Finger Code | Fingertip Barcode Scanner
Two of my good friends are a married couple that are blind and through them I have learned a lot on what people with blindness are capable of doing. Really you’d be surprised how independent they are. As an example she is a great cook and he’s great with computers. They wish to stay very independent and technology has helped them do this in many ways. Barcode scanning is a technology that has the potential to help them by being able to identify products. French designer Arman Martirosyan has applied this to his Finger Code design concept. A fingertip barcode scanner that sends audio information to an earpiece.
Finger Code consists of three parts. First is a barcode scanner that fits on the fingertip kind of like a thimble. Next is the earbud earpiece that communicates with the barcode scanner via Bluetooth. Last is a plug that hold the barcode scanner and earpiece together for storage. My friends liked the fingertip concept because it’s small and unintrusive. I imagine that product information is transmitted to Finger Code by WiFi or phone signals.
From time to time I will go to the grocery store with my friend and he has the layout of the store memorized. The only time he needs assistance is when selecting the specific object when in the aisle. Such as selecting a certain brand of cereal in the breakfast aisle. With Finger Code, he could do this independently if he has memorized the general layout of the aisle. Finger Code can also be very beneficial in department stores or specialty stores because product information can also be communicated. Making for a more informed shopper. The wife half of my friends also made the point of how Finger Code would be helpful in the house such as when identifying cans of food.
Many concept designs created for people who are blind or visually impaired are done so without input from someone who is blind or visually impaired. Which can lead to a design that is flawed and sometimes useless. I don’t know if Finger Code had any outside input but this is one of the better design concepts out there. To see more of Arman Matirosyan’s portfolio and resume, visit this website Arman Matirosyan portfolio.
