Smart Speakers Are a Great Tool for the Visually Impaired

Posted April 16, 2018

External Article: Lifehacker

Ian Bogost, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the Lifehacker, April 16, article, “Smart Speakers Are a Great Tool for the Visually Impaired.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Touchscreens have become the primary way many of us interact with the digital world, but they aren’t great options for the visually impaired. Smartphones have small displays and require precise controls, and their screens shut off after a few moments of inactivity, which makes them difficult to use if your vision isn’t great. In these instances, a smart speaker is probably a much more useful device. In a touching new essay for The Atlantic, Ian Bogost (Georgia Tech) describes the experience of teaching his blind father to use Amazon’s Echo. There’s a bit of a learning curve, like with any new technology, but his dad soon starts asking Alexa for sports scores and stock market updates. He also uses Amazon’s voice messaging feature to communicate with his son, as well as another friend who has an Echo at home.
 

For the full article, visit the Lifehacker website