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Show Summary:
Jeff Thompson is joined in the BlindAbilities Studio by Anne DeWitt Who shares her unique and helpful products that fall under the brand name Halos. Halos stands for Home Appliance Labeling and Overlay System. . Halos is a series of tactile icons which can be affixed to a variety of home appliances, including your microwave, your oven, and your washing machine.
Ann describes how these tactile icons are rendered in specific shapes that will clearly identify the specific button on the appliance that you wish to select. She talks about how the shapes are a secondary orientation to the location on the appliance when we look for a button. That is, we first recall the general location of the button we are seeking, and then the shape of the sticker, the tactile icon will give us further confirmation that we are on the right button.
Ann works hard, and collaborates with other designers to find the best shapes to distinctly identify the precise action that will label the button on the appliance for everyone, blind and sighted and is committed to finding consistent shapes that will be used universally. She has compiled a library of these uniform shapes.
You can purchase packages of common icons for your microwave, oven and washing machine, or select a wide variety of other options from her web site:
http://tangiblesurfaceresearch.com/halos.html
So set aside a few short minutes to listen, as Jeff chats with this intelligent and articulate designer of a product that will enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals, with these easily distinguishable tactile icons to streamline use of home appliances.
Special thanks to Chee Chau for his beautiful music.
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