Android Launcher for the Visually Challenged Developed by Indian Firm

A launcher app equipped with a minimalistic interface that shows just 1 element at a time, and also boasts of a Braille typing feature, promises to assist the visually impaired in using all features of a smartphone. Called SimplEye, it was launched in New Delhi on Thursday, which was World Sight Day.

SimplEye, a launcher app developed by Kriyate, a Delhi-based enterprise, is available for all Android-based devices and was launched by Minister of State for Rural Development Upendra Kushwaha at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in the city.

It can be downloaded for free from Google Play.

"A user can navigate, take notes, listen to the news or even use a Braille keyboard to reply to messages as it removes all the clutter from the screen to present only one element at a time," Sumit Dagar, founder of Kriyate said.

"A voice narrates which element is put on screen. The user can interact with this element using simple gestures. For example, swiping up/down scrolls through the elements in order. Swiping left takes the user one step back," he explained.

Kriyate has already started working on future updates to the application that would include predictive typing, colour identification and location sharing, Dagar said.

Over 70 visually impaired students in JNU have started using the application, Ramesh C Gaur, university librarian told IANS adding that the app would also help in using library e-resources such as ebooks, e-journals and e-newspapers.