It's true that if a device uses a touchscreen containing a few static virtual buttons, the positions and functions of these buttons can be marked or even learned. However, the problem arises when there are more virtual buttons than can be effectively learned or marked or when the position or function of virtual buttons changes in a way that cannot be perceived except visually.
There's also a general problem that using virtual inputs and outputs lends itself to a different user interface design which is inherently more complex and more difficult to make accessible.
Take ATMs for example. You can identify 3 stages of development. I'm old enough to have used one of the first ever ATMs which was installed outside Barclays Bank in Shepherds Bush. These early machines consisted of a rolling set of printed instructions that was visible through a little window. They had a numerical keypad and two buttons, one for yes and one for no. You were asked for you PIN which you entered on the keypad and then were asked a series of Yes/No questions. It was fully accessible because the sequence of questions was fixed, being printed on the roll; the buttons always meant the same thing; and you knew when the next question came up because you could hear the roll wind on. Likewise, there were other loud clicks and whirs to indicate money or receipts being produced and your card being ejected.
Stage 2 was when the buttons became virtual in their function, whilst remaining physical. There are still plenty of these machines around. They have a set of physical buttons to the left and right of a large visual display screen, but it is the graphics on the screen that indicate the function of each button. For example, in one step it asks how much money you want and shows a number of Euros next to each button, so the bottom left button means 100 Euro and the bottom right button means 200 Euro. Then in the next step it asks you whether you want a receipt, so the bottom left becomes yes and the bottom right becomes No. In that way the size and position of the buttons remain the same but their meaning keeps changing. The number and sequence of steps may also change. This can cause problems, although some blind people do manage to effectively learn the sequences of button presses. It depends on the complexity of the process.
Stage 3 was when the entire ATM interface became virtual using a touchscreen. This not only presents the problem of knowing the position and size of the buttons, not to mention getting feedback as to whether a button has been pressed, but it also gives the designer a much greater scope for doing highly visual things that are much more difficult to make accessible.
Now I don't know what kind of interface your gym machines have, but I can imagine that some might be at or evolving into a stage 2 or 3 type of design, in which case Tim has a very valid point.
Mark On 13 Jul 2007, at 14:14, Mike Meaney wrote:
Tim,I have one of these machines here in the room I'm in now writing this, and have no trouble with it. I put a marker on start and stop faster and slower and one on a comfortable speed for an ould fella like me. I'm afraid ranting isn't going to solve the problem. Did you ask the boss to put some markers on? Most of these people are more than helpful. wait till we have the computer with no keyboard and the whole alphabet on a touch screen in front of you, we'll be glad then for Braille. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Culhane" <tim.culhane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:36 AM Subject: [vicsireland] What so wrong with buttons? Hi Ed,I really believe the only reason touch sensitive controls are so prevalentnow is because "they look nice". You can just as easily stick gum on a touch sensitive control. Tim ------------------------- Tim Culhane, Critical Path Ireland, 42-47 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2. Direct line: 353-1-2415107 phone: 353-1-2415000 Tim.culhane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.criticalpath.net Critical Path a global leader in digital communications ------------------------
Dr. Mark Magennis Director of the Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT) National Council for the Blind of Ireland Whitworth Road, Dublin 9, Republic of Ireland www.cfit.ie mark.magennis@xxxxxxx tel: +353 (0)71 914 7464 ********************************************************************NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments from your system.
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