Ember: A Smartphone Web Browser Interface for the Blind

Ember is a smartphone web browser interface for the blind. It was designed exclusively for the blind, keeping in mind their needs and requirements. With large screen targets and easy Braille based text entry, Ember aims to make browsing an enjoyable experience for the blind user. Furthermore, Ember has a verbal command option for easier input. A simple way to find targets on the interface has been incorporated with Ember, by using a screen guard with projections at six points that correspond to the six dots used in Braille. After testing, it was found that twenty-five out of twenty-eight volunteers, on an average, could navigate faster using the Ember audio navigation method than the traditional web browser, and the learning curve for the Ember interface is less steeper than the learning curve for the traditional browser. The Ember keypad was also tested against the QWERTY keypad and the SmartBraille, a well-recognized keypad for Braille-based text entry, and was found to be more intuitive and natural to use.