your smart device? No quick and
convenient access to a search engine
or a quick spelling and grammar
check. No more music streamed
on-demand and suddenly it’s a chal-
lenge to check when the next bus will
arrive. Most of our daily needs have
become dependent on our smart
devices.
For most of us, a smart devices is an
irreplaceable and very intuitive item,
requiring only a touch on the screen
to operate.
those who suffer from encephalopathy,
muscle or spinal cord injury, or other
upper limb disabilities. Since they vary-
ing challenges using their hands and
fingers, they find their smartphone less
easy to manipulate. Some may find that
they can’t use it for everyday activities.
Technology that is not accessible for
everyone prevents them from enjoying
publicly available resources; ultimately
that can lead to a feeling of isolation.
Assistance for only a few basic needs
does not sufficiently solve the issue, as
many disabilities are unique in their
nature and require special needs; how-
ever, DOWELL takes the first step
towards helping users with upper limb
disabilities to control their smartphones
with existing assistive computer devices.
specifically for users with disabilities
of the upper limbs. Without having to
purchase additional equipment,
the application works with an OTG
(On-The-Go) cable connected to your PC.
a smartphone is more difficult due to
more varied motions such as
tap-clicking, swiping, and pinching to
operate. The basic ‘Dwell Click’ fea-
ture allows users to hover the cursor
over a certain area and allow the lapse
of time to ‘click’ for you. More compli-
cated functions such as zoom and
swipe are also included in the inter-
face to emulate a seamless device
experience.
- Utilizing the Edges for Added Usability
DOWELL utilizes the edges of the screen to assist users
with upper limb disabilities perform complex tasks. - DOWELL GUI(Graphic User Interface)
Intuitive GUI designed for users with
upper limb disabilities. - DOWELL Moive(HOW-TO)
A short video demonstrates how the
Dwell-click solution works on smart devices.
Approximately 15% of the population suffer from various types of disabili-
ty, and in Korea over half of those suffer from upper limb disabilities. The
DOWELL application was created by Samsung Design/Software Membership,
an organization that helps both undergraduate and graduate students to
gain software expertise, in collaboration with professors at Seoul National
University. The project also received support from the National Rehabili-
tation Center and was made possible with the assistance of professionals
from many different fields. The DOWELL project goes beyond a socially
responsible agenda from a corporate standpoint; rather, it is rooted in our
desire to address the real needs of all users, including those with upper
limb disabilities, so that smartphone technology is accessible to all.
If the purpose of design is to create a solution that meets a need, then a
truly user-centric solution will utilize existing appliances at a minimal cost
or burden to the user. After spending countless hours and testing numer-
ous prototypes, we can proudly say that Samsung’s DOWELL offers a
meaningful design as a fully developed software, rather than a hardware
assistant tool.
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