Tech News

An Xbox controller with a built-in Braille display is Microsoft’s latest gaming accessibility play – TechCrunch

Published

4 years ago

May 7, 2019

Microsoft has been leaning into accessibility in gaming lately, most visibly with its amazing Adaptive Controller, and a new patent suggests another way the company may be accommodating disabled gamers: an Xbox controller with a built-in Braille display.

As you might expect, it’s already quite hard for a visually impaired gamer to play some games, and although that difficulty can’t be entirely alleviated, there are definitely things worth doing. For instance: the text on screen that sighted people take for granted, documenting player status, items, onscreen dialog or directions — how could these be read by a low-vision gamer who might be able to otherwise navigate the game world?

In many circumstances a screen reader is what a visually impaired person would use to interact with this kind of data, but often that text is relayed to them in audio form, which is far less appealing an option when you’re in-game. Who wants to have a computer voice reading off your armor levels and inventory burden while you’re trying to take in the ambient environment?

There are already some Braille display accessories for this kind of thing, but there’s nothing like having support direct from your console’s designer, and that’s what Microsoft has demonstrated with its patent for a Braille-enabled controller.

The patent was filed last year and just recently became public, and was soon spotted by German tech site Let’s Go Digital; there have been no official announcements, though the timing is favorable for an E3 reveal. That said, patents don’t necessarily represent real products in development, though in this case I think it’s worth highlighting regardless.

The Braille Controller, as it’s referred to in the patent, is very much like an ordinary Xbox One gamepad, except on the back there appears to be a sort of robotic insect sticking out of it. This is the Braille display, consisting of both a dot matrix that mechanically reproduces the bumps which players can run their fingers over, and a set of swappable paddles allowing for both input and output.

The six paddles correspond to the six dot positions on a Braille-coded character, and a user may use them to chord or input text that way, or to receive text communications without moving their fingers off the paddles. Of course the mechanisms also could be used to send haptic feedback of other types, like directional indicators or environmental effects like screen shake. I wouldn’t mind having something like this on my controller, in fact.

Naturally this means games will need (and increasingly are including) a metadata layer for this kind of conversion of visual cue to auditory one, and vice versa, among many other considerations for gamers with disabilities. It’s on everyone’s minds, but Microsoft and Xbox seem to be taking more concrete steps than the rest, so kudos to them for that. Hopefully their leadership in this space will help convince other developers and manufacturers to join up.

We’ll be sure to ask the Xbox team about their plans for this controller design and other accessibility improvements when we talk with them at E3 in June.

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Tech News

10 Of The Most Incredible Cars In Lionel Messi's Collection

Published

14 mins ago

September 23, 2023

Francisco Peguero

Lionel Messi is known for decades of on-pitch excellence, and his success has allowed him to build a very enviable car collection.

Tech News

10 Unexpected Uses For Your Smart Speakers

Published

1 hour ago

September 23, 2023

Francisco Peguero

Just as you can use your smart speaker to help train your brain, you can use your smart speaker to train your body. Your smart speaker can help you to curate workout routines through the use of any number of apps available through Amazon’s Alexa or without any extra skills on Google Home. Unfortunately, it isn’t currently possible for Apple HomePod users to take advantage of a potential Apple subscription in this context, as Apple Fitness+ doesn’t currently support use with the HomePod.

However, on Google Home and Alexa, through voice-activated commands, your smart speaker can guide you through exercises with precision. It can provide step-by-step instructions for various workouts, ensuring proper form and technique to maximize effectiveness while reducing the risk of injury.

Going further, your smart speaker can help you keep up with how you’re doing with your goals throughout the day if you own a Fitbit. By connecting Alexa and your Fitbit, you can ask your smart speaker a plethora of questions, including how far you’ve walked in a day, how many calories you’ve burned, or what your resting heart rate is.

Achieving fitness goals isn’t just about exercise; it also involves proper nutrition. Tying back to using your smart speaker as an infinite cookbook, your smart speaker can provide dietary advice, suggest healthy recipes, and even create meal plans that align with your fitness objectives.

By connecting all of these separate pieces, your smart speaker can quickly become a hand-in-hand companion for helping you to stay on top of your fitness goals. Whether it be through reminders for workouts and meals or just staying up to date on your progress toward your goals on any given day, your smart speaker can have your back for all of your fitness needs.

Tech News

The Most Luxurious Features Of Mazda’s Most Expensive Vehicle

Published

2 hours ago

September 23, 2023

Francisco Peguero

The base Mazda CX-90 is less potent with its 280-horsepower 3.3-liter inline six. Still, it has many standard kits like smartphone connectivity, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, 19-inch wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights, and many more. Meanwhile, the CX-90 PHEV has 323 horsepower from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, plug-in hybrid electric motor, and 17.8 kWh battery while having more tech goodies like a digital instrument cluster.

But to compete with the BMW X5, Kia Telluride, or Mercedes-Benz GLS, the Mazda CX-90 needs more than fancy climate controls and oversized alloys. The top-of-the-line CX-90 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus trim has 21-inch wheels, second-row captain’s chairs with a center console, genuine Nappa leather upholstery (in tan or white), a two-tone leather steering wheel, maple wood trim, front & rear foot lighting, and a suede-like dashboard with Kakenui-inspired hanging stitches that feel soft and supple to the touch. Moreover, it has ventilated front and second-row seats with an additional heating feature for the second-row chairs.

Mazda

Meanwhile, it has a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, body-color wheel arch moldings, and adaptive front LED headlights. The advanced driving assistance tech list includes adaptive cruise control, frontal collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, a rear seat reminder, driver attention monitoring, front cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree surround-view monitor.

Mazda

The good news is the Mazda CX-90 starts at around $41,000 with destination, but you’ll need to fork over about $61,500 for the top-of-the-line 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus. It’s a lot of money for a Mazda crossover, but it makes up for it with nifty handling, a roomy interior, plenty of available luxury features, and head-turning style.