Tactile experience of operating electronic products among visual impaired people—taking mobile phones as the example

Nowadays, with the advance in technology, electronic products have gradually being used as a part of daily live. The interfaces of controls and displays are essential for user to understand and operate these devices. Via controls, such as, touch screens, buttons or mice, the users can enter their commands by clicking, pushing, rotating or dragging. Then the products can respond immediately by their displays, such as, screens, lights, sounds or relative displacements, which may represent feedback or setting condition. However, most information transferred by controls’ labels and displays are visual. It is hard for visually impaired people precisely receive this kind of information. Instead, they must depend on touch, hearing or other sensation to operate these devices and receive feedback. Unfortunately, just a few of electronic devices are designed for them. Therefore, how to develop products utilized advanced technology and senses other than vision for visually impaired people is a subject that has to pay attention to.