EGDE, A Soft Keyboard for Fast Typing for the Visually Challenged

Abstract

EDGE is an accessible text-input overlay on touch screen phones that is designed specifically to enable speedier typing by users with vision impairment. The model uses the edges of the phone because all the tactile references available on a touch screen are concentrated along the edges. The characters are laid out along the edges in the same grouping as a 3x4 International Standard Key Pad, building on users' familiarity [1]. It can be initiated in the same manner as any keyboard service on a smart phone. However, it occupies the full extent of the screen as an overlay and can be dismissed by an on-screen gesture. The model has the ability to switch between single-tap and multi-tap mode and features that provide context awareness while typing. Along with text prediction as an added feature, EDGE could be a very effective text input method that visually impaired users will be able to use with confidence even without audio feedback.