New Android features let users control phones with facial movements
The imperative to improve smartphone use for people with limited motor capabilities has resulted in some truly cool — and hopefully helpful — new features.
Thursday, Google announced an expansion of its accessibility settings as well as a new app that will let people navigate their phones with facial gestures.
The feature within the Android Accessibility Suite is called Camera Switches. Previously, Google let users who could not navigate phones with the touchscreens connect a manual switch device that let them scroll and select.
Now, the new "switch" is an Android phone's camera and a person's face. Users can assign facial gestures like look left or right, smile, or raise eyebrows to functions like click, back, scroll, and more. The phone's camera will be able to recognize the gestures and translate them into action.
Camera Switches will be rolling out to Android phones (not just Pixels!) in the coming weeks.
The second feature requires downloading an app, but takes the idea of gesture control further. The app, Project Activate, will let people use their phones to send common messages or perform actions, or even verbalize on their behalf, by customizing gestures. An example Google gives is that the app can be programmed to have a gesture like looking left send a text to a caretaker that says, "Please come here."
Google notes that, based on feedback from users and advocates, giving people the ability to customize both the gestures and the action taken by the phone was crucial for these features to be useful. With gesture control, it's interesting to see how helping people with disabilities navigate the world with their smartphones pushes engineers to create innovative and, frankly, super cool products in their own right.
TopicsAccessibility
-
Naver, Kakao strive to combat deepfake porn spreading online'Principled approach' needed in interCannavaro on brink of sack againHere's what the Google vs. Oracle lawsuit is all aboutYoon, US Senate's armed service committee chief discuss alliance, N.K. threatsHere's what the Google vs. Oracle lawsuit is all aboutTrump’s Department of Justice looks ready to loosen the nation’s gun laws.James Comey confirms RussiaNewborns hit new low, but births to those unmarried reach record high: dataMoon calls for extraordinary economic measures
下一篇:World's first green ammonia plant is now open for business
- ·The Astounding World of Automata
- ·Why the second Ku Klux Klan failed to win pervasive American support.
- ·全国名企云集,今年预制菜“第一展”很有料!
- ·广东居全国Top2!2023抖音电商产业带发展数据公布
- ·Pakistan Cricket at crossroads after shock defeat at Pindi
- ·This Handmaid's Tale cast video reminds us to create change
- ·全国名企云集,今年预制菜“第一展”很有料!
- ·Karen Pence's weird
- ·Newborns hit new low, but births to those unmarried reach record high: data
- ·N. Korea's No. 3 leader, new premier make rare joint 'field guidance' visit
- ·Snow in Chicago at this time is weird, but we're getting numb to it
- ·Facebook is actively deleting shares of 'The Daily Stormer' article on Heather Heyer
- ·Giant dual
- ·全国名企云集,今年预制菜“第一展”很有料!
- ·名师送教研 推动城乡教育均衡发展
- ·James Comey confirms Russia
- ·“新丰味”喜获中国首届县域品牌擂台赛十大营销创新品牌
- ·Solskjaer hails United's away consistency, Moyes upset with decision
- ·继续做好档案人才培养
- ·Our downloaded Facebook profiles are creepy dossiers of half truths
- ·Tesla issues recall for 9,100 Model X cars
- ·Zidane praises Real Madrid's character after beating Sevilla
- ·Facebook conveniently ignores Clear History feature at F8 keynote
- ·N. Koreans visit Olympic venues for second day
- ·Ford can make your Mustang Mach
- ·UN set to address NK human rights issues
- ·Pixel 9 Pro XL hands
- ·Grosjean crash a wake
- ·Seoul trying to arrange North Korea
- ·Zidane praises Real Madrid's character after beating Sevilla
- ·Amazon Android Days sale 2024: Save on unlocked phones, tablets, and more
- ·Teeny shelter puppies get an adorable newborn photoshoot
- ·This Handmaid's Tale cast video reminds us to create change
- ·Our downloaded Facebook profiles are creepy dossiers of half truths
- ·Europe now has a huge AI gap, for better or for worse
- ·Tesla to help roll out world's largest "virtual power plant" in Australia