communication
iPhone4 - sign and weep
08/June/2010 03:30 PM Filed in: Independent
living
Yesterday we saw the WWDC 2010 Keynote by Steve Jobs
deliver us the next iPhone - iPhone 4.
Now, disabled people are loving iPhones for all sorts of reasons - in factnever has a device delivered so much in terms of life enhancement for people in general.
Then it came to the one last thing - Video Chat. I watched on Engadget as up came all the photos of families staying connected and all sorts of rosy images of life with video chat.
However - then came the star photo - yes folks, disabled people made it into the key note. This came to us in the form of some Deaf users using BSL over their new video rich i-Phone with amazing clarity.
Now, to many of us, two people chatting in BSL is nothing remarkable - it's just two people chatting. Yes I know it's on a mobile phone but you still need wifi access so it's no more remarkable than watching two people sign via video phone type systems (or even SKYPE if you get good enough speeds and frame rates).
However, the guys at Engadget described this vision as 'Wow' and 'very cool' and then finally 'We're getting choked up!'. I was welling up myself - though for different reasons. I wonder if the new adverts for the phone in the UK will feature BSL users?
[Source: http://www.engadget.com, June 7th 2010]
Equal futures
I felt myself wishing that people didn't see these things as so extra ordinary. Whilst it may be a useful option for two people who sign - it's not going to help communicate with the none signing world. I can see more potential though for 'super portable' signing such as in a hospital venue where a Deaf patient may need quick access to an interpreter who might be miles away. Some places do have video units but they are large and costly.You also need to be able to prop up your phone whilst you sign. Therefore, to do that anywhere outside of the home would make me want a cut proof, wire, chord linking my phone to my person in case it was snatched! An App that converts text to BSL as you talk - now that would be good!
I also wonder about how well you would see facial expression, lips and signs which require you to see a person whole upper body for example - listening to Deaf users on their experiences of the new phone will be interesting.
Now, disabled people are loving iPhones for all sorts of reasons - in factnever has a device delivered so much in terms of life enhancement for people in general.
Then it came to the one last thing - Video Chat. I watched on Engadget as up came all the photos of families staying connected and all sorts of rosy images of life with video chat.
However - then came the star photo - yes folks, disabled people made it into the key note. This came to us in the form of some Deaf users using BSL over their new video rich i-Phone with amazing clarity.
Now, to many of us, two people chatting in BSL is nothing remarkable - it's just two people chatting. Yes I know it's on a mobile phone but you still need wifi access so it's no more remarkable than watching two people sign via video phone type systems (or even SKYPE if you get good enough speeds and frame rates).
However, the guys at Engadget described this vision as 'Wow' and 'very cool' and then finally 'We're getting choked up!'. I was welling up myself - though for different reasons. I wonder if the new adverts for the phone in the UK will feature BSL users?
[Source: http://www.engadget.com, June 7th 2010]
Equal futures
I felt myself wishing that people didn't see these things as so extra ordinary. Whilst it may be a useful option for two people who sign - it's not going to help communicate with the none signing world. I can see more potential though for 'super portable' signing such as in a hospital venue where a Deaf patient may need quick access to an interpreter who might be miles away. Some places do have video units but they are large and costly.You also need to be able to prop up your phone whilst you sign. Therefore, to do that anywhere outside of the home would make me want a cut proof, wire, chord linking my phone to my person in case it was snatched! An App that converts text to BSL as you talk - now that would be good!
I also wonder about how well you would see facial expression, lips and signs which require you to see a person whole upper body for example - listening to Deaf users on their experiences of the new phone will be interesting.
