Google announces new accessibility features on Android, including Live Caption on tablets
To aid the blind and low-vision community, Google is also making improvements to Lookout, an application that uses your device's camera to look at an object and then AI to analyze and describe what it is pointed at. Now, this technology will also work to describe digital images, a job that has so far been entrusted to alt text added to an image upon uploading. Unfortunately, not everyone adds alt text to images they upload online.
The feature will be part of the Lookout app and will be called"Image Q&A mode." In addition to identifying the image, Lookout will also be able to answer questions about it. This particular feature is currently in closed beta but Google says it will be available to more people soon. Google Maps is also being updated to make it easier for persons with impairments to identify accessible locations.
Additionally, TalkBack on Chrome on Android recently gained new functionality, allowing users to easily manage and organize their browser tabs via a tab grid, bulk actions, and reordering features. All of these updates put together show Google's commitment to make the digital world more accessible. Even as an able-bodied person, I can see myself using some of these features to my advantage as well and it is very encouraging to know that features such as these will only keep getting better and more advanced in the future.
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