NavTap: um estudo de longa duração com utilizadores cegos

Abstract

NavTap is a navigational method that enables blind users to input text in a mobile device by reducing the asso-ciated cognitive load. We present studies that go bey ond a laboratorial setting, exploring the methods' effective-ness and learnability as well as its influence in the users' daily lives. Eight blind users participated in the proto-type's design (3 weeks) while jive took part in the studies along I 6 more weeks. All were unable to input text be-fore. Results gathered in controlled weekly sessions and real life interaction logs revealed the method as easy to learn and improve pe,formance, as the users were able to fi,lly control mobile devices in the.first contact within real life scenarios. The individual profiles play an important role determining evolution and even less capable users (with age-induced impairments or cognitive difficulties) were able to pe,form the required tasks, in and out of the laboratory, with continuous improvements. NavTap dramatically changed the users' relation with the devices and improved their social interaction capabilities.