I’ve been tough on Apple and the lack of accessibility in iOS for people with motor impairments. But today I learned about AssistiveTouch from the Times‘ David Pogue. AssistiveTouch is an on-screen interface that emulates physical gestures on iOS devices. Based on Pogue’s description, it seems that AssistiveTouch can emulate almost any gesture and users can program their own gesture macros. Users must still be able to tap the screen with a finger or stylus, so it may not be the ideal solution for everyone. Still, this is certainly a step in the right direction and Apple deserves kudos for improving iOS accessibility. I now feel a little sheepish for not digging deeper into my phone’s accessibility options.
Of course, I’m now wondering if I can rig up a lightweight headpointer that would allow me to use an iPad.
