IBM,NID to unfurl Mobile Devices for Elder & Illiterate people

Posted at March 11th, 2010 under General, Look Around, Mobile Apps, Mobile Companies, Mobile content, Tip | No Comments »

The software development firm IBM India, National Institute of Design (NID) of India, and University of Tokyo (RCAST) enters an open collaborative research programme to explore an open, common user interface platform for mobile devices, to make them easier to use for disadvantaged populations around the world.

This collaborative research will uncover real information accessibility requirements and issues that the elderly and people in developing economies are facing. Mobile phones have a tremendous penetration globally and this team mainly focus on illiterate populations as they could not exploit the benefits of information and services available to Internet users.

Though many portals, and information services are available it’s critical that the Internet be accessible to all people, including those who are illiterate, blind, deaf, or elderly. The aim of the collaborative research is to help make this possible and to provide affordable services to a large population with their findings.

For this purpose IBM Research – India and NID will first identify the communication needs and preferences of the non- and semi-literate population; to not only help them connect but to engage with information through mobile devices.

IBM researchers in Tokyo and the human information engineering research team will work directly in Japan, where the aging rate is growing at a rapid pace, making Japan the world’s most elderly population and collect the real-life requirements of elderly people when using mobile devices.

IBM’s deep knowledge in mobile web technologies, coupled with RCAST five-sense communication and NID’s interface design expertise will certainly develop inclusive technologies for elderly population to help improve quality of life.

IBM’s award winning “Spoken Web” voice-enabled technology enables people with little or no literacy, or those with visual impairment, to access and share information, perform business transactions, and create social networks using mobile or landline phones.

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