BlindGuide: An audio based eyes-free caller guide for people with visual impairment

BlindGuide is a caller system for mobile phone devices designed to provide sightless access to the blind people. Blind people can enter any phone number and also can search any name from contact list to make call to other person. Users interact to the system using five physical keys present in phone keypad. We provide an audio guideline to use BlindGuide and an auditory feedback against each unit interaction to ensure users about their inputs. BlindGuide does not require touch screen so, it can save the extra cost added for handset due to touch-screen device. BlindGuide requires less number of physical keys (with respect to QWERTY keypad or traditional telephone keypad) which favors to provide higher tactile sensitivity. We present our design rationale followed by an explorative evaluation of BlindGuide with experienced trainer of visually impaired students.