Google has rolled out several updates to its accessibility apps, with the Lookout app receiving a major one. The latest version of the Lookout app now comes with a new ‘Find’ mode, designed to help people with low vision or blindness identify and locate objects in their surroundings. Here’s everything you need to know about Google’s latest accessibility updates.
Enhanced Lookout App
The Lookout app, which could read text and documents aloud and recognise food labels, currency, and objects through the camera, now includes a ‘Find’ mode. Users can select from categories like seating, tables, vehicles, utensils, and bathrooms. The app then guides them by indicating the direction or distance of these objects, making navigation easier.
Moreover, Lookout now features an in-app capture button. Users can instantly take photos and receive AI-generated descriptions, which helps them understand and interact with their environment more effectively.
Look to Speak App
Google has also updated the Look to Speak app. This app allows users to communicate through eye gestures by selecting phrases for the app to speak aloud. The new text-free mode allows users to choose from a photo book containing emojis, symbols, and photos that can be personalised to represent different phrases.
Other Updates
Apart from that, the tech giant has enhanced screen reader capabilities for Lens in Google Maps. The screen reader can now identify nearby places like ATMs and restaurants, providing names, categories, and distances. Besides, the app’s voice assistance has been improved; it now claims to offer more precise audio prompts for navigation.
Google has also made its Accessible Places feature available on Google Maps on desktop. Earlier, it was only available for Android and iOS. This feature shows if a location is wheelchair accessible, including entrances, washrooms, seating, and parking.
According to the company, Google Maps now includes accessibility information for over 50 million places.
The company also announced that it is open-sourcing more code for the Project Gameface hands-free “mouse,” which enables users to control the cursor using their head movements and facial gestures, making technology more accessible for those with motor impairments.
All these announcements were made on the third day of Google I/O 2024, which also happened to be Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 16).
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