A design that I’ve found is the TypeCase, case for a smartphone. This design allows an individual to utilize one hand and five buttons (four on the left and one on the right) to type in a textbox instead of using the onscreen keyboard. This case is genius, to say the least. It’s intended audience is for those who are visually impaired or are an amputee, given it only needs one hand to utilize the case, and is also physical, unlike the visual keys on a standard smartphone keyboard. This case was designed by Dougie Mann, who is a product design engineer.
The case can be configured to any smartphone, given it’s physical attributes are 3D printed. Therefore it’s customizable for the placement of the buttons, the type of phone, and the size of the buttons. To me, it seems as though the design is similar to a braille format, because each button (or button combination) equates to a particular letter or symbol. So the physical aspect is significant for visually impaired individuals. That being said, it’s not in-line with the braille format, so the user must learn what each button combination puts out to be able to use the case. So it comes with a learning curve for functionality. Further, Mann is also planning on implementing haptic feedback to each button, allowing visually impaired individuals to read with the case, if their fingers are placed upon each button. Each letter would be spelled out using the button combinations, creating the full word. The case itself has its own Bluetooth that the phone is able to connect to, maintaining the sleek profile of many smartphones.
The case can be utilized by anyone with enough time to learn the different button combinations. Frankly, I could see myself using it. It removes the necessity to utilize both hands to type anything longer than “kk,” and also allows a user to be focusing on their surroundings, because you don’t need to see which letter you’re pressing upon the digital keyboard. I imagine for amputee individuals, the buttons could be oriented in any specific way, to make it accessible for both left handed and right handed individuals. But if an amputee does not possess all five fingers upon one hand or the other, I can see some difficulties arising. That is, being able to press all five of the buttons in their specific orientation to specify an individual letter.
