Samsung’s new patent envisions a way for braille input on smartwatches

Last updated: September 14th, 2018 at xv:41 UTC+01:00

Samsung files hundreds of patent applications every year across the globe. While about of them are very technical whose use cases may not be immediately credible, some are relatively simple with a fairly obvious use case. Samsung'southward 'Electronic apparatus for inputting braille and operating method thereof' patent filed in South korea in March concluding twelvemonth is of the latter kind with a revealing championship.

The patent describes a method for blind people to input text through braille, using the rotating bezel on a smartwatch. It enables braille input by assuasive the user to control the input position in the six-point braille grapheme by rotating the bezel. When companies are increasingly relying on voice-based interaction models to make their products and services more accessible to people with disabilities, information technology appears Samsung is exploring and investing in other approaches too.

Makes the rotating bezel on Samsung smartwatches fifty-fifty more than useful

Barring Samsung, no other major brand is currently offering a bezel-based navigation option on its smartwatches. Given the small size of the smartwatch screens, Samsung'south rotatable bezel is found be useful and convenient at times by many users. Using the same mechanism for innovative and meaningful features like the braille input volition but make it more unique and desirable. Ideas like this may not exist coin makers for Samsung, just it is encouraging to encounter the visitor trying to brand its latest gadgets accessible to more users.

We don't know if Samsung is planning to contain this technology into its time to come smartwatches. It is worth remembering that not all patents turn into commercial products. Patents also tend to be more complex than what a simplified overview suggests. Then, practise read the consummate awarding here (in Korean) if you wish to sympathise information technology in-depth.