- Good Vibes app for deaf-blind has been developed in India
- Samsung said that the basic functionality of the app was tested and fine-tuned through their feedback
Samsung has introduced two unique solutions—Good Vibes and Relumino—that will help provide a strong communication tool for the deaf-blind and enable people with low vision to see better. As part of its Citizenship Initiatives, Samsung has also partnered with Sense India, a not-for-profit dedicated to improve the lives of the deaf blind in the country, to take Good Vibes to the deaf blind across the country.
Peter Rhee, corporate VP, Samsung India, “Samsung uses both its innovation and global network to create positive change, responding to people’s needs around the world and helping them to live better lives, with more choice, freedom and greater possibilities. We are happy we were able to develop technologies such as Good Vibes and Relumino that will help improve quality of life of the deaf-blind and people with low vision, allowing them to become more aware of the world around them and better integrated with society.”
Developed in India
Good Vibes, developed in India, enables the deaf-blind to have a two-way communication with their caregivers and loved ones using their smartphones. The Good Vibes app uses Morse code to convert vibrations into text or voice and vice-versa. The app has two different user interfaces (UI). One interface has an invisible UI for the deaf-blind, which uses vibrations, taps and gestures, while the other has a visible UI, a standard chat interface, for the caregiver. With the deaf-blind interface, a deaf-blind person uses a combination of dots and dashes to send their messages. The standard interface allows users to type or use voice to send messages to the deaf-blind. The text or voice is received as vibrations in Morse code that the deaf-blind can interpret.
Relumino, which was developed by Samsung employees as part of the Company’s C-Lab program globally, is a visual aid application for people with low vision. It enables them to see images clearer by magnifying and minimizing images, highlighting the image outline, adjusting colour contrast and brightness, and reversing colour.
Samsung’s official statement read, “Over the last few months of training with the deaf-blind and their caregivers, the basic functionality of the app was tested and fine-tuned through their feedback. The notifications, text sizing, duration and interval of vibrations were improved upon after these workshops.”
“Good Vibes is going to create a platform where our society will be able to communicate with deaf-blind people using smartphones. Samsung is doing exactly what it believes in ‘Do What You Can’t’. We are glad to see Samsung leveraging its technology prowess to build meaningful solutions that help society. At Sense India, we have been working with deaf-blind for their betterment and development through comprehensive training. Good Vibes will help them connect with a larger number of people around them, something they were unable to do so far,” said Parag Namdeo, Head, Advocacy and Networks, Sense India.
