Mathematics & Computer Science

GuideDawg 2.0: An Improved Mobile Application for the Visually Impaired

Presenter Information

Adam Kessler, Butler University

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Start Date

13-4-2018 2:15 PM

End Date

13-4-2018 2:45 PM

Description

For the past three years, a Butler Software Engineering team of students have developed an innovative iPhone app for the blind and visually impaired called GuideDawg. GuideDawg has been used by students at the Indiana School of the Blind to navigate from one location on campus to another. We have expanded upon this previous work to radically update the application. The main purpose of the updated version of GuideDawg is to provide features customized for Butler’s own visually impaired students on our campus. Based upon feedback we received from a Butler visually impaired student, we have implemented new app-wide features such as speech recognition, allowing users to interact with the app by voice. In addition, new practices and technologies have been utilized to develop the updated application. For example, we now use Xamarin, a cross platform mobile framework, and Microsoft Azure, a cloud solution, which in combination allow us to develop for multiple mobile platforms and store data in a reliable world-class cloud backend. We are currently testing some early versions of GuideDawg 2.0 with the assistance of a visually impaired student and the Disability Services office at Butler. Some of our future plans include redesigning an easy to use web interface for Butler staff and faculty to add data to the application, and implement iBeacons, a low energy Bluetooth technology, to increase the application’s positional accuracy.

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Apr 13th, 2:15 PM Apr 13th, 2:45 PM

GuideDawg 2.0: An Improved Mobile Application for the Visually Impaired

Indianapolis, IN

For the past three years, a Butler Software Engineering team of students have developed an innovative iPhone app for the blind and visually impaired called GuideDawg. GuideDawg has been used by students at the Indiana School of the Blind to navigate from one location on campus to another. We have expanded upon this previous work to radically update the application. The main purpose of the updated version of GuideDawg is to provide features customized for Butler’s own visually impaired students on our campus. Based upon feedback we received from a Butler visually impaired student, we have implemented new app-wide features such as speech recognition, allowing users to interact with the app by voice. In addition, new practices and technologies have been utilized to develop the updated application. For example, we now use Xamarin, a cross platform mobile framework, and Microsoft Azure, a cloud solution, which in combination allow us to develop for multiple mobile platforms and store data in a reliable world-class cloud backend. We are currently testing some early versions of GuideDawg 2.0 with the assistance of a visually impaired student and the Disability Services office at Butler. Some of our future plans include redesigning an easy to use web interface for Butler staff and faculty to add data to the application, and implement iBeacons, a low energy Bluetooth technology, to increase the application’s positional accuracy.