Skip to main content

A phone to me is what eyes are to you

Jesse has been blind from birth. He studied information and communication technology and now works as a digital accessibility advisor at Royal Visio, the Dutch expertise centre for visually impaired and blind people. Jesse’s hobbies include music, sports and dragon boating. "How many hours a day I use my phone? Well, how many hours do you use your eyes?"

Photo JessePhoto Jesse

What accessibility features have you set up on your phone?

I have set up most of the accessibility features because they are necessary for me as a blind person. I've made a few adjustments, because I think they work better.

I have VoiceOver activated on my iPhone. I've made some adjustments within VoiceOver: the speaking speed is very high (95), and unnecessary information is turned off. I have limited the extra information that is not needed to use the content.

In addition, I use a Braille display that I linked through VoiceOver so that I can use apps with speech and braille. Everything on screen and spoken is also pushed to the Braille display. So I can feel with my fingers what is being said.

Within VoiceOver I also have Screen Curtain activated. This puts my screen on black, so people can't watch along. It also saves the battery. To make the screen even darker by default, I have Dark Mode always on.

Furthermore, the font size is as small as possible. Since I can't see it, it doesn't matter, but it’s handy for VoiveOver to have a lot of text on the screen at once.

Finally, the automatic rotation of my phone is turned off.

More interviews with end users

Photo JessePhoto Jesse

How many hours a day I use my phone? How many hours do you use your eyes?

Jesse

Read the interview with Jesse
Photo DaricePhoto Darice

I’m not disabled, the world disables me.

Darice

Read the interview with Darice
Jeroen - AssetJeroen - Asset

My iPhone is my third eye.

Jeroen

Read the interview with Jeroen
ColindaColinda

I try to reduce overstimulation on my mobile phone.

Colinda

Read the interview with Colinda
Photo OnnoPhoto Onno

Accessibility features could also be aesthetically pleasing.

Onno

Read the interview with Onno
Picture of EdithPicture of Edith

Resizing texts is a necessity for me.

Edith

Read the interview with Edith