46 tecla a mobile onscreen scanning keyboard for android
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The Tecla Access system provides an on-screen scanning keyboard for Android devices to improve accessibility for people unable to physically hold mobile devices. It includes the Tecla Shield hardware that connects external switches to Android devices via Bluetooth, and the Tecla App which translates switch inputs into commands to control the device through scanning and navigation options. While it addresses gaps in mobile accessibility, challenges remain in Android's non-linear highlighting and inaccessible overlays. Future work includes commercializing the Shield and further evaluating the system.
46 tecla a mobile onscreen scanning keyboard for android
- 1. TECLA ACCESS A MOBILE ON-SCREEN SCANNING KEYBOARD FOR ANDROID Jorge Silva1,2, Jan Richards1 1 Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University 2 Komodo OpenLab Inc. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 2. Introduction • Mobile devices pose an accessibility challenge for people who are unable to physically hold and manipulate them. • Two critical gaps for switch use: • communication of external switch events to mobile devices • translation of switch events into meaningful commands that fully control the device Note: The spelling of project name is now “Tecla”. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 3. Introduction (con’t) • The Tecla Access system is an attempt to close both of these gaps. • Initial development has taken place on Android due to (a) its support for open source input methods and (b) its keyboard interface. Eric Wan (a developer in Tecla’s open source community) AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 4. Architecture • There are two parts to the Tecla Access system: the Tecla Shield and the Tecla App. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 5. Tecla Access Shield • An open-hardware, standards-compliant Bluetooth device that enables connection of powered wheelchairs and external ability switches to Bluetooth-enabled devices. • May be plugged directly to the standard appliance control unit (ACU) port of a powered wheelchair for up to 4 switch inputs, with two additional independent ability switches, for a total of 6 switch inputs. • Bluetooth profile is supported by all mobile device platforms with the current exception of the iPhone. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 6. Tecla Access App • Features: • Navigation keyboard • Direct user scanning • Self-scanning with adjustable speed • Inverse scanning • Fullscreen switch mode • Navigation timeout to Home • Accented characters (coming soon) • Free on the Android Market. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 7. Tecla App: Architecture AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 8. Challenges • Non-linear highlighting: Android does not provide a way to scan active elements on the screen in a single wrap-around linear sequence. Thus, a minimum of four input events are required just to select elements on the screen. • Inaccessible overlays: Some overlay controls are displayed above the IME and therefore ignore its input. • Custom widgets: As is the case on many other platforms (web, desktop, etc.), Android developers are able to break the platform’s accessibility architecture by neglecting to take keyboard interface accessibility into account. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 9. Next Steps • The Tecla Access system has garnered the interest of many rehabilitation centres interested in experimenting with potentially more affordable open-source alternatives to proprietary assistive technologies. • Also commercialization of the Shield by Komodo OpenLab has allowed the project to evolve from an academic proof-of-concept implementation to a pre-commercial prototype providing an end- to-end solution that may be evaluated in context. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels
- 10. Acknowledgements • Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and the Ontario Centres of Excellence. • FedDev Ontario • Komodo OpenLab • Electronic Aids for Daily Living Service at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital • Rogers Communications • Mr. Eric Wan, Ms Michele Verdonck, Mr. Tim Barlott, Mr Alan Lawrence and Mr. William Li for their helpful feature and architecture suggestions. • Mr. Karel Van Isacker, Mr. Jon Azpiroz, Mr. Mats Lundälv, Mr. Matteo Rimondini, Ms. Eva Holmqvist and Ms. Nadine J. for their translations. • Additional support is provided by the ÆGIS (Europe) Project which is funded by the European Commission. AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels