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Drawing For The Blind
idletask writes: "Hesham Kamel, a student from University of Berkeley who lost his vision 17 years ago due to a surgeon error, imagined and implemented IC2D (Integrated Communication 2 Draw), a program allowing visually impaired people in general to create computer graphics. The interface to the program is a mere telephone keypad, and it uses voice synthesis to communicate with the user. In fact, this program reveals, through its testers, that yes, blind people know how to draw, and they're as good at it as other people. More information on this program can be found here (1) and here (2). Story found on ArsTechnica."
blind people know how to draw, and they're as good at it as other people.
Well, if the poster had seen any of my "artwork", he'd know that that isn't saying very much.
That's really neat and all, and it's a good idea, and a lot of people are probably going to try it out, but..... If they're "visually impaired", how are they going to enjoy their own work?
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
You should have waited for drdink to come back from vacation to post that story.
Don't mod me, bro'!!!!
Now I can play pictionary with blind people WITHOUT feeling like I have an unfair advatange!
Fault loves the past, worry loves the future, but content enjoys the present.
I think this is a wonderfull thing. We could get some very good works that would otherwize not existed.
Very similar to software that lets blind people use computers for general use.
It's all about using technology to let everyone have access, and become productive members of society.
http://www.xpurple.com
some kind of MUD game for the blind?
great idea anyway...
...is that the article says the system uses a telephone keypad for selecting where you want to put the cursor. Perhaps it's just a metaphor to make it easier to understand, but the keypad on a phone is upside down compared to the number pad on a computer keyboard. It would be rather confusing if the instructions said "press 1 for the top left corner," and you had to press the key that you were used to thinking of as "7". If this is a problem, I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to add an option to invert the pad - rather like GUIs will let you use a mouse left-handed or right-handed.
That apart, this sounds like a very cool idea. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that a blind person can draw if you give them the right tools. The main skill in drawing is observing things accurately - even if you draw from imagination, you're often remembering details of things you've seen. If you can't see your surroundings, then moving around without bumping into things or injuring yourself requires you to build an accurate mental model of the environment in 3 dimensions - observe it, in other words. The fact that collecting the information to build this model requires you to use senses other than sight is what project managers would call an "implementation detail." ;-)
Just another wannabe fantasy novelist...
Patrick Doyle
I mod down every jackass who puts his moderation policy in his sig. Oh, wait a sec....
This story reminded me of this Star Trek episode where Riker says:
"A blind man teaching an android to paint? That's gotta be worth something to someone."
True warriors use the Klingon Google
Don't see the canvas...BE the canvas.
-Pete
Soccer Goal Plans
"Kamel, 40, who lost his vision 17 years ago through a surgeon's error." Damn, I'd be pissed! I hope he got a nice settlement out of that one.
A deaf man composed some of the greatest music the world has ever heard. When will a blind man come along that will draw the greatest paintings? Mad Hatter
Wasn't Ludwig hearing impaired?
I guess this was how the Pontiac Aztek was designed...
I can only imagine the kind of stuff a blind person would draw. Probably the kind of things that would make a powerful impression on anyone.
Honestly, I'd like to see a good blind artist become famous, it would be neat to see what people think.
It would be true art (and not in the Santa Fe sense, where you could barf on a canvas and sell it for $2700)
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LU
After looking at some of Mr. Kamel's works I realised, according to the counter, that I was the 1st person to visit the page. This is after 47 comments. For shame.
Now on to my thought, Mr. Kamel is not tone deaf and there is the problem with repositioning the mouse to some point on the canvas. Is there any reason there could not be some sort of tonal feedback from the canvas to indicate where the mouse is positioned? I don't have time to invent it but the technology exists. Some of you folks have time to do it. We're talking sensors the size of a pixel and a modified mouse.
Do you have any Screenshots of this application ?
...
oh, wait
One could also use WordsEye and maybe add a speech frontend.
Marklar: marklar
Hey, the blind aren't that bad at "visualizing" and drawing, but web designers they are not. Red on green? Ug. :)
-
ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only
Re, If they're "visually impaired", how are they going to enjoy their own work?
Drawings aren't all just to look at.
Suppose you're visually impaired or even completely blind. You could use this tool for drawing architectural plans, circuit diagrams, garden layouts, org charts--anything you want.
Unfortunately the system doesn't appear to be able to tell the operator that red links on green background are very difficult to read!
It could just as easily be argued that drawing is simply the process of conveying an idea from their mind's perception of it to an external manifestation. The fact that it requires a visual component is more of an afterthought. If I place an object in a black bag and have someone place their hand inside, feel the object, and then draw a picture of it (either by hand or some other means) with their eyes closed, the individual should still have an understanding of what the object is. I am left wondering how many of the people posting here that have commented on what a blind person can or can not do have actually seen, spoken to, or worked with a visually impaired or totally blind person. Judging by most of the comments here I would say not too many. A number of years ago a friend of mine (yes, who was blind) made a comment to me. He said "I am blind, not stupid." :)
"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative." -- Woody Allen
I'm beginning to think that the Bakers are the only true innovators in natural language processing.
It seems it could all be done in software.
FRA: STFU GTFO
i think i'm gonna have to update the link in my .sig one of these days.
The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
berkeley.edu = Univerity of California at Berkeley not University of Berkeley.
This reminds me of a company, Zform, that is starting up interactive games for the blind. I wonder how much longer it will be before the blind can get addicted to EverQuest like the seeing. ;-)
Bline people also want to communicate with sighted people, so it doesn't matter if they won't see it. You can also imagine priting the drawings out in a physical format they can feel.
don't you think it's kinda wierd that this guy's site uses colors that aren't suitable for reading by colorblind people?
The discovery that blind people can draw (and use techniques like obscuring and perspective) wasn't discovered here. I'd rather give credit to John M. Kennedy at the University of Toronto, a Cognitive Psychology prof who's been working with blind children for years.
He's published at least one book, "Drawing and the Blind" (Yale Press, 1993), and there's a course at Scarbourough College on the subject: PSYCH54S. The link will take you to the course notes, which includes excerpts from his book.
Offtopic? No. Funny? YES!
If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.