How to Use Your Smartphone to Cope With Vision Loss (2022) - WIRED

To marque akin changes to Google Assistant spell to Settings > Google > Settings for Google Apps > Search, Assistant and Voice, and take Google Assistant. You whitethorn privation to pat Lock Screen and toggle connected Assistant Reponses connected Lock Screen. If you scroll down, you tin besides set the sensitivity, toggle connected Continued Conversation, and take which Notifications you privation Google Assistant to springiness you.

First launched successful 2019, the Lookout app for Android enables you to constituent your camera astatine an entity to find retired what it is. This clever app tin assistance you to benignant mail, place groceries, number money, work nutrient labels, and execute galore different tasks. The app features assorted modes for circumstantial scenarios:

Text mode is for signs oregon message (short text).

Documents mode tin work a full handwritten missive to you oregon a afloat leafage of text.

Images mode employs Google’s latest machine-learning exemplary to springiness you an audio statement of an image.

Food Label mode tin scan barcodes and admit foodstuffs.

Currency mode identifies denominations for assorted currencies.

Explore mode volition item objects and substance astir you arsenic you determination your camera.

The AI-enabled features enactment offline, without Wi-Fi oregon information connections, and the app supports respective languages.

Apple has thing akin built into its Magnifier app. But it relies connected a operation of the camera, on-device instrumentality learning, and lidar. Unfortunately, lidar is lone disposable connected Pro exemplary iPhones (12 oregon later), iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (4th procreation oregon later), and iPad Pro 11‑inch (2nd procreation oregon later). If you person one, unfastened the app, pat the cogwheel icon, and take Settings to adhd Detection Mode to your controls. There are 3 options:

People Detection volition alert you to radical adjacent and tin archer you however acold distant they are.

Door Detection tin bash the aforesaid happening for doors, but tin besides adhd an outline successful your preferred color, supply accusation astir the doorway color, material, and shape, and picture decorations, signs, oregon substance (such arsenic opening hours). This video shows a fig of Apple's accessibility features, including Door Detection, successful action. 

Image Descriptions tin place galore of the objects astir you with onscreen text, speech, oregon both. If you are utilizing speech, you tin besides spell to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > VoiceOver Recognition > Image Descriptions and toggle it connected to alteration detection mode to picture what is depicted successful images you constituent your iPhone at, specified arsenic paintings.

You don't request a Wi-Fi oregon information transportation to usage these features. You tin configure things similar distances, whether you privation sound, haptics, code feedback, and much via the Detectors conception astatine the bottommost of Settings successful the Magnifier app.

Guided Frame is simply a brand-new diagnostic that works with TalkBack, but it's presently disposable lone connected the Google Pixel 7 oregon 7 Pro. People who are unsighted oregon low-vision tin seizure the cleanable selfie with a operation of precise audio guidance (moving right, left, up, down, to the front, oregon the back), high-contrast ocular animations, and haptic feedback (different vibration combinations). The diagnostic tells you however galore radical are successful the frame, and erstwhile you deed that “sweet spot” (which the squad utilized instrumentality learning to find), it counts down earlier taking the photo.

The Buddy Controller diagnostic connected iPhone (iOS 16 and later) allows you to play on with idiosyncratic successful a single-player crippled with 2 controllers. You tin perchance assistance friends oregon household with imaginativeness impairment erstwhile they get stuck successful a crippled (make definite you inquire first). To crook this diagnostic on, link 2 controllers and spell to Settings > General > Game Controller > Buddy Controller.

While this usher cannot screen each diagnostic that mightiness assistance with imaginativeness impairment, present are a fewer last tips that mightiness beryllium handy.

You tin get spoken directions erstwhile you are retired and astir connected an Android telephone oregon iPhone, and they should beryllium connected by default. If you usage Google Maps, pat your illustration representation astatine the apical right, take Settings > Navigation Settings, and prime your preferred Guidance Volume.

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps connection a diagnostic wherever you tin get a unrecorded presumption of your directions superimposed connected your surroundings by simply raising your phone. For Apple Maps, cheque successful Settings > Maps > Walking (under Directions) and marque definite Raise to View is toggled on. For Google Maps, spell to Settings > Navigation Settings, and scroll down to marque definite Live View nether Walking Options is toggled on.

If you are browsing the web connected an Android device, you tin ever inquire Google Assistant to work the web leafage by saying, “Hey Google, work it.”

You tin find much utile proposal connected however exertion tin enactment radical with imaginativeness nonaccomplishment astatine the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). To find video tutorials for immoderate of the features we person discussed, we urge visiting the Hadley website and trying the workshops (you volition request to motion up).