mBrailler: Multimodal Braille Keyboard for Android

Touchscreen devices have paved their way into the mobile scene, presenting a wide set of possibilities but a comparable number of new challenges, particularly for people who are blind. While these devices have a small number of tactile cues, such as buttons, they provide the opportunity to create novel interaction techniques. In this paper, we present mBrailler. mBrailler is a mobile braille keyboard that combines the benefits of physical keyboards (speed and accuracy) and gestural interfaces (flexibility and personalization). We built an 8-button Braille keyboard that can be attached to the back of mainstream smartphones allowing fast and familiar chorded input. On the other hand,the touchscreen enables thumb entered gestures for more complex text editing operations, such as caret movement, text selection, copy, and paste. This project combines the tactile benefits of Braille typewriters with the customization of smartphone applications. We aim to provide a more efficient and effective typing experience for blind users, thus increasing their productivity with current mobile devices

Automated Syringe Filler

The automated syringe filling system is a bench-top device designed to remove human error when filling a syringe. The microcontroller powered system will hold multiple medicine types that will fill a single syringe with a user specified amount of one medicine to a precise degree and log this information against a remote database of patient information. Before the system can be accessed, the user’s credentials will be checked against the database of authorized users. Once verified a touch screen will be used to enter user input that will be logged to a remote database. The microcontroller will then control the actuators and servo to fill the syringe with the appropriate amount of medicine. The system will automate the process of filling a syringe and remove the element of human error from the syringe filling equation

Raspberry Pi Human Machine Interface and Control System for an Electromagnet Water Filter

The purpose of this senior design project was to take an ongoing project’s manually controlled water filtration system with no data logging and transform it into an easily configurable automated open-loop process with data logging. Instead of using an off the shelf programmable logic controller, a Raspberry Pi was chosen to act as the master controller and data logger. This choice enabled easier end-user human-machine-interface, convenient data log accessibility, and a wide variety of future expansion opportunities. The physical system being controlled consists of three pumps, four valves, and two magnets that are energized or de-energized by relays which operate according to voltage levels sent from the Raspberry Pi. A python coded GUI displayed on a touchscreen allows user input of mode run times and the number of cycles the process should repeat while also displaying continuously updated system information.In addition to automated control, the user has the option of manually controlling the system by way of physical switches on an external panel with LEDs that serve as a visual indicator of system status. The final system designed was considered a success as a data log was produced containing the systems operation along with correct temperature and pH data that match the expected and observed system operation through an automated cycle and a manually controlled cycle

Taking Afrobarometer Data Everywhere

According to statistics gathered by research group Afrobarometer, many countries in Africa lack infrastructure and basic necessities. In fact, Afrobarometer knows the specific rates of need and availability sampled across thirty-six countries but more prosperous African countries do not know these numbers. These more developed countries are in a position to help their less fortunate neighbors if only made aware of the social and economic climate in the respective areas. Our partnership with Afrobarometer will allow us to advertise these statistics through the use of a mobile application. The data will be displayed in a way that is easy for the average reader to digest and understand. By exposing a larger African audience to the results from these public opinion surveys, Afrobarometer hopes to inspire these people to take action and make donations to the appropriate social benefit groups. The countries represented by the surveys can then receive help in the areas expressing need

Using Games to Practice Screen Reader Gestures

Tese de mestrado, Engenharia Informática (Engenharia de Software) Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2021Nowadays, a smartphone is fundamental for multiple aspects of our lives. These have evolved from a basic tool to communicate to a multi-purpose tool that allows to communicate with colleagues and friends and to get any information or entertainment. Android and iOS, the most popular mobile operating systems, have developed built-in screen readers that make smartphones generally accessible to blind people using gestures and help them use more of their smartphones. However, users experience difficulties due to unfamiliarity with the gestures and due to lack of interaction with their touchscreens. One possible way to improve the accessibility of these technologies could be through games that can teach how to perform a gesture correctly and explain how it can be used, as lately there has been a growing interest on using video games as an innovative educational tool. We developed Games for Gestures, a set of accessible games to discover and learn the gestures Google Talkback offers and our goal is to explore whether it is possible for mobile accessible games to be used as a gesture discovery and practice method. Corda focuses on teaching how to navigate with Explore by Touch. Foguete focuses on directional swipes left and right and on teaching Swipe To Explore. Guarda Redes is focused on the more advanced gestures. To evaluate our games, we performed a study in which participants played our games for a period of 5 days. After that, we conducted audio-recorded remote interviews with questions about the games and their overall perception of gestures. Our results suggest that accessible games could be important in the process of learning gestures, as they offer a playful method of learning, particularly for less experienced users. This, in turn, would increase their autonomy and inclusion, as this process would become easier and more fun for them

Using finger for touchscreen devices; Is it safe?

© 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.The use of touchscreen devices become a part of people daily life. Finger is used to communicate with such devices. This paper investigated the interaction between human finger and touch screen devices. A series of experiments was performed to investigate the participants' finger functionality when they press their finger on a touch screen device. The study was concluded that the pain threshold is higher than normal pressing force but for repetitive pressing the level of pain threshold will decrease.Final Accepted Versio

AudioFunctions.web: Multimodal Exploration of Mathematical Function Graphs

We present AudioFunctions.web, a web app that uses sonifcation, earcons and speech synthesis to enable blind people to explore mathematical function graphs. The system is designed for personalized access through different interfaces (touchscreen, keyboard, touchpad and mouse) on both mobile and traditional devices, in order to better adapt to different user abilities and preferences. It is also publicly available as a web service and can be directly accessed from the teaching material through a hypertext link. An experimental evaluation with 13 visually impaired participants highlights that, while the usability of all the presented interaction modalities is high, users with different abilities prefer different interfaces to interact with the system. It is also shown that users with higher level of mathematical education are capable of better adapting to interaction modalities considered more diffcult by others

Redesigning the Keyfinder

This project takes a look at redesigning a helpful device called the Keyfinder. The device is used to locate small objects that are typically lost. Items such as keys, remotes, and wallets are some example items that tend to get lost frequently. However the current models of the Keyfinder generally receive poor reviews for subpar performance and lack of usability. In an effort to remedy the situation, I looked to redesign and improve the system so the device would be useful in households. The initial design of the system consisted of a base that could communicate with 5 different receiving modules by using switches and a LCD screen to make the system user friendly. Researching materials led to several considerations on what to use to develop a prototype of the system. In the end, the Arduino boards were used to act as the base and receiving modules, with XBee units being used to allow the Arduino boards to communicate wirelessly. After building a prototype of the system, tests of the device showed positive results. However the assembly of a more finalized product came to a halt as power issues arose. During prototype testing, the devices were powered through outlets or the computers. However when testing with batteries, it was found out that power consumption was not being done correctly and thus resulted in a failure to design the receivers. In the end a final product for the base was made but the receivers were still left in a prototype stage

Forest Sign Maker

Executive Summary: The Inyo National Forest is arguably one of the most beautiful locations in California, containing natural masterpieces such as Mount Whitney and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Despite its magnificence, the Inyo National Forest can be a treacherous region. The Friends of the Inyo take pride in being able to facilitate the viewing experience for all outdoorsmen by maintaining the mountain trails, which includes providing adequate trail signage. Unfortunately, there is a fundamental issue with the recent state of trail signage in the Inyo National Forest: the rate at which signs are being vandalized or naturally destroyed is greater than the rate at which signs can be produced. More specifically, the problem is that the current sign production process is completely manual; the process of routing the necessary letters and symbols consumes the majority of the production time, since it takes approximately two days to complete. Without adequate signage on the mountain trails, hikers and explorers are at a heightened risk for injury. We, the Cal Poly Forest Friends, have been commissioned by the Friends of the Inyo to resolve the issue of manufacturing trail signs. We plan on designing, building, and testing a prototype CNC machine for Paul McFarland, an employee of the Friends of the Inyo whom is responsible for replacing signs. This CNC machine can automatically produce a trail sign from a wooden blank so as to expedite the sign replacement process. By comparing different industry methods of etching letters into a wood substrate, researching all applicable signage guidelines for compliance, and optimizing the prototype design for the intended use cases, we have developed a low cost, high capacity CNC router that can be installed directly in Paul McFarland’s workshop. There has been much work done in the field of CNC machinery, so we believe it is feasible to design a functioning prototype that has been optimized for this purpose. The positional accuracy range of the machine will be broadened from the industry standard of ±0.0005 in to our requirement of ±0.063 inches. This optimized accuracy will allow for emphasis on increased workpiece capacity at a lower total cost. Additionally, by building the prototype CNC router as part of the Cal Poly Multidisciplinary Senior Project class, we will be able to adhere to the revised $3,500 budget. With a successful prototype in hand by June 2015, the sign production rate for the Friends of the Inyo will potentially increase tenfold, and provide the Friends of the Inyo with the ability to replace illegible trail signs within the Inyo National Forest