Have you ever noticed someone swiping or typing on their phone with the device held close to their ear? Or maybe you’ve sat next to someone whose phone screen is completely dark, yet they’re using it anyway. If so, you might have heard a fast-talking, robotic voice coming from their phone. Chances are, these individuals are blind. And perhaps you’ve found yourself curious, wondering what exactly they’re doing or what that robotic voice is all about. That robotic voice is called a screen reader.
Screen readers are available for both mobile phones and computers, and they work as text-to-speech applications. They convert content like text, buttons, and links into audio output—essentially, they make computers and smartphones talk.
Thanks to screen readers, people with visual impairments like me can do what sighted individuals can on phones and computers. We can send emails, browse the web, use social media, and explore different applications. This enables us to study, work, and fully participate in the digital world and society. We can shop online, manage banking tasks, and much more—provided that digital accessibility principles are applied. But that’s a topic for future blogs.
There are several types of screen readers, but some of the most popular include Job Access With Speech (JAWS) and Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) for desktop computers, as well as VoiceOver for iPhones and TalkBack for Android phones.
Mobile Demo:
In conclusion, these tools are more than just assistive devices for the blind—they are our digital eyes, allowing us to be productive members of society.