App developmentIdeas

February 6, 2023

Building App for Blind People: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Accessible and User-Friendly Navigation App

Stan Sakharchuk

Co-Founder & CEO

February 6, 2023

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Do you want to become a reason for a better life for blind people? Then you may consider building an app for the blind; we bet! Before further exploring the topic, let’s first explore the market and statistics to help you learn the space. There are more than 284 million people who are visually impaired all across the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that 2.2 billion people worldwide have vision impairment. Another study found that more than 1 billion people can be treated.

It is crucial to know that technology has made it possible for visually challenged people to explore that digital world. Advanced technology not only makes the life of blond people better but can also be used to see the colorful world. Since there are so many apps and services arriving on the market, it is the time when we need to make impossible things accessible for blind people and offer them independence with tech advancements.

Building an app for blind people isn’t an easy task. Several entrepreneurs have already built applications for blind, impaired people. They are now used by users all across the world and as a part of some medical programs. If you are considering building a vision impaired app, you must read the entire blog thoroughly. Let’s get to the point now!

4 Apps for Visually Impaired People for Inspiration

1. NavCog

Developed by IBM Research scientist, NavCog is a new application allowing blind people to easily navigate the world using turn-by-turn guidance similar to GPS. 

2. EyeNote

Developed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, EyeNote is an app allowing users to scan U.S. money to determine the denomination. This app is an excellent choice for blind people when they make transactions or purchases. The app can communicate and show the value of the money through tone, vibration, or spoken word.

3. Big Browser

Navigating the Browser can be especially hard when you have low vision. Big Browser is an app specially designed to help people with eye issues to adjust color themes and zoom in on content so they can read easier. The app also offers a larger keyboard and controls that are easier to use and see.

4. RAY App

The RAY App has been designed to replace the traditional click interaction of Android devices with touch and directional swipe gestures, making eye-free navigation much easier. From online adieu books, voice-operated messaging, and color identification, this application makes Android devices friendly for visually impaired people.

7 App Ideas for Visually Impaired People

Voice-Controlled Navigation App (GPS navigation app with audio directions)

Voice Controlled Navigation Apps is a voice-activated GPS Navigation software that offers turn-by-turn driving directions. GPS Directions is one of the most effective, innovative, and user-friendly apps for area measurement. It provides up-to-date directions for any destination in the world for visually impaired people.

Audio Book Reader App

Although audiobooks have become popular not only among visually impaired people, their main purpose is to help blind people read books without using their eyes. As the name implies, this app should offer audio reading and be easily navigated for people with low vision.

Voice-Controlled Camera App

Voice-activated and controlled camera apps allow visually impaired people to take photos easily. As you can guess, users download the app that is connected to the camera, which can be opened using code words that users set. The app makes photos once users tell the camera to do so, so no vision isn’t required.

Color Identifier App

According to the report, there are over 300 million people in the world having color vision deficiency. The same source says that 1 in 12 men are color blind (8%),and 1 in 200 women are color blind (0.5%). That is why building an app to help those people identify the color will be an excellent idea. It can contain various features and be powered by AI so colorblind people can quickly find the needed color when shopping, dressing up, or just wondering what color they see at any given moment.

Voice-Controlled Note-Taking App

Note-taking apps have become increasingly popular over the last few years. They are used by marketers, product managers, and all sorts of creators. However, do these apps offer voice-controlled note-taking? No. So if you are trying to find your small yet profitable niche while also helping blind people take notes without using their eyes – this app type can be just for you.

Audio Game App

The gaming industry is suggested to reach US$221.40bn in 2023. The same domain is projected to gain 2,776.9m users by 2027. Gaming space is one of the most popular and profitable industries today. However, what about those who can’t see? Audio game apps are a great solution. It is a game where audio provides all of the actions and feedback to the user. Text is spoken, and the playing space is made based on sound. Although it may seem limited, users can enjoy a great deal of information using solely sound.

Accessible Social Media App (Dating app)

Although there are many social media apps, only a few of them are accessible to visually impaired people. There are some features and regimens that a dating app for blind people should contain. For example, your images have a strong color contrast, especially when the image contains the text.

6 Design Tips for Visually Impaired Apps

1. Colour Code & Textures

It is crucial to know that blind people face difficulty understanding the appeal of color coding a message as they won’t notice changes in screen color. That is why you should not rely on color to communicate a message to the end user if you are going to build an app for visually impaired people. Therefore, you can use texture to distinguish one piece from another instead of using color since it will offer blind people more ease and a better experience. 

2. Text Size

If you want to develop successful software for visually impaired users, it is vital to offer text size with the “zoom” feature. This will allow visually impaired people easier to read the text. Although constant zooming in the app wastes the app session time and reduces overall app performance time, this feature has to be reviewed in the case of people with low vision. It is also vital to remember that you will need to build an app with bigger text initially and offer users with the poor vision to change the text’s font size in the app based on their taste and comfort.

3. Screen Reading Tools

There are some built-in screen reading programs known as VoiceOver and ORCA that are designed for Android and iPhones. They allow blind people to hear what is on the screen they cannot see and improve product interaction. If you want to create an app for the blind, in that case, you must know screen reading tools are a must in your application. Make sure to hire the best react native app development company that can offer you an app that utilizes these tools to execute basic functions.

4. Add Alt-Text for Images

Another vital feature you must ensure your app has is alt text for images. Images are crucial for this kind of app since they make text material more readable. Instead of trying to understand what the picture looks like, a visually impaired user will be able to use a voice search tool to hear the word “Image.” Therefore, your app development team should always add this in-app and offer photos to visuals. 

5. Dark Mode

When it comes to building apps for people with physical disabilities, it is important to offer a dark mode in your app. The dark mode is a popular option for many apps today but is essential for those having poor vision. If your app is text-based, laying it out in lighter tones on a dark background instead of the other way around will make it easier for the visually impaired audience to read. 

6. Illustrative Language

It is vital to note that adding illustrative Language into your app for visually impaired people is essential. Adding built-in screen readers can greatly help people with poor or no vision get all the information with ease and convenience. It is crucial to know that your application should consist of transparent text explaining what you want users to do through the app. 

Development Process 

1. Competitor and Market Research

The first step in every development process is market research. Whether you already have a healthcare business or just want to make the lives of blind people easier, you don’t know the industry the way you should kick off the process. So make sure you collect all vital data to gain a good understanding of what the product is going to be.

2. Design And Features

This stage is responsible for creating a list of features your app needs and starting to design wireframes. You can learn what features you need based on market research and competitors. But always make sure the design contains the must-have features we mentioned above.

3. App Development 

Once you have the design and concept of the product, you are ready to create your in-house team or hire a company offering healthcare app development services. Hiring the team will help you ensure the product will be compliant with industry requirements, and you won’t waste time and money on things that don’t work. You can also use team augmentation services to manage the project by yourself, yet get the entire team within 10 business days.

4. Launch And Maintenance

The last step in building your apps for visually impaired people is launch. However, launching isn’t the last thing you need to do. Ensure you always update your app once you get reviews and user feedback, and don’t forget about maintenance.

Why Design an App for Visually Impaired Users?

Statistics show that more than 285 million people are visually impaired worldwide. As we age and live longer, the number of people having low or no vision will only increase. In addition, constant use of technology makes our eyes weaker and leads to vision-related issues. While this is an urgent problem, only a small number of apps are available for people with low vision.

How Can Interexy Help?

As a leading Healthcare development company, we offer a vast range of mobile app development services. Having teams experienced in mHealth, Telemedicine solutions, and apps for visually impaired people, we can provide ready-made solutions to your business problems. You can delegate the entire development project, hire specialists for specific tasks or even get the entire healthcare development team. 

Closing Line

There are so many visually impaired people today that require apps specially designed for them. Although it is a complex process that requires knowledge and skills in the medical domain, it can also be a highly profitable niche. Book a call with our experts if you have any questions regarding the development process.