Multitouch to the Rescue?
People with disabilities may benefit from this popular technology
Jan 22, 2009
By far, multitouch, which was popularized by Apple's iPhone and lets computer users control graphical applications with their fingers, is the most sought-after technology on the market.
Touch is quickly becoming a common way of directly interacting with software and devices. Today iPhone and MacBook Air are used by millions of people with and without disabilities, and other companies are bringing products with multitouch to the market.
For instance, Microsoft recently unveiled its Surface product that runs on Windows 7 (due out in late 2009) which lets its corporate customers use multitouch in their stores. While Surface costs an approximate $5,000-$10,000 for each unit, it's likely that Surface will one day be integrated into consumer PCs and the price will come down.
Already, the Dell Latitude XT tablet uses multitouch, which is a good option for someone who can't grasp a mouse and wants the functionality of a traditional PC. You can use your finger or a stylus instead. Take a look at other cell phones that are utilizing touch to let you zoom in on text, advance through a photo album, or adjust an image. These include the Blackberry Storm and Google's G1. G1 uses a combination of touch, trackball and physical keyboard, which is nice for the user who likes to have navigation options. Some people with motor disabilities already use their chin, elbow, or tongue to control a trackball.
The Storm multitouch screen uses something called "haptic touch" so when you press a button on the screen or on the virtual keyboard it feels as if you're actually pressing on that specific spot. It's tactile, which provides more peace of mind if you're hearing-impaired. If you're blind, this makes typing and clicking a lot easier.
What's important is that multitouch provides a non-mouse alternative for people with limited physical use of their fingers or arms. And it's an assistive technology that's already built into the systems of mainstream technology, so there's no adaptation needed once you take your new phone, PC, GPS system, etc., of the box. But multitouch can help, say, a person with arthritis, MS or cerebral palsy who can't grasp or click a mouse.
Touch isn't an all-in solution, of course. Some people have no use of their forelimbs at all. That's why the joystick is operated by tongue; a head pointer is operated by the head. But as technology advances we'll be seeing more interaction and collaboration with our sensory and motor processes.
