Koichi Wada
Public Interest Incorporated Association NEXT VISION

I was diagnosed with a progressive eye disease at the age of 13. Over time, my vision gradually worsened, and by the age of 30, I could no longer read. Now that I’m over 60 years old, I can no longer judge light from dark.

Although the visually impaired have difficulties in mobility and accessing information, the recent use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and other ICT devices has made the lives of the visually impaired much more convenient. I would like to share how I use indispensable items such as smart speakers and smartphones in my life.

Smart speakers, which can be operated using only one’s voice without the use of vision, can be easily used. Since there is no need to use one’s hands, one can perform other tasks such as changing clothes or cooking, etc. For example, if one asks “What’s the weather will be like today?” the machine will provide the temperature and the day’s forecast automatically. Saying “Good morning” one will receive a greeting in return, and NHK’s radio news will play. Saying “Wake me up at 6:30” sets an alarm, and “Remember to ‘take out the garbage on Monday’” will remind one to take out the garbage when Monday comes. Changing radio stations is as simple as stating the station’s name. One can also use the smart speaker to read e-books aloud or instruct a package re-delivery. Furthermore, it allows one to control appliances like air conditioners, TVs, and lights simply by voice. It’s very convenient without the hassle of looking for the remote controls.

I use the Amazon Echo’s standard action function to set up custom commands. For example, I can listen to the latest news and start the timer for a 30-minute workout on the Aerobike. It is useful to combine and automate a single series of such operations. Additionally, with models that have sensors detecting nearby movement, actions can be assigned just by a person’s approach, without the need for speech. This also enables automatic operation of devices like lighting.

Next, regarding smartphone adaptations, I use the iPhone’s VoiceOver screen reader function. I use touch gestures specifically designed for the screen reader, but to make it quicker and more efficient, I take advantage of the shortcut functions. Specifically, by using Siri Shortcuts, I can instruct the phone to “Read this” by voice, activating the OCR function to read aloud printed text. Without needing to search for or open apps, I can quickly access and utilize the necessary features just by voice.

Additionally, other functions are set on the back tap. A double tap is set to open the App Switcher and a triple tap to open the control center. This customization allows one to quickly and reliably access frequently used functions. By personalizing the way I operate my devices, I have been able to make the experience much more comfortable.

Edited and published by the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.

Published on July 25th, 2023.