Google Acquires Impressive Touchscreen Keyboard Startup BlindType(techcrunch.com)
techcrunch.com
Google Acquires Impressive Touchscreen Keyboard Startup BlindType
http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/01/google-acquires-impressive-touchscreen-keyboard-startup-blindtype/
8 comments
It seems that the way blind type works is to keep track of the spatial difference between key presses and then compare the typed words to dictionaries to determine a valid word.
There are a couple of problems with this:
First it assumes that you are already used to the keyboard. Thus, even if the letters you are typing are not correct, the spatial offsets between the letters you are typing are roughly similar to the offsets of the correct letters. So basically, it will work when you know the keyboard and know roughly where each letter is in comparison to other letters, you just keep missing the letters. I don't think it will help most people because most people are still not very familiar with mobile phone keyboards.
Secondly, I am pretty sure this is based on dictionary matching (it has to be). That is always a problem because a lot of people that use mobile devices just cannot spell, do not spell or insist on using slang or inventing their own words and their own spellings.
There have been many dictionary based schemes to help people text message and most of them have failed.
There are a couple of problems with this:
First it assumes that you are already used to the keyboard. Thus, even if the letters you are typing are not correct, the spatial offsets between the letters you are typing are roughly similar to the offsets of the correct letters. So basically, it will work when you know the keyboard and know roughly where each letter is in comparison to other letters, you just keep missing the letters. I don't think it will help most people because most people are still not very familiar with mobile phone keyboards.
Secondly, I am pretty sure this is based on dictionary matching (it has to be). That is always a problem because a lot of people that use mobile devices just cannot spell, do not spell or insist on using slang or inventing their own words and their own spellings.
There have been many dictionary based schemes to help people text message and most of them have failed.
The dictionary model is most likely used for calibration, e.g. to get 3 points necessary for the correct orientation of the keyboard. This will likely be adjusted for drift as you type, but if a user presses a r instead of a n I very much doubt the entire KB will be shifted. It will probably just work like a normal keyboard, with spelling correction/suggestion, but one that gets shifted as you type.
The ultimate goal is to construe any arbitrary sequence of taps as a coherent message, grammatical and correctly spelled, and thus with no possible hint of error for the recipient.
Ideally, it would also use information about the recipient, including relation, past interactions, interests, social network etc to construe a believable meaning.
Ideally, it would also use information about the recipient, including relation, past interactions, interests, social network etc to construe a believable meaning.
While this seems neat for helping with autocorrection, I'm really skeptical any user would ever use it on purpose. I type a lot and I doubt I'd be able or would even try to do it blindly above the keyboard. If I saw I had missed one key I'd probably reflexively hit backspace, and even if I didn't I'd try to type the rest of the word properly, rather than all shifted the same way, which would make this not at all better than the autocorrect that currently comes with modern smartphones.
I downloaded a swype keyboard application for my android phone that does a similar thing."To Swype, use one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard. Keep your finger pressed to the surface of your device. Use a drawing motion to trace entire words".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ-RAefCG_c&feature=playe...
Interesting concept. Has anyone actually tried BlindType?
I would have liked to see what happens with shorter word where it's harder to establish spatial context. I.e. 'I', 'am' etc.
Still, nice to know you can have an ugly website and still get acquired.