Polish Start-Up Company
Fights Digital Exclusion
Of The Disabled
- PostEagle
- September 19, 2019
- Uncategorized
- 0 Comments
ParrotOne – a startup on a mission
Warsaw,More than just a mobile messenger app, ParrotOne is also a smart typing solution. Both elements are intended to make life easier for users with physical disabilities. An AI learns the way users form messages, and gradually offers more accurate text predictions – not just individual words, but actually complete, ready-to-use phrases. Created with the needs of the manually impaired user in mind, the interface consists of big elements, and makes the entire screen available for typing. Building messages using words as bricks is much easier for less agile hands than typing entire phrases letter by letter. With that in mind, ‘the Parrot’ makes typing easier not only for people with disabilities, but also for elderly users who might find it hard to hit the right buttons on the screen, or to use diacritical marks.
(PHOTO: Piotr Lewandowski, seated with Robert Dziublowski, standing.)
‘The issue with popular messenger apps is that they are not equipped to address the limitations that people with disabilities have to face. Weaker muscles and less accurate movements make dedicated solutions indispensable. And that’s exactly what ParrotOne is – says Piotr Lewandowski, the founder. ‘Problems with articulation and breathing make text-to-speech functions irrelevant, as does the question of privacy – it’s something that disabled people are largely deprived of, and hold dear.’
Back in 2015, Piotr Lewandowski decided to reach out to the millions of disabled mobile messenger app users, and began working on an app that would prevent digital exclusion.
‘People with disabilities account for approx. 15% of the world’s population. Given their impairments, they spend a lot of time at home, which largely contributes to their social and digital exclusion. It’s important to keep in mind that the internet is often a tool of the trade for this demographic, and in many cases also their only window to the world. That’s why we decided to work on solutions that specifically benefit users with disabilities. Being able to easily type and communicate with friends is very important to everyone and anyone. I suffer from CMT myself – it’s a neuropathy that makes my muscles weaker – so, I’m able to type with only two fingers, one in each palm. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide face similar challenges.’, Lewandowski says.
The ParrotOne mobile app lets the user choose predictions not only from the usual row of text displayed above the keyboard, but also from a handy sidebar with pre-made phrases to select. With the solutions available so far, users have to tap the screen 10 to 16 times in order to input a short message on a tablet or smartphone. In ParrotOne, you can simply tap any letter to select a pre-made sentence. This method allows to send a message in just 3 to 4 actions. The app assists in typing SMSs or e-mails, as well as in chatting with Facebook friends. Furthermore, the planned B2B and B2G function is going to help consumers communicate with on-line consultants, e.g. on store or city administration websites. All you need to do is click the ParrotOne icon on the website, and the app opens a chat window for you to talk to the consultant in. ‘The Parrot’ makes it easier for disabled users to inquire about store products, discuss shipping details, or set a doctor’s appointment.
The average Polish internet user employs up to unique words in their day-to-day communication. ParrotOne’s purpose-build dictionary is going to offer over 60 000 terms, and no less than 20 000 phrases. Furthermore, the creators do not take online security lightly, therefore all communications via the app are encrypted. ParrotOne does not spy or eavesdrop on its users, and no personal data are required to set up an account.
An additional purpose of the app is to help people with disabilities learn foreign languages, and facilitate their professional activity. With that in mind, all text suggestions displayed on the screen can be flawlessly translated into selected foreign languages in a single click. For example, if the user taps an English phrase suggestion, the app’s internal translation system allows to form a grammatically correct counterpart in Polish. This option naturally works both ways – your interlocutor can activate Polish-to-English translation as well.
ParrotOne has now become available on Android devices, with the iOS version scheduled for launch in 2020.
***
More than just a mobile messenger app, ParrotOne is also a smart typing system. Both elements are intended to make life easier for users with physical disabilities. An AI learns the way users form messages, and gradually offers more accurate text predictions – not just individual words, but actually complete, ready-to-use phrases. Created with the needs of the manually impaired user in mind, the interface consists of big elements, and makes the entire screen available for typing. Building messages using words as bricks is much easier for less agile hands than typing entire phrases letter by letter. With that in mind, ‘the Parrot’ makes typing easier not only for people with disabilities, but also for elderly users who might find it hard to hit the right buttons on the screen, or to use diacritical marks.
Find out more at:
https://www.facebook.com/oneparrot
