used multitouch to zoom in? It sounds too complicated but nice in theory of trying to hep the blind. Just make a phone for the blind instead.
christexaport @ Dec 1st 2008 8:04PM
Wow! The iPhone is abhorred by the blind, if you don't know. I'm working on an article about this as we speak. Most visually impaired mobilists use the world's top selling and most powerful smartphones, Nokia S60 models. Designed for disabled and visually impaired, with added text to speech engines and message readers, plus Nuance software, accessiblility is big for Symbian. No condom needed.
By the way, why would a blind user zoom in, genius? Lol! Do any iPhone users think before they speak or buy anything? My word... I still love yall, but man!
Blind people, and most sane people, choose a mobile computer based on performance and features. Only iFools choose fashion as a selling point in computing hardware first.
Evidently its important to iFans to look cute while doing as little as possible, as easily as possible, with as few buttons as possible. Most want more features, as sales figures show. 40% of smartphone users prefer better cameras, buttons, more features, full desktop web browsers with Flash, and multitasking, even if its thick like a tank, has buttons, or lacks a touchscreen.
How about some of you iPhone guys post pictures of what you're wearing today? I bet you aren't nearly as fly as this Durex iPhone cover, which I find ingenious.
Maybe they need protection from real smartphones. Don't want a multitasking, MMS, content creation skills, or DRM music infection...
mike @ Dec 1st 2008 9:20PM
if its for blind people then how come it has a special hole for the camera. i dont think blind people need a camera. no offense
Jon @ Dec 1st 2008 9:46PM
why the hell would a blind perosn purchase a full touch screen phone they cant see anyways? Completely stupid idea and a blind person wont go through all of this hassle to use a touchscreen they cant see. Blind people use phones with real keys that they can feel. This "invention" may work for a few basic functions but it wont change orientations with the program so theres very little you could probably use the phone for. Again, not that many if any blind people want to or do use an iphone.
mauro @ Dec 1st 2008 9:57PM
what about invisibleSHIELD. I prefer that one.
RCC2k8 @ Dec 1st 2008 11:32PM
This thing should never go into production.
1. First, it's HIDEOUS. And don't try that crap of "it's for blind people; they don't care about appearance." Whoever thinks that probably also thinks blind people don't have to dress well or look good. Blind people who interact with sighted people on an everyday basis do care about appearance, even if it isn't their #1 priority.
2. Even if this contraption were to work functionally speaking, it is still useless until Apple decides to release VoiceOver for the iPhone. Another company might try to make a screen reader for the iPhone to provide speech and braille support for it, but if the MacOS story is to be repeated in the mobile world, it isn't profitable to develop a screen reader for the Mac when Apple is then going to release their own.
RCC2k8 @ Dec 1st 2008 11:51PM
I'd rather see Apple getting their friggin act together and releasing QWERTY-bar and/or QWERTY slider versions of the iPhone, and releasing an iPhone-compatible version of VoiceOver with the appropriate keyboard commands.
Having iPhones with real QWERTY keyboards would not only benefit visually-impaired individuals, since there are many sighted users who'd love to have a real keyboard, and most of them would never stumble upon the screen reader, as is the case with Macs and OS X.