Moving the cursor to the top edge allows users to tap, scroll or swipe through their device.
Have you ever imagined a day without 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 challenge 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. However, it’s a different situation for those who suffer from encephalopathy, muscle or spinal cord injury, or other upper limb disabilities. Since they varying 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; however, DOWELL takes the first step towards helping users with upper limb disabilities to control their smartphones with existing assistive computer devices.
DOWELL is an application developed 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.
Compared to computers, controlling a smartphone is more difficult due to more varied motions such as tap-clicking, swiping, and pinching to operate. The basic ‘Dwell Click’ feature allows users to hover the cursor over a certain area and allow the lapse of time to ‘click’ for you. More complicated functions such as zoom and swipe are also included in the interface to emulate a seamless device experience.
DOWELL utilizes the edges of the screen to assist users with upper limb disabilities perform complex tasks.
Intuitive GUI designed for users with upper limb disabilities.
A short video demonstrates how the Dwell-click solution works on smart devices.
Approximately 15% of the population suffer from various types of disability, 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 numerous prototypes, we can proudly say that Samsung’s DOWELL offers a meaningful design as a fully developed software, rather than a hardware assistant tool.
