myMMX DB is an easy-to-use communication app aimed to enable people in the DeafBlind community to make and receive phone calls. Calls can be placed directly to another app or via a relay service, who connect DeafBlind individuals to their family and friends, to make a reservation at a restaurant, to their doctors, or anyone else with a phone. It will be available for iOS, e.g. iPhone and iPad, in the US this winter. The app uses a combination of audio, video and Real Time Text (RTT), thus enabling DeafBlind individuals to conduct calls using sign language as well as braille input and output. RTT is a global standard increasingly used by relay services and emergency services (911/112).
– The app allows people in the DeafBlind community to call via relay services, but also to call directly to other people with apps (mobile or desktop) that support RTT. In the first case, in the US, the user calls via a VRS (Video Relay Service) and uses ASL (American Sign Language) to communicate with the interpreter. The interpreter communicates to the hearing person and then writes back to the user who reads the text in high contrast or via a braille display, says Thor Nielsen, VP Global Sales nWise AB
The new myMMX DB app fulfills the requirements to be simple to use, it has a clear and distinct interface and most importantly, it is flexible. It is adaptable to individual accessibility needs, such as sizes, contrasts, text speed and braille displays. The app uses VoiceOver to connect to a braille display but leaves the user in total control of the accessibility focus, even when there is new text coming in. For low vision users the text can be slowed down to allow for a better reading experience, and it connects to smartwatches to alert for incoming calls.
– Our goal with this product is not only to enable braille- and low vision users to conduct phone calls but also to be a usable tool in the process of learning braille. By mirroring the text on the braille display on the screen in high contrast the app allows the user to keep track and confirm the information. This combined with the fact that the user is always in control of the focus are the cornerstones of the application, says Simon Ljungberg, Product Manager at nWise AB.
Summary tech features for the myMMX DB for iOS:
- Compatible with the accessibility tools in iOS
- Incoming text is displayed on Braille without shifting focus
- Optimizable for braille or low vision
- Slow down incoming text function
- Display text in single window
- Adjustable interface colors
- Adjustable fonts, font sizes and colors for incoming and outgoing text individually
- Connects to smart watches to alert the user of incoming calls
The myMMX DB app is now available in the US. It will be released for the European market in April. For more information about the myMMX DB in your country, contact your local relay service or contact us here. If you are in North America, contact our partner Access256 Productions, LLC website for contact information: deafblindvp.me
You can read more about myMMX DB here: https://nwise.se/en/mmx/deafblind-communication-app/