Samsung launches solutions for deaf-blind, visually impaired

South Korean tech giant Samsung on Monday introduced two new solutions -- Good Vibes and Relumino - that will provide the deaf-blind a strong communication tool and enable people with low vision to see better.

Developed in India, Good Vibes enables people who cannot see and talk to have a two-way communication with their caregivers and loved ones using their smartphones.

“We are happy we were able to develop technologies such as Good Vibes and Relumino that will help improve quality of life of the deafblind and people with low vision, allowing them to become more aware of the world around them and better integrated with society,” said Peter Rhee, Corporate Vice President, Samsung India.

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 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 deafblind can interpret.

Good Vibes app can be downloaded from Samsung Galaxy Store and will be made available on Google Play Store for all other Android smartphone users soon, Samsung said, adding that it has partnered with the not-for-profit organisation Sense India to take the Good Vibes app to the deaf-blind across the country.

Relumino is a visual aid application for people with low vision. It enables them to see images clearer by magnifying and minimising images, highlighting the image outline, adjusting colour contrast and brightness, and reversing colour.

For Relumino, Samsung has partnered with the National Association for the Blind (NAB) Delhi. It will provide Samsung Gear VR and Galaxy Note9 smartphones to NAB Delhi, and will also provide training on how to use them.

NAB will use the solution in classrooms where students with low vision using these devices will be able to see better, helping them improve their learning abilities, Samsung said.