When I was seven, my Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob gave me a Christmas gift that would be marked in memory as a milestone all my life. It wasn't a doll or building blocks (both of which I was wild about at that age) but something most kids might not find exciting. It was a watch—an old-fashioned, ordinary, analog timepiece for wearing on the wrist. What made it extraordinary was that it was a braille watch, a watch whose crystal lifted up discretely, so that the exact time could be discovered by touch.

That gift stands out in my memory because it was special—a gift that embraced my different way of seeing rather than taunting it. Today, there are thousands of products that address a particular disability-related need, but there are just as many that were designed with no special group in mind but which have particular benefit for those with limited eyesight. I've rounded up some gift ideas, both practical and whimsical, from specialty niche vendors and major mainstream retailers, and most are less than $100. Some are even free.

Practical Gifts for People with Visual Impairments

There are plenty of ordinary tasks most of us perform every day that get a bit complicated when we don't have typical eyesight. Here are a few of my favorite solutions, some of which will be appreciated as much by those with 20/20 vision as those without.

Beeper Box: Audible Beacon for Identifying Permanent Landmarks

If your driveway is in the middle of a long block or your office is the middle of a long corridor, finding it can be tricky. You can count steps or driveways or doors, but here is an auditory tool that will draw you in to exactly the right spot. Emitting 3 beeps, then a pause, then 3 beeps again, this simple innovation can be used to find a permanent landmark, to follow your partner on a bicycle, to mark the spot in a game of croquet, or any other similar circumstance that comes to mind. $7; NFB Market, 410-659-9314.

Motion-Detecting Alert System

If, on the other hand, you need to know when someone enters your home, retail business, or office—or just when someone passes your porch—a Doorway/Driveway Alert System can detect motion up to 200 feet. You can carry its wireless receiver around the home or business with you or leave it in one central location. A chime sounds when the unit detects motion. $30, Blind Mice Mart, 713-893-7277.

Color Identification

For many with low vision, identifying colors can be a challenge. A color identifier can be a fun and accurate way to make sure your socks match (or to buy just the right shade of throw pillows for your new sofa). If the intended recipient has a smartphone, there are many color identifiers available for mobile platforms, many of which are free. If the recipient doesn't use a smartphone, there are standalone color identifiers available as well. Colorino identifies up to 100 colors, speaks in a clear female voice, and at 3 ounces can fit into your pocket. Press one button to hear color and press the other to determine how much light is in the room. $175; Blind Mice Mart, 713-893-7277.

Kitchen Scale for People With Visual Impairments

Most of us have measuring cups and spoons in the kitchen, but what do you do when a recipe calls for 3 ounces or 6 grams of an ingredient? The Vox 20 Kitchen Scale speaks in 5 languages, offers a large-font LCD display, and weighs food or other items up to 11 pounds. $42; Maxi Aids,

Tools for Healthy Habits for People with Visual Impairments

After weighing food in the kitchen, you might want to weigh yourself. Talking bathroom scales are available from a variety of sources, but the largest assortment I found is at Old Will Knott Scales. Here you will find another kitchen scale, as well as several bathroom scales, speaking in multiple languages, with some models measuring body fat as well as weight, and boasting weight limits of 440, 550, and 700 pounds. All are priced under $100. Old Will Knott Scales, 303-954-0609. (Talking scales can also be found at Wal-Mart and Carol Wright Gifts, 800-345-5866.)

Other useful, albeit ordinary, tools enabling blind and low vision people to maintain their health include talking thermometers ($13) to measure body temperature, and talking blood pressure monitors ($95) from NFB Independence Market.

Diabetics unable to read small LCD screens will appreciate the Prodigy Voice Blood Glucose Monitoring Kit ($50), also available from Independence Market.

Fun Gifts for People with Visual Impairments

Digital Home Assistants

Of course, some of the most popular products this year are the variety of voice-controlled home assistants, which can be completely mastered by the least technically inclined recipient on your gift-giving list while still absolutely enchanting the tech experts in your life. The All New Amazon Echo comes in six variations in color and finish and sells for $100 to $119. The Amazon Echo Dot has many of the same features but sells for $50. The Echo Dot is often on sale or is available in a bundle with other products as well.

Besides playing just about any musical artist or genre you might request, this gift can provide endless hours of news, games, entertainment, and information.

Traditional Games Made Accessible

Of course, there are a growing number of traditional games are available with added accessibility features. Besides large print or braille playing cards, the NFB Independence Market sells a number of games with braille and high-contrast markings including Cribbage, Phase Ten, Checkers (a small magnetic set which travels nicely), and more. Prices range from $10 to $30.

Tactile Coloring Books for Grown-Ups

Coloring is not just for four-year-olds any more. If you missed out on coloring as a child, have a child you would like to color with as a team, or just want to do it because your sighted friends say it's so much fun, there are now a few sources for tactile drawings just crying for crayons. I Am A Crayon, $14, Let's Count and Color, $10, or Tactile Book of Dinosaurs, $12, are all available from National Braille Press, 800-548-7323 ext. 520.

Braille Children's Books

While you are thinking about child's play, children's books make lovely books for braille-reading children, their parents, and their grandparents. National Braille Press has a wonderful collection of popular print books with braille added, many of which have accompanying teaching toys. Try Measuring Penny, which comes with snap-together blocks for experiments in measuring, or The Day the Crayons Quit, which includes tactile drawings and a set of crayons.

Subscriptions to Streaming Services with Audio Description

Streaming entertainment is no longer just for your sighted friends. An amazing and rapidly growing number of TV shows and movies now include audio description from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Buy a friend or family member a Netflix subscription ($9 a month) or an Amazon Prime membership ($100 annually) and enjoy movies and TV shows together whenever schedules allow.

For a full list of described programs, visit the Audio Description Project.

Gifts for People with Vision and Hearing Loss

For the friend or family member who may be experiencing hearing loss in addition to visual impairment, there is a growing array of products to ensure that nothing in the sound environment is missed. Personal amplifiers can "turn up" the volume of the person at your dining table or in front of you on the bus. Try the Pocketalker, a hand held device that has a simple volume control, on/off switch, and headset for amplifying the sounds closest to you, $139, or the Sonic Alert Alarm Clock for the person who has impaired hearing or just needs something really loud to wake up in the morning! Independent Living Aids, 800-537-2118.

Accessible, Portable Batteries

With so many devices to keep us going each day, portable battery power is popular with almost everyone. The Harbolt Company sells a super powerful battery for all your portable devices that has been designed specifically for blind people. Providing feedback with audible tones and vibrations, the accessible 15,000 mAh Portable Power Bank can charge an array of phones, tablets, and other portable devices and can be easily monitored without sight. $89; the Harbolt Company, 405-471-1200.

Timepieces for People with Visual Impairments

A huge assortment of braille and talking watches are available from all of the sources mentioned in this article, but one highly innovative product warrants mention. Higher priced than most products mentioned here, the Bradley watch, at $300, is both innovative and stylish. Named for a military veteran blinded in Afghanistan, the Bradley timepiece can be enjoyed by blind, low vision, and sighted individuals who want to check the time without attracting attention. A ball bearing on the side of the watch counts hours and another on the top counts minutes. A shake of the wrist realigns the ball bearings if you touch with too much fervor! Available in a variety of colors from Eone.

One Last Gift Idea for People with Visual Impairments

So money is tight this year and you just can't purchase presents for everyone the way you wish you could? If you've got a little more tech savvy than a friend or loved one, spread the joy. A gift of your time to teach someone to use Facebook or Twitter, or to offer a lesson on navigating the virtual oceans of podcasts and internet radio stations will probably be appreciated and remembered far longer than a new tie or coffee mug. Try teaching that special person how to download books or stream video programs — and then sit down and enjoy a sample book or movie together.

Be sure to give yourself the gift of spending time with those who mean the most to you—and have a Merry Christmas and lovely holiday season!

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Learning to Use the Amazon Echo with the Mystic Access Audio Tutorial by Bill Holton
• The 2016 AccessWorld Gift Guide by Deborah Kendrick

More by this author:

• When Hearing Causes More Vision Loss
• Introducing Blind Alive and Eyes-Free Fitness: Fitness Is More Than Meets the Eye

Dear AccessWorld readers,

Last month, AccessWorld celebrated Disability Employment Awareness Month by providing information about employment resources, strategies, and insider perspectives. Good job search strategies and resources are important all year long, so I encourage you to look back at last month's issue and forward information to anyone you know who may be looking for employment or for better employment opportunities.

As you know, there is now a chill in the air, and the days of fall are well upon us. It's time to start thinking about the holiday gift-giving season. Ready or not, the shopping season is just around the corner. I know some of you have already started shopping, and the AccessWorld team wants you to be ready with information about accessible shopping options and gift ideas for yourself or those in your life who experience vision loss.

In this issue, Deborah Kendrick unveils this season's top gift ideas in the 2017 AccessWorld Gift Guide, and Janet Ingber provides information, advice, and tips to get more from holiday shopping using websites, apps, and your mobile device. This year, she specifically investigates the always popular Macy's, Hickory Farms, and Walmart websites and apps. She also reviews ThinkGeek, which may be new to many of you.

While this is an exciting time of year, shopping can be especially challenging for people who are blind or visually impaired. Janet Ingber's article certainly shows there is still a long way to go when it comes to the accessibility and usability of online retailers. As readers of AccessWorld can fully understand, with every update to a website or app, accessibility and usability can be greatly improved or hampered. I must say, when reading the pre-publication version of Janet's online shopping article, I was extremely disappointed. I was disappointed that despite the huge increase in the overall awareness of accessibility issues, despite the efforts of all blindness groups, despite legislation, and despite lawsuits that have been filed and won against retailers, many still fail to offer accessible online shopping options for people with vision loss.

Today, there are many companies and organizations, including the American Foundation for the Blind, who have consulting services solely dedicated to assisting companies of all types and sizes develop and maintain accessible websites and apps. These consulting services also lend themselves to the remediation of inaccessible sites and apps which can help them become more compliant with accessible design principles and best practices.

I am not sure how multimillion dollar and multibillion dollar retailers, such as the ones evaluated in this issue of AccessWorld, can justify the inaccessibility of their online presences. Is it just too difficult? Is it just too time consuming? Is it just too expensive? Their brick and mortar stores are built to stringent, complex, plumbing, electrical, and structural codes, and architects design for access by people who use wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers. Ramps, elevators and escalators are installed to accommodate people who are not easily able to climb stairs, yet the same stores turn a blind eye, so to speak, on the designs needed by people who experience vision loss and want to shop online and by app.

An estimated 25 million Americans experience vision loss to the point where they find it difficult to read standard-size print, even with best correction from glasses or contact lenses. These 25 million Americans purchase goods and services, and would likely purchase them online from Walmart, Macy's, and Hickory Farms if that choice was more readily available.

The obviously available choice is for retailers to design with inclusion in mind. There is no reason for retail websites or apps to be inaccessible to people who use access technology. Design guidelines and consultants with expertise are available and ready to make accessibility a reality, if retailers choose to take the initiative.

Next year, I hope there will be more good and exciting news and cheer to share regarding accessible online shopping options. Until then, if you have a favorite accessible online shopping site you would like to share with fellow AccessWorld readers, please write to us and let us know. We may share your suggestions in the December Letters to the Editor section of AccessWorld.

The AccessWorld team hopes this issue helps you find just the right holiday gifts for you and your family and friends with vision loss.

We wish you and yours health, happiness, peace, and prosperity as we enter the holiday season. As Helen Keller once said, "Peace and prosperity will come when we realize, and incorporate into our lives, the truth that we live by each other and for each other and not unto ourselves."

Sincerely,
Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief
American Foundation for the Blind

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I was reading this older thread on Applevis about LaTeX and Math ML and realized that I had a lot of questions; see my post at the end of the thread comments.

I think AccessWorld needs an overview article that explains in non-technical language the different approaches to math accessibility. Other questions I'd like answered include:

• How do I verify that a site has support for accessible math?
• How can sighted tutors best assist a blind student struggling with math (at any level)?
• What about the diabetics and newly blind who don't know or cannot learn braille; how can they solve math problems and show their work?
• What are some good STEM accessibility resources for teachers and parents?
• Is there a course one can take to brush up on math skills that's fully accessible?
• Have any high schools or colleges received awards for outstanding access to math?
• Do teachers still use tools like the cube board, abacus, or even Excel to assist with math learning?

The best way to do this article would be to interview both blind math teachers and sighted people who have developed successful methods. Ideally, I'd love an up-to-date article that I could refer our sighted tutors and struggling blind math students to.

Thanks,

Deborah Armstrong

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Those of us who use braille displays with a screen reader need a braille file reader. Currently, using a braille display is like looking at the screen through a soda straw.

When one reads embossed braille one can skim along with fingers, flip backwards and forwards, grab another volume to page through it, quickly locate a particular page in the table of contents and rapidly skim through headings in the book. It's hard to do this efficiently with a braille display.

Such a reader would be screen independent as far as the user was concerned. The user would never have the problem they now experience in word processors, where the screen must be scrolled and the user must find their place again each time one moves forward several lines in a file.

The software could read both already translated BRF files as well as TXT, RTF, or DOC files, similar to Wordpad. Most screen readers have the ability to change translation modes on the fly. There would be less need for embossed braille if the fluid use of embossed braille could be more easily emulated in software.

What would make this program special beyond simply using Wordpad would be these features:

• Page Down and Page Up actually move by form-feeds or braille pages in a translated file.
• Files could automatically wrap to accommodate 14,- 20-, 32- and 40-cell displays so one would not need to fumble for tiny panning buttons which slows down reading.
• Users could work with a book's table of contents and jump to particular headings, even if the file is an embosser-ready BRF.
• Users can bookmark their place and return to it easily without needing to remember a myriad of keystrokes and names
• Multiple volumes could be loaded and the program could allow users to search across volumes of an already translated book.
• The users could "flip pages" in a way that mimic scanning through an embossed volume, for example to locate an interesting recipe or poem.
• Reading braille would be as easy as reading a PDF or reading on a Kindle is for the sighted.

If some screen reader or braille display manufacturers think this is already possible, I sure wish they'd write an article or produce a webinar on how it's accomplished.

Sincerely,

Deborah Armstrong

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This message is in regards to Jamie Pauls' September 2017 article, Audio Description Comes to Amazon Prime.

Though I agree with Jamie Pauls that it's difficult to enable audio description for Amazon Prime or Netflix when streaming using a PC or Mac, it's not impossible. I had better results with the Chrome browser when locating the appropriate setting. I think this is because Chrome does a better job of exposing clickable elements to screen readers. With other browsers you cannot get to clickable elements using the keyboard even if you are sighted; Chrome treats clickable elements the same way it treats links.

I also had excellent luck enabling audio description using an Amazon Fire tablet running Voiceview. In fact, the Fire tablet is my main streaming movie machine, because for both Amazon Video and Netflix, enabling audio description in their corresponding apps is very simple and fully accessible. At $49, the Amazon Fire will not replace my iPhone for productivity work, but for entertainment it is awesome!

I also want to suggest the article implies one must have Amazon Prime to watch videos, but any video can be purchased or rented from Amazon and a Prime subscription simply makes it cheaper. If the video has audio description, it can be enabled regardless of whether the user is subscribed to Prime. For watching videos once a year, Prime is not a bargain. But because prime also enables free shipments along with other discounts on Amazon features, it is a good deal for most Amazon customers irrespective of whether they wish to watch videos offered by Amazon.

Sincerely,

Deborah Armstrong

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This message is in reference to Jamie Pauls' October 2017 article, The Current State of Windows Narrator: One User's Perspective.

Narrator works especially well with Microsoft's Mail app, and I find reading mail this way much faster than using any of the other three screen readers installed on my Windows 10 laptop. Though I do agree it has shortcomings with other software, especially applications like Office that are more complex. Narrator is also a good choice for someone who still uses vision to access Windows but needs the voice for getting through longer documents or text-heavy screens. Because Narrator is easier to learn than a more feature-rich screen reader, I would recommend it to anyone who still uses their vision or primarily depends on magnification.

Lastly, Narrator has a feature completely unique in the screen reader arena. Its developer mode, enabled with Shift Caps Lock F12, masks out everything onscreen that Narrator cannot see. This means that anyone developing a Windows 10 app can quickly discover whether it is accessible. More information about developer mode can be had in this blog post.

Now I have a way to show developers what is and is not working in their apps.

Sincerely,
Deborah Armstrong

AFB Launches the Transition to College: Program Activity Guide

AFB CareerConnect recently launched the Transition to College: Program Activity Guide for students with vision loss who are considering post-secondary education to achieve their career goals. It includes 24 activities available online, in printable format, and in downloadable UEB braille. Teachers, transition counselors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, community rehabilitation programs, and individuals who are blind or visually impaired can access this resource free of charge.

Your Participation Is Requested

Participation from AccessWorld readers is requested to help support a short research study of blind and visually impaired Americans. The purpose of this research is to cultivate in-depth knowledge of the issues that affect people living with blindness or vision loss. We would greatly appreciate your participation in this research, which focuses on technology and watching TV with vision loss.

To take the survey, please select the link below:

Survey on Americans with Visual Impairments

CTA Foundation Announces Winners of CES Accessibility Contest

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation recently announced the winners of the annual Eureka Park Accessibility Contest at CES 2018: Blind Touch, Lili Smart, SignAll, SofiHub, and Unaliwear. The CTA Foundation, a national foundation with the mission to link seniors and people with disabilities with technologies to enhance their lives, is providing each winner with a booth in Eureka Park—the home of startups during CES—and a $2,500 cash prize. CES 2018, the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 9–12, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"We had an incredible collection of entries this year and are excited to feature these five great innovators during CES," said Steve Ewell, executive director of the CTA Foundation. "These companies represent a wide range of technologies showing the impact consumer technology has in helping older adults and people with disabilities live healthier, more independent lives with the support of innovative tech."

The CTA Foundation partnered with Extreme Tech Challenge to collect entries from more than 200 startups from around the world. The winners were selected from emerging, Eureka Park-eligible, startups based on the potential of their innovative technology to positively impact older adults and people with disabilities:

• Blind Touch develops phones for individuals with visual impairments of all ages to help them connect, communicate and socialize - leveraging the power of smartphones for the vision loss community
• Lili Smart The Lili Smart platform uses an app interface, in home sensors and a wearable to monitor people receiving care, allowing for the 24/7 organization and exchange of information needed to care for a loved one from a distance
• SignAll is an automated software that translates sign language to text, with over 70 million sign language users worldwide - seeking to break down barriers and foster more inclusion
• SofiHub uses the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence to create an at-home assistant for seniors, them safe by setting important reminders, creating reports for caregivers and sending out alerts in cases of emergency
• Unaliwear is a voice activated smartwatch designed to keep seniors safe and healthy without requiring a smartphone, by giving reminders, detecting falls, summoning emergency assistance and much more

The CTA Foundation is proud to support companies working to help seniors and those with disabilities. These finalists attest to the power of technology in helping people of all ages and abilities live more independently. Learn more about the CTA Foundation here.

About Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation

The CTA Foundation, a public, national foundation affiliated with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, was launched in 2012 with the mission to link seniors and people with disabilities with technologies to enhance their lives. The foundation strategically supports programs that affect these communities and facilitates dialog between industry, consumers, government, advocacy groups and other key stakeholders. More information can be found here.

Microsoft Releases the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

Microsoft recently released the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. General highlights include increased access to creating 3D objects and augmented reality, the inclusion of the My People Taskbar which allows users to pin people to the taskbar for easier access, the ability to send items viewed on a phone or tablet to a user's PC, as well as other improvements and features. You can find an overview of the new features here. In addition, the Windows screen reader Narrator now has the capability to describe images. You can find a list of all the accessibility changes and updates here. The website Cool Blind Tech has published a two part series regarding this update. Part one of this series is here and part 2 is here.

The American Printing House for the Blind Releases Nearby Explorer Online for iOS

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) has released their Nearby Explorer Online app for iOS devices. The app is free to download and use and provides location information as a user moves. The information provided can be adjusted by the user. Unlike the standard Nearby Explorer app, this version does not contain onboard maps, so will require a cellular data connection to use outdoors. The app also includes indoor navigation through the use of Bluetooth beacons allowing this feature to be used without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. The app can also be used to gather information about mass transit stops such as the next vehicle stop time. After setting announcements, many features are available on the lock screen of a user's device allowing for quick access while traveling. Download the app (iOS) and learn more about its features.

College Bound Students Can Close the Gap with a Gap Year at Perkins

Perkins School for the Blind recently announced College Success @ Perkins, a selective, nine-month, residential college-readiness program for high school graduates with visual impairments, including those with some college experience who need to polish their skills before returning.

A college degree or certificate can enhance career opportunities, financial independence, and lifestyle—being prepared for the challenge is essential. Current research indicates that 6 out of 10 blind or visually impaired college students never complete their studies. Aimed at improving students' odds to succeed in a college environment, the specially designed Perkins curriculum allows individuals to gain college credits while honing the varied skills needed to grapple with all aspects of campus life.

Up to 15 participants will live in newly renovated space on Perkins' Watertown, Massachusetts campus while they earn credits at Boston area universities. In addition to academics, participants will refine essential independent living skills, socialize, learn to navigate dorm living, and internalize the realities of life at college.

With activities designed to develop and maximize executive functioning and self-discipline, students will learn how to manage coursework, organize their schedules, and sharpen their focus. From hands-on use of assistive and mainstream technologies to activities that bolster self-advocacy skills, College Success @ Perkins is designed to put students in charge of their futures and help each individual create their optimal college experience.

Applications are currently open for the 2018-19 academic year.

Every September, when the leaves begin to turn colors and fall from the trees, students begin to experience the excitement and stress associated with the hustle and bustle of returning to the classroom. At about this same time, many in the blind community begin to experience another sort of anticipation: the arrival of the latest version of Apple's operating system for iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. What new enhancements has Apple made to VoiceOver, and what has changed with the OS? Are there any bugs that might be deal-breakers for a particular user? Should you jump on the bandwagon and update your devices immediately, or wait for a later release of the operating system?

There are plenty of blogs and podcasts scattered around the Internet that can help you make an informed choice, but if you don't know where to look, you could spend quite a bit of time doing research. Fortunately, a new book by Jonathan Mosen of Mosen Consulting can ease the burden considerably. Rather than calling this a new book, perhaps it would be better to refer to this work as the latest in a series. Entitled iOS 11 Without the Eye, this work is the most recent in a series going back as far as iOS 7.

Anyone who is familiar with Mosen's work will most likely associate him with audio such as podcasts, tutorials, and radio shows. They will also know that he presents any subject he tackles with enthusiasm, warmth, and humor. His teaching style is clear, logical, and precise.

Fortunately, Mosen has been able to bring the best qualities of his audio presentation style to the written word, and his latest book demonstrates this nicely.

Obtaining iOS 11 Without the Eye

iOS 11 Without the Eye is currently available from Mosen Consulting for $19.95 and can be instantly downloaded after purchase in both PDF and EPUB formats. National Braille Press plans to release the book in hard copy and electronic braille, as well as DAISY and Microsoft Word formats during the first part of 2018.

Digging Into iOS 11 Without the Eye

There is an old saying: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." I happen to like chocolate pudding pretty well, and as it turns out, I have a similar feeling about iOS 11 Without the Eye. The book makes use of headings for easy navigation. I brought the EPUB version of the reference into Voice Dream Reader on my iPhone, and began happily reading at once.

Before we go any further, it's important to understand what this book is not. It's not a "getting started" guide for those new to the iPhone, and Mosen makes this plain from the outset, along with providing some suggestions for new users who would like to read a book on the subject. Second, this book is not a step-by-step tutorial on how to accomplish tasks in iOS 11, although many simple real-world exercises are provided throughout.

What the book aims to do is to give the reader a good idea of what they will find in iOS 11 when they decide to upgrade their devices.

iOS 11 Without the Eye: Breaking It Down

Let's go ahead and take a look at what you will find in each chapter of iOS 11 Without the Eye. You can choose to read the book from start to finish as I did, or jump around from chapter to chapter depending on your interest at any given the time—something I plan to do in the near future.

It is worth taking a look back at the history of the iPhone over the past 10 years, and that's exactly what Mosen does in the introduction to this book. He rightly points out that there was much trepidation associated with the idea of a blind person being able to successfully navigate a smooth piece of glass, although the improvements in Bluetooth keyboard support, the addition of braille displays as controllers, and Braille Screen Input on the iPhone has made this much less of an issue than it might otherwise have been.

In his first chapter, Mosen logically covers the topic of backing up and updating your iOS device. Whether to use iTunes or iCloud, and general instructions for using iTunes with a screen reader in Windows and on the Mac are all discussed. Many other reference books present step-by-step instructions for accomplishing the same task multiple times throughout the work, so that you may find a list of ten items appearing almost exactly the same way throughout the text. Although this can be helpful in some cases, it can also be tedious. Mosen does not use this approach, so if you want to take particular note of how to do something, it would be a good idea to mark that part of the text for later reference rather than expecting to encounter the same instructions later.

It is worth mentioning that, when referring to Windows, Mosen only gives commands for JAWS, and not NVDA or any other Windows screen reader, so be sure to familiarize yourself with how to use your screen reader of choice if it doesn't happen to be JAWS. Since this book primarily covers iOS, this shouldn't really be an issue for anyone.

Chapter 2 makes mention of iPhone X, which has not actually shipped as of this writing, and which Mosen has not had a chance to work with yet. Fortunately, a second edition of iOS 11 Without the Eye will be released once Mosen has had a chance to work with the iPhone X, and will be available for free to anyone who purchased the first edition.

The biggest changes with iPhone X include removing the home button, and replacing Touch ID with Face ID. Fortunately, there are workarounds for dealing with Face ID if you are unable to use this feature, and Mosen gives a brief rundown on how this will work.

Chapter 3 deals with VoiceOver changes, and there are a lot of them, including new Siri voices that can be used with VoiceOver, new verbosity settings, the ability to toggle the automatic speaking of incoming text, and the ability to hear closed-caption text using VoiceOver. One thing I particularly like about this section of the book is that Mosen is careful to let us know what the default settings are when it comes to adjusting many of the new options found in VoiceOver. He also doesn't mention a feature without briefly describing it, so you won't be left to wonder just exactly what that cool-sounding setting actually does.

Because of the many enhancements found in VoiceOver under iOS 11, this is a jam-packed chapter, and will be one that I will most likely revisit once I actually update my iPhone and iPad.

Chapter 4 delves into other accessibility changes including the ability to have the phone automatically answer a call after a specified length of time. Although Mosen is totally blind, he does not neglect the user with low vision, taking pains to give adequate descriptions of new features while making it clear that he himself is not able to test these features.

Chapter 5 deals with the loss of 32-bit applications under iOS 11, and what this can mean if you are running a favorite app that has become a bit long in the tooth. He gives practical suggestions for contacting the app developer to encourage them to update the app, including letting them know that you would be willing to purchase a newer version if necessary.

Also covered is the loss of built-in support for several apps including Facebook and Twitter, and what this will mean for the user.

Chapter 6 discusses changes to the notification area of your iOS device. Now called Cover Sheet, this area of iOS 11 is more streamlined and customizable than ever.

Similarly, Chapter 7 deals with changes to the Notification Center under iOS 11.

Chapter 8 delves into changes found with Siri, Apple's voice assistant on iOS. Siri continues to be made more available to third-party developers, and should be smarter than ever when it comes to knowing your likes and dislikes. Although Siri's voice will be more natural-sounding than ever, Mosen cautions that many blind people may find the responsiveness of Siri voices with VoiceOver to be less than acceptable.

Chapter 9 introduces a new file manager to iOS. Although limited in scope when compared to what's available with some other operating systems, it sounds like it will be easier than ever to get to those files you have stored in iCloud and Dropbox.

Chapter 10 covers changes to the App Store. Apple has reworked the App Store fairly extensively and Mosen takes us through the various tabs found in the store under iOS 11. Among other enhancements, developers will be able to respond directly to reviews left by users, something I find most interesting. Also, it will be easier than ever to see the details of what is in an app update when using VoiceOver. No more double-tapping required to get at this information.

Finally, if you are like me and hate to be nagged about rating an app just at the moment when you want to accomplish an important task, you will be able to disable those requests from the App Store.

Chapter 11 is all about saving space on your device. There are some new storage-saving tricks up Apple's sleeve in iOS 11, including the ability to store messages in the Cloud, and the ability to delete seldom-used content from your device while being able to effortlessly download it again if desired.

Chapter 12 highlights changes to Apple Music, including the ability to see what your friends are listening to and share playlists with them.

Chapter 13 deals with the Messages app, and there are some big changes there. You can store messages in the Cloud, and share them across devices more easily than ever. Apple Pay works from within Messages, and you can more easily chat with businesses as well.

Chapter 14 covers Maps, which includes new indoor mapping capabilities. Mosen has not had the chance to experience indoor maps at a mall or an airport, but he speculates on the exciting possibilities that could be associated with this feature. There are other new features as well, including "do not disturb" mode and lane guidance for drivers.

Chapter 15 is devoted to the iPad, which will have a dock in iOS 11 that you can get to from any screen.

Chapter 16 introduces us to the more robust Notes app. Mosen says that this application could easily be thought of as a word processor, rather than a way of simply jotting down a quick note. Of particular interest to blind people is the ability to scan a document from within the app. It is possible to keep track of receipts at a conference, jotting down the details of the purchase and embedding the image in the note. Don't plan on getting rid of your blindness-specific OCR software any time soon, however. The feedback you will get with the document scanning capabilities found in Notes is quite limited.

Chapter 17 covers changes in Safari, including the ability to always have Reader mode available on every Web page you visit, or to customize it on a case-by-case basis.

Chapter 18 covers Apple's Podcasts app. Of particular interest here is new information that can be added by podcast creators to allow for things such as grouping podcasts into seasons and forcing the app to show the earliest episode of a podcast at the top of the list, rather than the other way around.

Chapter 19 shows us the new Accounts and Passwords section of iOS. It will be possible to enter usernames and passwords here and designate which websites they pertain to. I am especially eager to explore this area of iOS 11.

Chapter 20 deals with smarter data sharing, including the ability for someone to allow a guest to have access to their Wi-Fi network without having to manually enter a password into that person's device. It will also be possible to automatically transfer data from an existing device to a new one, assuming they are in close proximity to one another.

Chapter 21 is all about Health, and so is Apple. Besides being able to add more health data than ever to your device, new workouts will be available in iOS 11. Finally continuous glucose monitoring devices will be able to add information to your health data.

Chapter 22 highlights improvements to Family Sharing, while Chapter 23 covers core NFC, important for Apple Pay and Wallet.

Chapter 24 deals with the subject of QR codes, which no longer require third-party apps to work with your device.

Chapter 25 deals with emergency situations, and how your phone handles them. These changes will be especially important for those who eventually purchase an iPhone X.

Chapter 26 discusses improvements to home automation as it relates to iOS 11. It is now possible to more precisely customize how lights and other appliances in your home behave.

Chapter 27 covers changes to how photos are handled in iOS 11. Whether you want image stabilization or smaller file formats to help you save space on your device, iOS has you covered, and Mosen explains it remarkably well for a totally blind guy.

Chapter 28 teases us with the possible uses of augmented reality, which is being introduced in iOS 11, while Chapter 29 deals with less exciting, but equally important topics such as changes to how push notifications can be customized. This chapter also covers topics including the expanded list of TV providers found in the iOS 11 TV app.

Chapter 30 concludes with an encouraging word regarding Apple's commitment to accessibility. For those who fear that each update to Apple's iOS operating system will break accessibility for blind users, Mosen reminds us that accessibility is part of Apple's DNA, and they continue to deliver a great product for the VoiceOver community.

The Bottom Line

For anyone who wants to gain an understanding of what to expect in iOS 11 and make an informed decision about whether and when to update their devices, iOS 11 Without the Eye is a well-written, thorough resource that you will find yourself referring back to over the course of many weeks.

Product Information

iOS 11 Without the Eye can be obtained from Mosen Consulting for $19.95. It can be instantly downloaded in PDF and EPUB versions, and will be available from National Braille Press next year in hard copy and electronic braille, as well as Microsoft Word and DAISY formats.

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In September, Apple released iOS 11 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This operating system offers many new features and accessibility enhancements. As with any new release, Apple has had to address some bugs and has already released updates. It is not possible to address each change, but this article will give an overview of the main features of iOS 11.

Be sure to make a backup of your device before upgrading. Be aware that 32-bit apps will no longer work once iOS 11 is installed (only 64-bit apps will work). 64-bit apps have more processing power.

Check to see which apps on your computer are 32-bit by going to Settings > General > About > Applications. There will be a list of 32-bit apps if any are on your phone. Once iOS 11 is installed, if you open a 32-bit app, you will receive a message that it needs to be updated.

Accessibility Features

In iOS 11, Apple has added some new VoiceOver and low vision features and better braille support.

VoiceOver

Verbosity

Some of the new verbosity features are similar to the Mac Verbosity options. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Verbosity.

Punctuation. You can control how much punctuation VoiceOver speaks. The options are: All, Some, and None.

Detect Automatic Text. When this feature is turned on, VoiceOver will attempt to speak any text in a focused item.

Capital Letters. There are now four options when VoiceOver encounters a capital letter. They are: Speak Cap, Play Sound, Change Pitch, and Do Nothing.

Deleting Text. There are four options for what VoiceOver does when you are deleting text. The first option is Delete. If this option is selected, VoiceOver will say the word "Delete" and the name of each letter you delete. I found that after I typed a word, VoiceOver said "Delete" and the word I just typed. The other three options are Play Sound, Change Pitch, and Do Nothing.

Embedded Links. When VoiceOver encounters an embedded link it can Speak, Play a Sound, Change Pitch, or Do Nothing

Table Output. When navigating tables, VoiceOver can speak headers and/or row and column numbers. The buttons for turning these features on and off are directly below the Table Output heading.

Emoji Suffix. This feature is off by default. Turning it on will cause VoiceOver to say "emoji" each time it encounters an emoji.

Media Descriptions. The final control under the Verbosity heading is geared for people who are visually impaired and use closed captioning as well. The user has a choice of Speech, Braille, or Speech and Braille for the closed captions.

Pitch

You can now change the pitch of whichever VoiceOver voice you have chosen. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Speech. Flick up or down to select the pitch you want. The next control is a button to turn pitch change on or off. It t is on by default.

Low Vision

Apple has made some enhancements for people who have low vision. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Vision.

Magnifier. Apple has improved the magnifier. It focuses more quickly and is responsive to light and dark.

Display Accommodations. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations. Once this feature is activated, there are some new offerings:

Invert Colors

There are now two ways to invert colors: Smart Invert inverts the colors on the display except for media, images, and some apps that use darker colors. Classic Invert is the standard view when Invert Colors is selected.

Auto Brightness is now in the Display Accommodations section.

Safari

The Reader can now be set to launch automatically on a website. This is a good option for websites that contain a lot of information, such as ABC News. VoiceOver will say, "Reader available" if the reader can be used on the website.

The Reader button is in the upper left corner of the screen. Flick up or down until you hear "Automatic Reader view," and select this option. There are three choices: always use the Reader on the specific website, have the Reader on all websites, or Cancel. Should you decide to change your option at a later date, repeat the above procedure. There will be options to stop the Reader from automatically starting on the website.

Type to Siri

You can now type your questions to Siri rather than speaking them. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Siri. The first control is a button labeled "Type to Siri." By default, this button is off. When enabled and you activate Siri, an edit field will appear for typing your query.

Additional Accessibility Information

You can read more about iOS 11 accessibility on Scott Davert's excellent AppleVis blog post, What's New in Accessibility for Blind, Low Vision, and Deaf-Blind Users.

Settings

There have been some additions and changes to the settings section.

Storage

The Storage section in Settings has been modified. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The first item is how much storage you have used and how much is available. Next are recommendations for increasing space on your device.

The first option is Offload Unused Apps. If this feature is enabled, apps that are rarely used will be offloaded to the Cloud. The app's documents and data will still be on your phone. The App's name will still be in its same spot on your phone. If you need to use the app that has been offloaded, select it on your phone and it will automatically download back to your phone.

There are additional recommendations including to review large attachments. Activating this button will bring up a list of any large email attachment you have saved. Next is a list of apps on your phone including how much storage the app is using and the date when it was last used. If the Offload Apps feature is enabled, double tapping on an app will provide two options: Offload App and Delete App. If the app is offloaded and you locate it on your phone, VoiceOver will speak the app's name and say, "in iCloud." Double tapping on the app will redownload it back to your phone.

Accounts & Passwords

A new Accounts & Passwords section has been added to Settings, just above Mail. The first part of this section is Apps and Website Passwords. You will still need to authenticate before access is granted. As in iOS 10, selecting a stored website will reveal the user name and password.

The next option after User Names & Passwords is Accounts. A list of your email accounts is located below this heading. There is also a button to add an account. Selecting an account will display its relevant information and the option to delete it.

Do Not disturb

Apple's new Do Not Disturb While Driving feature can easily be turned off. Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb > Do Not Disturb While Driving under the "Activate" heading. The options are: Automatically, When Connected to Car Bluetooth, and Manually. Select Manually or, if the car you are riding in doesn't have Bluetooth, you can use When Connected to Car Bluetooth.

Emergency SOS

Go to Settings > Emergency SOS. There is a new feature, which previously was available only on the Apple Watch. If you listed emergency contacts in the Health app, they will automatically receive a text message if you contact 911. The message will also include your current location.

iTunes & App Store

There are two settings you might want to use in this section. The first is Video Autoplay. With this feature enabled, any video in the app store will immediately start playing when the app's page loads. This control is a toggle so if it's on, do a one-finger double tap to turn off the feature.

If you don't want to receive notifications from apps asking you to rate them go to In-App Ratings and Reviews and turn the feature off if it is currently on. This control is also a toggle.

TV Provider

iOS 11 has a very convenient feature which previously was only available on Apple TV. It lets you enter your cable or satellite provider's information once. When new iOS TV apps are downloaded to your device, it will no longer be necessary to enter your information on each app. The app needs to support this feature for it to work.

Go to Settings > TV Provider. This is not the same as the TV app. Locate your provider in the table listing and select it. Fill in the necessary information such as user name and password.

Apps

The Control Center

The Control Center is now more customizable. Go to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls. The first part of the page has items that can be removed, added, or reordered. Items include Flashlight, Timer, and Calculator. There are additional choices under the heading "More Controls." They include Magnifier, Alarm, Accessibility Shortcut, and Notes. If any options are added to the Control Center, they will appear below the media controls.

The Notification Center

The Notification Center has a new design. Everything is now on one page. Controls for listening to audio content are at the top of the screen. Controls are Rewind, Play/Pause, and Fast Forward. Double tapping on Rewind or Fast Forward will bring you to the previous or next track. Doing a double-tap-and-hold on either of these controls will move backward or forward within the track.

Underneath the media controls is the heading "Earlier Today." There is a button to clear all notifications in the section and you will be prompted to confirm the action. You can also delete each notification individually. Below the button is a list of notifications for the day. Below this is the same configuration for previous days. On any notification, you can flick up to cycle through options including Activate and Delete.

Moving Apps

Apple has changed the process for moving apps and it is now similar to how it was done in iOS 9. Double tap and hold on the app you want to move. When you hear VoiceOver say "Start Editing," flick up or down to either drag the app or activate. Once you locate where the app should go, flick up or down again and there will be options to place the app or add additional apps to drag. Moving more than one app at a time is a new and convenient feature. For example, you can move several apps at the same time into the same folder.

App Store

The App Store has been redesigned. At the bottom of the screen, there are five tabs: Today, Games, Apps, Updates, and Search. When any of the first four tabs is selected, a "My Account" button will appear near the top left of the screen.

Games now has its own tab. In the updates tab, when an app is updated, there will be a description about the update.

Files

Files is a new app from Apple. It appears on iOS devices and Macs.

iCloud Drive is now part of the Files app. This app can keep all of your Cloud files in one place. Files supports third-party apps including Dropbox and Google Drive. When you add a supported Cloud files app, it will be placed in the Files app under Locations.

The Files app has two tabs at the bottom of the screen, Recents and Browse. In the upper left corner is the Back button and the Edit button is in the upper right corner. There is a search form. After the Search box are buttons for adding a new folder, sorting, and which "View" you want to use.

The home page has the heading, "Locations." iCloud Drive and any other third-party file sharing apps can be accessed through the home screen. Double tap to select a file. Use the rotor or flick up and down with one finger to determine which actions are available for the file. For example, when I chose a document in my Dropbox file, I had the option to copy a link to the file.

Mail

It is now easier to add an attachment to Mail. Locate the file and use the rotor to copy it to the clipboard. Use the Edit menu to paste the file into your email.

Siri

Siri now has a new American female and a new American male voice. Go to Settings > Siri & Search. Tap the "Voice" button to listen to the options. The male and female Siri voices can also be used with VoiceOver.

Siri can now translate into some other languages. For example, I asked Siri how to say "Good morning" in Spanish and she gave me the correct answer. On the screen was my translation question followed by Siri's answer and a play button to hear the answer again. Since the answer was also on the screen, it could be read with the rotor set to characters or words. Since the text is on the screen it can also be read by someone who speaks the translated language.

Apple Music

You can now share music with friends who also subscribe to Apple Music. Activate the "My Account" button and locate the "Start Sharing with Friends" button. When activated, this button will load a new page where you can fill out a profile and select friends. This button is also in the "For You" tab of Apple Music.

If after updating to iOS 11 you cannot find your Apple Music Playlists, make sure to sign into your iCloud Music Library. Go to Settings > Music to do so.

AirPods

If you own AirPods, you can now have each AirPod perform a separate action. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and locate your AirPods. Make sure they are in range. Activate the "More Info" button. Find the heading, "Double Tap on AirPod." Below this heading are buttons for controlling the left and right AirPod so they perform different actions. For example, my left AirPod is set to activate Siri and my right one is set to go to the next track.

Conclusion

It is definitely worth upgrading to iOS 11, which offers many enhancements to accessibility features and to the operating system more generally. Take time to go through Settings and your apps to check out all the changes.

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This is the first in a series of three articles that will cover some of the most popular braille displays on the market. Some of the devices that will be discussed have many other features beyond the ability to connect to iOS, those features will only be considered as they relate to connecting to iOS devices. This first article describes two braille displays and what sets each of them apart from others on the market. This series focuses on comparing models of braille displays, so step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish tasks that are clearly documented in other resources will not be included. In this article, I'll be discussing the Smart Beetle from HIMS and the Refreshabraille 18 from American Printing House for the Blind. In the second article, I will cover the Braille Pen 12 from Harpo and the Focus 14 from Freedom Scientific. In the third, I'll examine the VarioUltra 20 from Baum and the Actilino manufactured by Handy Tec.

iOS and Braille Displays: Leveling the Playing Field

Throughout my various professional and casual interactions with people who are blind and deaf-blind over the past few years, it seems the most common choice of a mobile solution for braille users is the iPhone with a braille display. This combination is an instance where mainstream and assistive technology combine to level the playing field for the braille user. The wide range of braille display options on the market means there are many things to consider when making a selection, including: price, number of cells, number and function of buttons beyond the standard Perkins-style keyboard, and other added features. It's worth noting that many iOS commands are standard to all displays with a Perkins-style keyboard. Apple has compiled a list of the commonly supported commands found on most models of braille displays. As we're talking about mobile and portable devices, braille displays of 20 cells or less will be discussed

The Smart Beetle

The Smart Beetle is a 14-cell braille display manufactured by HIMS, compatible with iOS devices running iOS 9 and later. It is roughly the size and shape of an iPhone 7, but a bit thicker and slightly wider. When you hold the Smart Beetle so the refreshable display is closest to you and the keys are furthest away, you will find one diamond-shaped button on each side of the display area. These buttons pan braille back and forth. At the top of the display area, you'll find 14 cursor-routing buttons. Continuing that direction on a slightly elevated surface you'll find the Spacebar and two rectangular-shaped buttons to either side. The two on the left of the Spacebar are F1 and F2, the two on the right are F3 and F4. Beyond this row, you will find the Perkins-style keyboard for inputting text in braille, followed by a small speaker for the audio alerts and a couple of lights for indicating the status of the battery and other information. On the backside of the Beetle, from left to right, you have a reset button and a Micro USB port. Both the left and front edges of the Beetle without features; the power button is located on the right edge. A quick press of the power button when the display is turned on will take you to the Beetle's menu; pressing it for three seconds will power the unit on and off. Battery life seems to be between 15 and 20 hours.

Connecting the Smart Beetle to an iOS Device

To connect to an iOS device, first press the power button briefly on the Smart Beetle to set the connection mode: Bluetooth Serial Port, USB port, or Bluetooth keyboard are the options. Press Enter on Bluetooth Serial Port to put the Smart Beetle into Discoverable Mode and then pair it under the VoiceOver braille settings. The Beetle does not require a PIN; simply confirm on your iOS device that you wish to pair with the Smart Beetle, and it should act accordingly

Unique Features of the Smart Beetle

Multiple Bluetooth Connections

Of the two braille displays covered in this first article, this is the only one that supports multiple Bluetooth connections, though we will take a look at a couple of others that have this capability later in the series. The Beetle can connect up to five different Bluetooth devices, and one USB device simultaneously. When connected with a Windows computer running JAWS, an iPhone, and Mac via Bluetooth, I found that switching from one connected device to another took less than one second. You can either jump among the list of devices by launching the list by pressing the power button and F4, or you can toggle among the paired braille devices with the power button and the right scroll button. If you wish to toggle among Bluetooth keyboard emulation options, which will be discussed further below, pressing the power button with the left scroll button will cycle you through Bluetooth keyboard connections. You can quickly jump to the device connected via USB by pressing the power button and F2. This process could be made faster and easier if each pairing were assigned a specific channel (the VarioUltra, which will be discussed later in this series of articles, uses this approach).

There are also two keys on each side of the Spacebar that perform some VoiceOver tasks. For example, pressing F4 will take you to the Home Screen. With iOS 11, these keys can be customized to do any number of specific actions, which makes them more powerful than in previous versions of iOS. Though iOS 11 does have some significant bugs, this is one advantage to upgrading.

Bluetooth Keyboard Emulation

I made mention of a Bluetooth keyboard connection option above. This function, unique to the Smart Beetle, allows you to emulate certain parts of a Bluetooth keyboard. Though this feature is a bit of a moot point with iOS 11, the argument could be made that iOS 11 is not yet up to snuff for braille users. You can also pair the Smart Beetle to your iOS device as a braille display and to emulate a Bluetooth keyboard as well. Pair the Smart Beetle to mimic a Bluetooth keyboard by pressing the Power button on the Smart Beetle quickly, then choose "Bluetooth keyboard" and press Enter. Then, on your iOS device, pair it the same way a conventional keyboard is paired. Note that a pairing code is also not required for this type of pairing. If you plan to use both the braille display pairing along with the keyboard emulation, it's important to pair as a braille display first, and then pair it as a Bluetooth keyboard. If you only pair as a Bluetooth keyboard, braille will not be displayed.

While the keyboard commands for the Bluetooth keyboard emulation do work as advertised, I found that not all commands were listed in the manual. For example, pressing F1 will activate the Control key, F2 the Command key, and F3 the Options key. This comes in handy for when you wish to perform some keyboard commands that exist on the Bluetooth keyboard, but not in braille. However it does not appear to work with commands that require three or more keys. For example, Control + Option + Shift + M will activate double-tap-and-hold on a Bluetooth keyboard, but does not work with the Bluetooth keyboard emulation. While this feature potentially has a lot to offer, the user doesn't really gain any functionality because commands to scroll pages, double tap, and other basic functions are already found on all braille displays through conventional pairing with VoiceOver.

Terminal Clipboard

One final unique capability of the Smart Beetle is a feature called Terminal Clipboard. Originally introduced in the Braille Sense line of products a few years back, Terminal Clipboard allows you to bypass the braille translation option on the device you are connected to, with any of its quirkiness, and edit your text on the internal word processing program. Some people who type in braille find Terminal Clipboard preferable. I found it worked well on iOS. One limitation is that you can only type a line of text since pressing Enter, which would normally insert a line break, will instead send the text to the connected device when you're using Terminal Clipboard. That said, it's still a great feature to have available.

The RefreshaBraille 18

The RefreshaBraille is an 18-cell braille display sold by the American Printing House for the Blind. It is well constructed of aluminum and feels very sturdy in the hands. On the front edge, you'll find the small square Power button in the middle. Place the display in front of you on a table or other surface with Power button facing you to be properly oriented. The top surface of the RefreshaBraille 18 is where you will find the rest of the controls, keys, and buttons. Starting with the front line of 3 keys, from left to right they are: dot 7, Spacebar, and dot 8. Next you will find the Perkins-style keyboard. From left to right, you have dots 3, 2, 1, and then slightly below that a 5-way navigation pad. This navigation pad is closer to the Spacebar than the Perkins-style keyboard and is in between dots 1 and 4. Continuing to the right of dot 1, there is a small gap and then dots 4, 5, and 6. The keyboard itself has all 6 keys configured in a straight line just like previous models of the Refreshabraille. Directly above dot 3, you have a small rectangular button for panning left. Continuing to the right, you then have another small rectangular button, the auxiliary Spacebar. On the right side, you have the advance bar, also small and rectangular. Above that, you have 18 cursor routing buttons and then the 18 braille cells. On the back of the device at the lower left corner, you will find a cut out space, which is where to plugin your Micro USB connector for charging the device as well as for connecting to external technology through USB. Battery life is between 20 and 25 hours of use on Bluetooth.

Connecting the Refreshabraille 18 to an iOS Device

Pairing the Refreshabraille 18 is achieved in one of two ways: Auto or Secure. Select which one you'd like to use by navigating to the appropriate option within the Refreshabraille's menu. Navigate through the various options using the forward and backward panning buttons, and make a selection by pressing a cursor routing button.

If you select Auto, you will not need to enter a PIN on the touch screen to establish the connection. Simply press and hold the Power button for two seconds to put the Refreshabraille into Discoverable Mode, and then select the Refreshabraille under the braille menu in the VoiceOver settings. Once you have chosen the Refreshabraille on your iOS device, the pairing should occur automatically within a few seconds.

If you choose Secure as your pairing mode, when you select the Refreshabraille 18, you will need to confirm that the PINs match on the device you are pairing with as well as the Refreshabraille. After selecting the Refreshabraille 18 as described above on your iOS device, flick right one time to find the PIN, and then flick right again to confirm the pairing request. You will also find the word "pair" along with the PIN on the RefreshaBraille once the iOS device initiates the pairing. Press a cursor routing button above the word "pair" on the Refreshabraille, and the pairing should be established.

Unique Features of the Refreshabraille

There are a few things that set the Refreshabraille apart from other displays in this series.

Joystick

Moving the joystick up or down will jump to the previous or next occurrence of the element the VoiceOver rotor is set to. Moving left or right will perform a flick in the corresponding direction. Pressing down on the joystick will perform a double-tap.

Reverse Orientation

Another unique function of this display is the ability to reverse the orientation of the device's various controls. You can change the orientation by pressing the left and right panning buttons when the Refreshabraille is not paired to another device. This will allow you to flip the Refreshabraille around so that the Power button faces away from you. You can still use the Spacebar between dots 7 and 8, but you can also use the auxiliary Spacebar located between the left and right panning bars. The USB port is located on the bottom of the device, in a kind of cut-out area. I suspect this design was intended to prevent the USB cable from being pulled out of the unit accidentally; it also makes it challenging to insert the USB cable properly.

No Case

Unlike the other braille displays in this series, the Refreshabraille does not come with any sort of carrying case. Executive Products offers such a case), but it must be purchased separately for $60.42. If you wish to carry the Refreshabraille 18 around, the case will help secure the device. If you do use a case, you'll find that plugging a USB cable into the Refreshabraille becomes even more of a challenge since the case does not take into account that you may wish to access this port.

Product Information

Product: Smart Beetle
Seller: HIMS
Price: $1,345.00

Product: RefreshaBraille
Seller: American Printing House for the Blind
Price: $1,695.00

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When a door seal on my front loader washing machine tore recently, I thought it would be a good time to consider replacing the old clunker with a newer, more accessible model. What I learned was mostly discouraging. There was one bright spot, however: a totally accessible washer-dryer set made possible by the curiosity of a 13-year-old named Jack.

App-Controlled Laundry Pairs

Though there are several manufacturers that produce "networked" laundry sets, Samsung and LG come first to mind, I found it impossible to find any of these models locally. Even if I had, in stores the machines are never set up for use—only for display. I spoke with several salesmen who were happy to tout the ability of the machines to be controlled by a mobile app, but when I asked, "Is the app screen reader accessible," you can guess the response I received. I could not find a single machine with a "demo mode" that would enable me to take a dry run to test accessibility, and even if I had, my experiences with networked thermostats, which I wrote about in the June 2017 issue of AccessWorld, left me reluctant to spend well in excess of a $1,000 on just the "possibility" that I could use the equipment accessibly.

Doing Your Laundry with Amazon Echo and Google Home

Recently, Amazon introduced a line of Kenmore Elite appliances with Amazon Echo and Google Home capabilities built in. The line includes their smart hybrid water softener, smart electric water heater module, 75043 24-cubic feet smart French door bottom-mount refrigerator, smart air conditioner, smart front-load washer, and smart front-load dryer.

Note that Kenmore appliances are now manufactured by Whirlpool, which also owns Maytag.

Unfortunately, this new Kenmore line is a limited release and not available in all areas of the country, including my own. There is a mobile app, but before you can complete registration you must already own one of the appliances, so again, there is no way to try before you buy.

The Echo skill command set also seems rather limited. Below are the commands listed for use with the washer and dryer:

Alexa, ask Kenmore Smart:

• How much time is remaining on my dryer cycle?
• What is my washer doing?
• What is my dryer doing?
• To start my washer.
• To pause my dryer.
• If I need to run clean washer?
• Is my washer able to be started?

While useful, these skill commands do seem a bit rudimentary. They do not offer nearly enough to take advantage of the premium features—delicate wash, air dry, and the like—that make these appliances cost more than other models.

The Talking Laundry Module from GE

GE also makes a line of connected home appliances that can be controlled both via mobile apps and with spoken Echo or Home commands. Again, there are no demos of the apps, and the spoken command sets are limited. However, GE Appliances, which is now owned by the Chinese company Haier, recently introduced a single-purpose device called the Talking Laundry Module which announces the function of every button and knob on their GE 4.6 DOE cubic feet capacity stainless steel washer (MSRP $699) and GE 7.4 cubic feet capacity aluminized alloy drum dryer (MSRP $699 for electric, $799 for gas).

How this came about makes an interesting tale.

The University of Louisville GE campus includes a small, wholly owned startup called FirstBuild. "We're a fast turnaround prototype creator and micro-factory that can develop products and get them to market quickly," says FirstBuild Technical Leader Sam DuPlessis. "We're also a socially engaged community of home enthusiasts, designers, engineers, and inventors. To date we have over 15 co-developed products on the shelf—including the first countertop ice nugget maker—and many more prototypes in development."

As part of their mission, every year First Build holds a weekend hackathon at their facility. "Last fall one of the participating groups took a flat surface induction range top and made it more accessible to the vision impaired," DuPlessis relates. "They added voice recognition, and made the flat surface burners easier to locate and use by adding a thin glass overlay with holes cut out for the burners."

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is in Louisville, so Sam invited Larry Skutchan, APH Director of Technology Product Research, to view and assess the entry. Skutchan was impressed with the group's ingenuity, but he was also left a bit frustrated, because along with the flat surface range top, the unit also sported a flat surface touch control panel. "Haven't you guys ever heard of a knob?" he asked.

Skutchan explained that when a blind person is shopping for a major appliance, he or she is not just shopping for functionality, but also for independence. "All too often we end up with something that's less useable than what we had before."

DuPlessis's own washer and dryer did have knob controls, and as Skutchan had mentioned, like most knob controls they spun 360 degrees, without a start and end point, making it difficult to determine which setting had been accessed without braille or other markers. Skutchan had also been right when he had observed that more and more major appliances were being designed with touch screen controls.

DuPlessis did recall that GE has at least one washer-dryer set that still used control knobs. It also used bubble buttons, which at least could be distinguished by touch. The laundry pair also had service ports that used a standard USB interface for troubleshooting various service codes that were issued with each setting and control.

When DuPlessis happened to mention the issue to his son, Jack, the 13-year-old offered, "Let me take a crack at it." Jack had been experimenting with a Raspberry Pi, a basic computer the size of an Altoids mint tin. "I've been wanting to learn JavaScript," he said. "This would be a great project to learn on."

Before the weekend was over Jack had something to show his dad. His first version included a database of the washer knob control codes. Every time the dial was moved a different tone sounded, depending on which function was currently in focus.

For his second version Jack made recordings of each washer function and loaded the sound files onto the Raspberry Pi. Now the attached speaker announced by name the function of each knob position and bubble button. He did the same for the matching dryer, and when Jack demoed his new version he and his dad agreed the technology would not only be useful for the blind, it could also benefit non-English readers because each control could be translated to be spoken in Spanish or other languages.

DuPlessis asked Skutchan to beta test his son's device. Skutchan's first suggestion was that they put a volume knob on the device. He also suggested that along with announcing the functions as they were engaged, there needed to be some way to review the controls before they were engaged, and to determine the washer or dryer's current status—including which cycle was currently running, and how much time was left.

After making these and a few other improvements, including a move to text-to-speech so more product improvements could be accomplished rapidly, FirstBuild installed several laundry sets equipped with Talking Laundry Modules in the Kentucky School for the Blind for further evaluation. Today the unit can be purchased for $99, but there is a 4-6-week waiting period. "Instead of waiting for sufficient demand to justify manufacturing the modules by the thousands, we're hand building each one. We're hoping to get the price down."

Presently, the Talking Laundry Module is housed in a 5 by 5 by 2.5 inches stainless steel box with a power cable and volume control knob. The same module connects to both a supported washer and dryer via cables from the module to the appliances' communications ports. The front of the unit features a pair of buttons that announce the current status of the connected washer and dryer and a Micro SD card slot for future software upgrades. A magnetic base enables the user to attach the module to the side or rear of either appliance.

Skutchan has his module connected to the rear of his dryer where it's an easy reach to either status button. "Before, I never would have use the stain removal, extra rinse, or spin speed features for the simple reason that I never knew they were there," he says. "Hopefully, soon the module will come built-in to every GE washer and dryer."

Final Rinse: Advocacy for Wider Accessibility

Some advocacy work is definitely needed in regard to the accessibility of "connected" appliances. Samsung, LG, and other makers of app-controlled appliances should be encouraged to both ensure their apps are VoiceOver and Talkback accessible, and to produce demo modes that mirror completely the app's functionality with various appliances.

In the meantime, the Talking Laundry Module is ideal for the newly blind, those who can't quite read the tiny controls, or others who absolutely need to purchase a new washer and/or dryer in the very near future. Since my wife would not allow me to wait for my investigations to be completed before she could launder her work clothes, I went ahead and had my current machine repaired instead of replacing it. I believe it's a fair assumption that by the time the washer breaks down again, the state of the art will be a little more advanced and I will either be able to get a laundry pair with built-in speech or an app-controlled pair I know is accessible.

If you have experience with one of the app-enabled laundry sets, or the Talking Laundry Module from First Build, be sure to let us know. We love hearing from you.

Product Information

Product: Talking Laundry Module
Manufacturer: FirstBuild
Price: $99

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If you are a regular reader of AccessWorld and own an iPhone or other iOS device, then you are likely already familiar with an accessibility assistant called Be My Eyes. This groundbreaking mobile app pairs sighted volunteers with individuals with visual impairments who would appreciate a bit of remote assistance. The app is free both to download and to use…and now it's also available for Android!

As with the iOS version, you can establish a Be My Eyes account using your Facebook ID or create an account using your email address. You are then asked if you wish to offer assistance or request assistance. Invoke the "Connect to first available helper" button to be connected with a sighted volunteer for a real time video session via the Tokbox video platform. It's a one-way connection: they can see what you show them; you cannot see them.

For more details on the Be My Eyes service and how it works, read our original review of the Be My Eyes Remote Sighted Helper App for Apple iOS in the February 2015 issue of AccessWorld. New users can then download the app from the iOS App Store, or, now, from Google Play for devices running Android version 4.4 or later. The interfaces are virtually identical.

The app was rebuilt from the ground up for Android. Android users will reap the benefits of a number of improvements the developer has made since the original Be My Eyes release in early 2015. "We've improved our connection algorithms to bring down the wait time significantly," says Be My Eyes Community Director, Alexander Hauerslev Jensen. "These days we've achieved an average wait time of just 30 seconds, and in the US the wait can often be as brief as 9 seconds."

Since the beginning the Be My Eyes app has offered the ability to "Share your Be My Eyes experience" at the conclusion of each session. With the latest iOS and Android versions you can now offer more detailed information, beginning with whether the experience was positive or negative. "This is a first step toward developing and implementing our most frequent request: the ability to 'favorite' specific helpers because you made a good personal connection or they have a degree of expertise in computers, cooking, or some other subject for which you make frequent session requests," says Hauerslev Jensen.

Hauerslev Jensen also states the team hopes eventually to include a kind of subject guide. "Perhaps you need help matching an outfit and would like to connect with someone who knows at least a little about fashion, or your computer isn't talking and you need help reenabling your screen reader. We can offer our sighted assistants a list of interests to check off, and between that and the user feedback we receive we can do an increasingly accurate job matching calls."

In just the first few days of the Android release over 2,500 blind individuals and 15,000 volunteer helpers have signed up for Be My Eyes. In total, as of this writing, there are 571,000 volunteers and just 41,000 registered assistant seekers, which leads to a unique problem that has plagued Be My Eyes from the outset. "We have too many volunteers who have never had the opportunity to answer a call," says Hauerslev Jensen, who cites an email he received that said: "I live in France and downloaded the app a long time ago. And for the first time tonight I had a call from a young man who needed my eyes to choose the color of a capsule of coffee. I am very glad I could help this person and wish I will get more calls in the future."

For others it's a labor of love. Shawn is 35 years old, comes from Washington, and started volunteering with Be My Eyes two years ago: "I wish I would get more calls, because I really love helping people out this way. I had an aunt who lost her vision due to macular degeneration as a result of diabetes. She was always game to try new assistive technologies. She passed away before I discovered Be My Eyes, but she loved her iPhone and would have loved your app. Every time I help somebody I think of how happy she would have been to have a tool like this. I've helped people sort greetings cards and clothes and read the label on a bottle of wine. And every time it made my day."

According to Hauerslev Jensen, the solution to the problem is simple: "We need more people requesting assistance, and more frequent calls from each Be My Eyes user."

What do you think? Can we help them out?

Product Information

Be My Eyes
Find Be My Eyes on Facebook and Twitter.

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