The National Council for the Blind (NCBI) is to hold a two day workshop for current and aspiring developers to get together to create an app which addresses the needs of people who are blind or vision impaired. NCBI’s Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT) will co-host the event with Vodafone Ireland, the NDRC, Mobile Monday and the Irish Internet Association.
The two-day workshop will be held on 21 and 22 August and will encourage developers to think creatively about the needs of people who are blind or vision impaired when using smartphones. The event will produce an entry to go forward to the Vodafone Smart Accessibility Awards in December. The competition has a prize fund of €200,000 for European developers who come up with apps that take into consideration the needs of older people and those with disabilities. Entrants have the option of four categories – social participation, independent living, mobility and wellbeing.
It’s hoped the workshop will create new partnerships to develop accessible and successful apps for the future. CFIT’s Joshue O’Connor said: "Smartphones have the capability to break down many barriers for people with sight loss, with text-to-speech and magnification functions installed as standard, so it’s vital that we harness the talent and entrepreneurship of Irish developers."
Fiona Donnellan
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