Assignment

Course: CS408: Human Computer Interaction

Semester: Fall 2019

Assignment No: 1

Student Name: Iqra Yasmin

Student ID: bc190201368

Questions No.1: Consider the following scenario:

Objects Identifier system (a mobile application) is designed to help the blind and visually
impaired users to identify objects they encounter in their daily lives (e.g. Cup, Glass, plant or any
object).”
You are required to:

a) Choose a suitable combination of input and output devices to best support the intended
interaction.
b) What should be the features of the input and output devices that help the blind people to
work on the given system?
c) Explain the major problems that the input and output devices solve.
d) Solution Table:
Intended Interaction: Objects Identifier system for blind users

(a) Device Name (b) Features (c) Solved Problems

Input Device(s)

Output Device(s)
Question No.2: Identify the goals, sub-goals and operators involved in given problem
“Open a File name (HCI-Notes) from D. drive and Update the second paragraph of page no. 20
in a file”.
Use a word processor to update a paragraph and note your actions, goals, sub-goals and
operators.
Question No.1

Consider the following scenario: Objects Identifier system (a mobile application) is

designed to help the blind and visually impaired users to identify objects they encounter in
their daily lives (e.g. Cup, Glass, plant or any object).”
Smartphones and tablet PCs have modernized mobile technology and the way we
communicate today. They have also transformed the Assistive Technology (AT) market for
people with disabilities. The term assistive technology in general is used within several fields
where users require some form of assistance. Although these fields can be diverse in terms of
their scope and goals user safety is always a key issue. Therefore, besides augmenting user
capabilities, ensuring their safety and well-being is also of prime importance. Designing
navigational aids for visually impaired people is an exemplary case where design decisions
must in no way detract from users’ awareness of their surroundings through natural channels.
These conventional devices provide people with mini-computers they can use on the go and they
are much more reasonable than many dedicated AT or AAC devices.
A large number of visually impaired people use state-of-the-art technology to perform
tasks in their everyday lives. Such technologies consist of electronic devices equipped with
sensors and processors accomplished of making intelligent decisions. Many feedback devices
are then used to communicate results efficiently. One of the most important and thought-
provoking tasks in developing such technologies is to create a user interface that is suitable for
the sensorimotor capabilities of blind users both in terms of providing input and interpreting
output feedback. In the present day the use of commercially available mobile devices shows
great promise in addressing such challenges. Besides being equipped with increasing
computational capacity and sensor capabilities these devices generally also provide
standardized possibilities for touch based input and perceptually rich auditory-tactile output.
As a result the largest and most extensive mobile platforms are quickly developing into de
facto standards for the implementation of assistive technologies.
 People who are blind also use screen readers on touch screen phones and tablets. This
kind of software reads aloud all the text on the screen, including navigation buttons.
Android devices use an app called Talkback. Apple iOS devices use built-in software known as
Voice-Over which uses text-to-speech output. Having a camera on a phone or tablet PC can be
very useful for people with visual impairments because there are apps available that allow you to
take a photo of text and the app can read it aloud or enlarge it. There are also a range of
identification apps that will identify and speak loudly the color of an object, value of a note or
type of object. You can also download screen reading apps and voice recognition apps. For
information on apps for people with visual impairments you may wish to contact the NCBI or
look at the Apple-Vis forum. Apple-Vis is a forum website for blind and low-vision users of
Apple's products. A community-powered website for blind and low-vision users of Apple's range
of Mac computers, the iPhone, iPod touch, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. It encourage and
support people in exploring the many ways in which Apple products and related applications can
offer opportunities to the vision impaired for personal improvement, independence and
authorization. Apple-Vis also offers resources and mechanisms for raising awareness of the
accessibility of Apple products and related applications and for promoting further advancement
in accessibility.
a) Input and output devices support the intended interaction for blind people.
A blind person uses a smartphone or computer by using a quantity of software called a
screen reader. A screen reader as it indicates reads the screen. It usually does this through
manufactured speech. Internet becomes an increasingly necessary feature of modern life much of
the web is difficult for blind people to use effectively. Braille keyboards and text-to-speech
programs convert text to audio which allows blind people to consume information on the web
aurally.
Different device are used to blind people that help him to recognized different object and
learn different subject. Some are as following:
 Disabled Devices Home.
 Puff suck switch.
 Braille keyboard / printer.
 Speakers / microphone.
 Magnifiers / zoom.
 Predictive text.
Screen Reading software and special talking and Braille devices allow those of us with no
vision to use computers, cell phones and other electronic devices independently. Cell phones and
tablets have modernized the way people who are blind or visually impaired interact and
use technology.
Two categories of assistive technology are used most by blind Internet users:
1. Screen readers are software that translates screen contents into imitation speech.
2. Refreshable braille displays are hardware devices containing a strip of retractable braille
pins allowing braille characters to be generated on the fly.
1. Screen Reader
Screen readers are applications which enable blind and low vision individuals to use
computers and mobile devices. Screen readers provide voice text-to-speech and braille output for
events displayed on the computer screen. With a screen reader a blind person is able to use many
popular and professional applications available on the market including but not limited to
Microsoft Office, browsers, mail clients, cloud storage and shared documents. All screen readers
are conveyed with multilingual speech creation and support various languages.
Most popular screen reader are JAWS (Job Access with Speech) for Windows (Standard) Screen
reader that provides speech and braille output for the most popular computer applications.
2. Refreshable Braille Display
A refreshable braille display is a peripheral device that allows blind or visually impaired
people to interact with a computer. A braille monitor uses the braille system that blind people use
to read. Higher dots spell out text that the user traces a finger over to read. Refreshable Braille
Displays are electronic devices that are used to read text that a computer sends to the monitor.
The device is connected to the computer by a serial cable and produces Braille output on
the Braille display. Refreshable Braille displays only read one line of text at a time.
Electronic braille is produced using an electronic braille display. They are also known as
paperless soft or refreshable braille displays. Braille displays work with a screen reader. The
device is placed inferior to a computer keyboard and enables the user to read what’s on the
computer screen by touch in braille. On any home screen rotor to braille and begin typing the
name of the app you want. As you type Voice-over will declare how many matches it has found.
To browse them flick up or down with a finger then flick right with two fingers the “Enter”
gesture to open an app once you hear it.
A refreshable Braille display or Braille terminal is an electro-mechanical device for
displaying Braille characters usually by means of raising dots through holes in a flat surface.
Blind computer users who cannot use a normal computer monitor use it to read text output.
The Perkins Braille is a braille typewriter with a key corresponding to each of the six dots of the
braille code, a space key, backspace key and a line space key. Like a manual typewriter it has
two side knobs to advance paper through the machine and a carriage return lever above the keys.
b) Feature of Input and Output device:
It is not difficult for a sighted person to imagine how being blind or visually impaired
could make using a computer difficult. Just close your eyes and you will directly experience that
even processing text is impossible or impossible without additional software at least. Now a
variety of software is available that can help to make using a computer an easier more
pleasurable and more productive experience for blind or visually impaired users. Narrator is
fragment features screen review software which is often called screen reading software or
simply a screen reader. We will also look at how screen readers interact with speech
synthesizers and refreshable braille displays. Screen review software translates on screen
information into electronic text. This electronic text is then sent to a speech synthesizer or a
refreshable braille display. The user is then able to hear the text spoken or read it tactually with
the refreshable braille display. The software’s functionality gives users the ability to navigate
around their computer screens. For example WinZip, Window-Eyes, Netscape Communicator,
JAWS 5.0, Window Explorer and read information by paragraph, sentence, word or character.
The software will also alert users to events on the screen not created by a keystroke. For
example, if a dialog box appears, the screen review software conveys to the user the information
it contains.
The device shown here is an example of a separate hardware synthesizer that connects to
the computer using a standard USB or serial port connection. As an alternative of using the
system’s sound card these devices create and produce speech through their own speaker system.
This not only frees up system resources on the PC but it also allows the sound card to be used
entirely for other audio. By activating commands built into the screen review software a user can
change the pitch, speech rate and tone of both hardware and software synthesizers. Not
unexpectedly hardware synthesizers are more expensive than their software counterparts.
In addition to sending information to a speech synthesizer screen review software can also send
its output to a refreshable braille display which is an additional piece of hardware that can be
connected to the computer. A refreshable braille display contains a series of plastic pins each of
which parallels to a dot in a braille cell. These devices may have between 18 and 80 cells. Each
pin in a cell is raised or lowered to form a braille character. Once users read all the characters on
the display they press a key and the display refreshes or presents the next group of characters.
Many users of screen review software prefer to read information in refreshable braille. Using this
technology can increase the efficiency with which the user accesses information and
accomplishes tasks. Screen review software can also provide a visual representation of the braille
on the computer’s monitor to contribution instructors or colleagues working with the braille
reader.
1. Screen Readers
Features of current screen readers are similar to each other but may differ in detailed
functions the number of supported apps and the degree to which these apps are supported. A
screen reader is an indispensable tool for a modern blind student.
 JAWS
JAWS (Job Access with Speech) are a computer screen reading program for Windows.
Besides its standard screen reader features it is fully compatible with Magic and Zoom
magnification software. JAWS are sold as two licenses:
JAWS Home which is paid software intended for individuals for personal and non-
commercial.
JAWS Professional which is paid software intended for use by organizations and
professional or commercial use. JAWS are also available with combination with Zoom
magnification software as a Fusion package.
 NVDA
NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) is a computer screen reader program for Windows
developed by NV Access Limited. It is a free open source program. NVDA is available in two
versions: an app which is installed on a computer and a mobile version which can be kept on a
USB drive and used on any Windows computer. Like other screen readers NVDA is delivered
with multilingual voices but due to a limited quality of E-speak speech, third-party voices may
be needed.
 Microsoft Narrator
Microsoft Narrator is screen reading software provided as a part of the Windows
operating system. Narrator’s features are more limited than features of JAWS and NVDA and so
far it has a very limited number of users. Narrator on the other hand has one important feature; it
allows blind users to install Windows operating system independent of sighted assistance.
 Voice-Over
Voice-Over is a computer and mobile screen-reader program for macOS and iOS. Voice-
Over functions on Mac, iPhones, and iPad and supports gestures, keyboards and braille displays.
It supports more than 35 languages including multiple voice options. Voice-Over is built into
Apple products so there are no additional costs or downloads. Voice-Over supports Safari and
Opera, email, PDFs and all built-in Mac apps.
1. Refreshable Braille Display
In portable braille displays have with built-in features such as note taking, calculator,
calendar and Handy Tech’s music braille feature. Some are as follows:
 Active Braille
World’s first 40 character braille display with original ATC technology. Powerful note
taker on which one can also store hundreds of books and allows for automatic scrolling of the
Bookworm mode. Also offers wireless Bluetooth connectivity for use with computers and
mobile devices and braille keyboard allows for the entry of text directly from Active Braille.
 ALVA BC680
Compact 80-cell braille display designed to work with a variety of products including
PCs, Apple computers, mobile phones and PDAs. ALVA includes Bluetooth and USB
connectivity and built-in Windows access utility. The ALVA BC680 is like having two braille
displays in one device. It’s the only 80-cell braille display that offers synchronized connectivity
with PC/Mac and a Smartphone.
 Focus 80 Blue Braille Display
Focus 80 Blue Braille Display is portable and adjustable refreshable braille display. It
includes easy-to-remember braille commands and braille settings. Used with the JAWS screen
reader the refreshable braille cells act as a tactile monitor that allows users to navigate and read
information in dynamic braille. Bluetooth- and USB-compatible and works with iOS, Mac, and
Windows.
c) Major Problems that the Input and Output Devices Solve:
In software different application are used to identify different objects. Screen Reading
software and special talking and Braille devices allow those of us with no vision to use
computers, cell phones and other electronic devices self-sufficiently. Cell phones and tablets
have reorganized the way people who are blind or visually impaired interact and use technology.
Some applications are used to solve problem for blind person are as follows:
Money Identification Apps
Money identification Apps uses your smartphone camera to identify the value of a note.
Point the camera at the note and the app will then speak aloud the notes denomination or vibrate
to indicate its value.
 Looktel Money Reader (iOS): Recognizes currency and speaks the notes denomination.
It supports 21 different currencies that are including Euro, GBP and US Dollar etc.
 Money Talks Euro (Android): It uses the devices camera to recognize and read out the
value of the Euro banknote.
Object Identification Apps
Object identification app uses your smartphone camera to identify objects. Some of these
apps use a photo library and a bar code scanner to identify objects. They will then speak aloud
the type of object in the photo.
 TapTapSee (iOS): App designed to help the blind and visually impaired identify objects
they encounter in their daily lives. Double tap on the screen to take a photo of anything and hear
the app speak the identification back to you.
 ScanLife Barcode and QR Reader (Android): App that uses your camera to identify
objects using barcodes. Once the codes are scanned the application starts reading aloud the
product details.
 VizWiz (iOS): App that uses crowd-sourcing. You take a picture of an item, record a
question and then send the photo and question to your choice of unknown web volunteers, IQ
Engines, your Twitter followers, your Facebook friends, and/or an e-mail contact. Answers are
returned to the app and are spoken as they appear.
 LookTel Recognizer (iOS): App that speaks aloud the description of an object. The user
creates a photo library by photographing items and recording descriptions. Once an item is
entered into the database hold the camera in front of the item and the app will speak the recorded
description. The app also has a bar code scanner which speaks the name of the item when you
scan the camera over the barcode.
 Ideal Item Identifier (Android): App that reads aloud product descriptions when the
user takes a picture of the barcode.
Location and GPS Apps
Many phones now have built-in GPS receivers that are appropriate for navigation. The
built-in navigation in Android is based on Google's map with driving and walking directions
available. Android will use the built-in text-to-speech on the phone to speak turns as they are
approaching. There is also a range of downloadable apps available that use GPS to let you know
where you are and what services, businesses or points of interest are in the area. The apps speak
this information aloud and can be customized so you hear only what you are looking for. For
example, a shopping center on your route. As these apps are dependent on GPS mapping, some
areas may provide more extensive information than others.
Scan and Read Apps
 Text Detective (iOS): App that uses the camera on your smartphone to turn images of
text into plain text which can be read with Voiceover using speech output or Braille.
 KNFB Reader (iOS & Android): Print-to-Speech app that uses your phone’s camera to
take pictures of printed material converts the pictures into text and then read the text aloud.
Recognized text may also be read using a connected Braille display.
 Text Fairy (Android): App that takes a photo of a document and converts it into a text
document that you can listen to by activating the text-to-speech feature.
Voice Recognition Apps
These apps allow you to use your voice to navigate between applications, write texts or
make calls on your phone. Your phone may have some of this functionality built-in.
 Dragon Dictation (iOS): A voice recognition app that allows you to speak your text or
email rather than typing it.
 Dragon Mobile Assistant (Android): App that allows you to use your voice to send and
receive text messages, post social media updates, write emails and browse the internet.
 Assistant (Siri Alternative) (Android): App that allows you to use your voice to
navigate around your phone. You can use voice commands to send emails, dial your contacts, set
alarms, reminders and listen to music etc.
 Get There GPS (Android): App that tells you where you are and how to get to your
destination. It talks to you before and after every intersection and you can ask it to tell you where
you are at any time by shaking your mobile device.
 Around Me (Android): App that identifies your position and shows you a list of the
businesses around you and the distance to them in a range of categories such as banks, hotels,
restaurants, hospitals etc.
Screen reading Apps
Your smartphone may already have a screen reader built into its operating system, for example,
Apple's voice-over or Android’s Talkback (see above). But there are also a number of screen
reading apps that you can download to your phone.
 Classic Text-to-Speech (Android): App that reads out texts, e-books and provides
navigation in a choice of forty female and male voices.
 Voice Dream Reader (iOS & Android): App that reads out articles, documents and
books on your phone or Tablet. Available with a range of voices and languages.
 Voice Brief (iOS): App that reads aloud a range of notifications from your phones
applications including your calendar, weather app, good reader, email and social media apps.
NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access): a free and open source screen reader for computers using
Microsoft Windows and many third party applications. It provides feedback via imitation speech
and Braille. You can control what text is read out using the mouse or arrows on the keyboard.
NVDA works with Microsoft Windows and it can be downloaded to a PC or to a USB which can
then be used with any computer.
Reading Apps
There are a range of apps available for people with a visual impairment to help them enjoy books
on their mobile device. There are a range of audio book apps that allow you to download and
listen to audio books on your phone or tablet. You can also download apps so you can listen to
Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) audio books. A DAISY book is a set of
electronic files that include audio narration, text marked with special navigation tags and other
files that synchronize the text with the audio.
 Audible (iOS & Android): App that allows you to download audio books and listen to
them on your device.
 Pastime Audiobook and Podcast Player (iOS): App that plays audio books and
podcasts and can be controlled by the user's gestures. Pick an audio book or podcast from the
iTunes library, then tap the screen to play or pause it and use swiping motions to fast-forward or
rewind it.
Braille Apps
For people who are used to using Braille there are some apps available that teach you Braille and
ones that allow you to type in Braille on your touchscreen. Braille Back comes as a standard
feature on some newer Android devices but can also be downloaded to Android devices that
don’t have it. It allows you to connect a refreshable braille display to your Android device via
Bluetooth so screen content appears on your braille display. Then you can navigate and interact
with your device using the keys on the braille display. You can also input text using the braille
keyboard.
 Braille Pad (iOS): App that allows user to write text messages, emails and social media
updates on their device using Braille. To insert a letter you just need to touch each Braille point it
is composed of on the device’s screen.
 iBrailler (iOS): App that allows you to use Braille to access and use your Apple device.
The app positions the Braille touch keyboard underneath the user’s fingertips, no matter where
they set them on the display.
 Super Braille Keyboard (Android): App that allows you to use Braille to access and
use your Android device.
 Braille Tutor (iOS & Android): App where you can learn to read and writes Braille.
d) Solution Table:
Intended Interaction: Objects Identifier system for blind users

(a) Device Name (b) Features (c) Solved Problems

Input Screen-Reader  JAWS (PC)  Object identification

Device(s)
 NVDA (PC) app uses your smartphone
 Talk-Back camera to identify objects.
with Braille-Back Some of these apps use a
(Android) photo library and a bar code
 Window-Eyes scanner to identify objects.
(PC) They will then speak aloud
 Voice-Over the type of object in the
(MacOS and iOS) photo.

 Money identification
Apps uses your smartphone
camera to identify the value
of a note. Point the camera at
the note and the app will then
speak aloud the notes
denomination or vibrate to
indicate its value.
 Many phones now
have built-in GPS receivers
that are appropriate for
navigation. The built-in
navigation in Android is
based on Google's map with
driving and walking
directions available. Android
will use the built-in text-to-
speech on the phone to speak
turns as they are
approaching.
 There are a range of
apps available for people
with a visual impairment to
help them enjoy books on
their mobile device. There
 are a range of audio book
apps that allow you to
download and listen to audio
books on your phone or
tablet
Refreshable Braille Display  Active Braille  Braille Pad (iOS) App

Output  ALVA BC680 that allows user to write text

Device(s)  Focus 80 Blue messages, emails and social
Braille Display media updates on their
 Focus 40 Blue device using Braille. To
Fifth Generation insert a letter you just need to

 VarioPro 80 touch each Braille point it is

Cells composed of on the device’s
screen.
 iBrailler (iOS) App
that allows you to use Braille
to access and use your Apple
device. The app positions the
Braille touch keyboard
underneath the user’s
fingertips, no matter where
they set them on the display.
 Super Braille
Keyboard (Android) App that
allows you to use Braille to
access and use your Android
device.
 Braille Tutor (iOS &
Android) App where you can
learn to read and writes
Braille.
Question No.2: Identify the goals, sub-goals and operators involved in given problem
“Open a File name (HCI-Notes) from D. drive and Update the second paragraph of page no. 20
in a file”.
Use a word processor to update a paragraph and note your actions, goals, sub-goals and
operators.
Operator:
The operator is what the user does to accomplish the goal.
Goal:
The goal is what the user wants to accomplish.
Sub-Goal:
A goal that is involved in or secondary to achieving a larger goal.
We need different operation to due update paragraph. We define all operation in
following table.
Operator Action Result
Open a File name “HCI-Note” Cursor Click on “This PC or Open HCI-Note File
from D. drive My Computer” than Open
D. drive and then
Open HCI-Note file
Move-To-Paragraph Cursor move to second Find Second Paragraph
paragraph OR
FindEnter page no.20 OR
Ctrl + FEnter Page No.
Update Paragraph Enter update data or due any Update Paragraph
change that we required.

In this problem our main goal is update a paragraph and this goal is divided further sub
goals like open a D. drive, open a file name ‘HCI-Note’. Our Action are search second
paragraph, we search paragraph different methods like scrolling the cursor, Click find button on
tool bar or used command Ctrl + F and then we operate paragraph, insert changing data before
changing data we should need to remove previous data and then we update Paragraph. After
Update File we should need to save file or used Ctrl + S for save change.