This directory contains source code for various eyes-free applications for the Android platform — see For The Blind, Technology Does What A Guide Dog Can’t, NYTimes, January 4, 2009. It will also contain supporting code and libraries for services such as Text-To-Speech (TTS).
For demos of various Eyes-Free projects, please visit our YouTube Channel.
Or better yet, go to Android Market on your G1 and try these apps out for yourself.
- Download and setup the Android SDK.
- Checkout the source code for the Eyes-Free project.
- If you are building with Eclipse:
- File > Import > General > Existing Projects into Workspace.
- With “Select root directory:” selected, browse to the root of your SVN directory.
- Select the Eyes-Free projects you wish to import into your Workspace.
- Click Finish.
- For each of the projects, right click, Properties > Java Build Path > Libraries and then fix any broken paths by pointing them at the “commonlibs” directory.
If you are building with Ant:
- Go to the “tools” subdirectory of the Android SDK.
- For each project you wish to build, run this command: :android update project –path /path/to/fooproject –target 1
If you are building with Eclipse: These projects are built like any other Android project. Hit the run button, choose “Android Application” in the “Run As” screen, and you’re done.
If you are building with Ant: Each of these eyes-free applications can be built with a simple command-line of the form:
:ant <build type>
where <build type> is “debug”, “release”, “install”, “reinstall”, or “uninstall” without quotes.
The most common types are “reinstall” (build with debug key and automatically install on your device/emulator, overwriting any older version that may exist) and “release” (build an unsigned apk which you can sign with your own key and put on Market).
Thus, to build the Talking Dialer and automatically install it,
cd talkingdialer ant reinstall
Each application is found in its own sub-directory.
| Name | Description | Directory |
|---|---|---|
| mem | The Android Memory Game | androidsays |
| Brailler | Demo of using the touchscreen for Braille input | brailler |
| Common Library | Jars used by all applications | commonlibs |
| Compass | Talking Compass | compass |
| Eyes-Free Config | Configuration manager for the Eyes-Free suite of applications | config |
| Documentation | The documentation directory - contains example apps | documentation |
| Native Code | The native code for the text-to-speech service | native |
| Randroid | Random xkcd comic viewer that can read the comic aloud | randroid |
| Remind Me | Talking alarm that uses stroke dialer input to set the time and the user’s own voice note for the alarm | remindme |
| Eyes-Free Shell | Alternative eyes-free homescreen | shell |
| Slide Text | Demo of using stroke dialer for text entry | slidetext |
| Talking Dialer | Talking dialer app that uses stroke dialing for eyes-free use | talkingdialer |
| There | Location marking/way finding app | there |
| Third Party | Third Party Code and Data | thirdparty |
| Text-To-Speech Service | The text-to-speech service that generates synthesized speech | tts |
| Utility Classes | Useful Java utility classes that can be reused by multiple projects | utils |
| WhereAbout | Local information app | whereabout |