My innovation: Utilizing the smartphone app "TapTapSee", blind users are able to receive a voice description of what they've taken a picture of. This can help them identify their surroundings, read things, and also learn. However, the description provided to the user must be non subjective, and totally descriptive. For example, if a blind person has a can of food and wants it identified for them, they take a picture of it and it's uploaded to someone like me, but if they've taken the picture from the wrong angle and only gotten the side of the can, I cannot completely identify the can. Instead of being direct and telling them to turn the can and try again, I must describe the image from the original angle as best I can. So if there's a side image of a blue can, then I must say "Side view of a blue can", however telling the user to rotate the can so I can read the information on the can and relay it to them is prohibited, so this is my rationale for my idea to implement a direct and subjective(if needed) message to the user.
by james bailey
1. "Innovation = Applied creativity that achieves business value".(Weiss & Legrand, 2011). The purpose of this app is to improve the lives of the visually impaired. The root of this, is empathy. Try for a moment, closing your eyes. Then begin to navigate you surrounds as you normally would with your eyes kept closed. Now imagine living the entirety of your life like this, doesn't sound fun right? We understand this plight, and it's why we strive to being help, independence, and information to those who are visually impaired. We hope to be the largest innovation for this population of people thus far.
2. References: Weiss, D., & Legrand, C. (2011). <i>Innovative intelligence the art and practice of leading sustainable innovation in your organization</i>. Mississauga, Ont.: John Wiley & Sons Canada. Fonseca, J. (2002). <i>Complexity and innovation in organizations</i>. London: Routledge. Park, E. (2014, January 25). Blind Durham man gets new 'eyes' with TapTapSee app. Retrieved January 19, 2015, from http://www.wncn.com/story/24548823/blind-durham-man-gets-new-eyes-with-taptapsee-app
3. "A close link is usually made between science and innovation as a source of competitive advantage"(Fonseca, 2002). We are the first app company (image searcher inc.) to develop apps for the visually impaired. As technology has improved, we felt the need to improve upon the lives of others along the way. Our app is free of cost to the user. John Miller, a 34 year old blind man from Durham N.C. has this to say about our app: " It's like I have my own eyes" and "One of the nice things about it is I can take a picture of money so when I go to the cash register, I don't have to worry about possibly being ripped off anymore". (Park 2014) So given this information, I believe that my idea can personalize the app and the information provided even further, to better cater to the people we mean to help.
4. Stakeholders: 1. Vicoria Aagaard - VP of operations for Image Searcher inc. She's essentially my boss that oversee's the smooth running of our smart phone apps. She encourages any ideas that we might have to be sent directly to her and she responds in a timely manner. If I have an idea to improve the company in any capacity, she's the one I would send it to.
5. DISC/VAT I believe one of my strengths lies in the areas of analytical and descriptive information interpretation. The basis of my idea is to provide more thorough and detailed information to the user, so this fits in line with my disc results.
