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As a wannabe photographer, this little item on Google caught my attention. Samsung has just won an award for designing a visually impaired friendly camera. I’m not sure if the camera is available in the United States yet.
The features mentioned in the article frankly would be of little use to me, but I was excited that a company would have the forethought to design a camera that was visually impaired friendly. There is certainly a market with the population aging etc.
Keeping in mind that I haven’t seen this camera in person, if I were going to design the perfect camera for me here are some things I would build into the product. (And if there’s anyone reading this from Samsung, I’d be more than happy to road test a camera for the visually impaired. I know several other visually impaired people interested in photography!)
The thing I like about my current camera (a canon) is that I can review photos in the viewfinder instead of the digital display on the back. I can hardly see that thing at all. I can even enlarge the photos to check that I’m taking things in focus.
An auto focus function is a must.
One of the problems I have with my camera is that it has a number of settings and I can’t always tell which setting it’s on. It would be nice to have some form of audio feedback to get that information.
Also there are frequently little visual cues in the viewfinder that help you frame a shot, or tell which part of the image the camera is using to set the focus. These are hard for me to see. It would be cool if they could be made bolder, and then switched off easily so I could see the image without the distraction too.
Just a few thoughts!
Samsung Captures Three Design Awards, Extends Design Leadership By -->Corporate/Events Just AnnouncedFri 01 Aug 2008 digg this slashdot this Seoul, Korea -- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announces that it has been honored with three awards in the prestigious 2008 International Design Excellence (IDEA) competition. The awards, which include a coveted gold award and two silver, were announced today by /BusinessWeek /magazine and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), raising Samsung’s five-year total in the competition to an unmatched 15 awards.Leading Samsung’s charge was the Touch Sight, a revolutionary digital camera designed for visually impaired people. The Touch Sight, designed by Samsung Design China, was honored with a gold award in the Communications Tools Concept category, one of just 35 gold awards from over 1,500 entries. Judges lauded the Touch Sight for its unique features and attention to detail. Product highlights include a feature that records sound for three seconds after pressing the shutter button, allowing the individual to use the sound a reference when reviewing and managing the photos. Touch Sight also possesses a lightweight, flexible Braille display sheet which displays a 3D image by embossing the surface, allowing the user to touch their photo.“The concept was immediately compelling by raising the potential of greater communication between the visually impaired and family and friends, said Thomas Garvey, associate professor at the Carleton University (Canada) School of Design and one of 20 world-renowned design experts comprising the IDEA jury. “The number of well considered details, the visual approach and the very comprehensive presentation materials lifted this concept easily into the top category.”Samsung won a silver award in the Computer Equipment category for its cutting-edge Black Printer Series (ML-1630 & SCX-4500), a personal mono laser printer that challenges traditional printer design with a simple, compact rectangular frame enhanced by high-gloss translucent materials. The Black Printer also avoids typical problems with cartridge replacement and paper jams with an upper side that can be opened in its entirety.The Samsung Instant Video Camera rounded out the company’s honors with a silver award in the Entertainment category. The Instant Video Camera targets the ever-increasing audience segment that enjoys producing personal videos, allowing users to edit and view filmed clips on the spot and produce an immediate result in the spirit of the classic Polaroid Instamatic.The IDEA competition is a celebration of the most innovative and exciting product designs and design concepts and focuses on sustainability, attention to detail and price point. Since 2004, Samsung has won 15 IDEA awards, the highest total among its industry peers and a testament to the company’s commitment to excellent design.“Design is the heart of Samsung’s product development and it is something that brings experiential values to everyone for future life,” said Mr. Kook-Hyun Jung, Executive Vice President of Strategic Design Team at Corporate Design Center of Samsung Electronics. “We are proud to have been recognized so consistently through the years by the IDSA and will use these latest awards as encouragement for continued excellence.”
Read the complete post at http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LivingOnTheFrontlines/~3/369412431/camera-designed-for-visually-impaired.html
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