earPod creation could add auditory menus to iPod, DAPs

Rumblings about the layout and design of Apple's iPod scroll wheel in particular have been making the rounds for what seems like ages, but a new development from the Microsoft Research labs could nix the need to pull your DAP out and nearly collide with foreign objects whilst scrolling to a new tune. Aside from the glaring curiousness that stems from a Microsoft-derived project being dubbed earPod, the team has purportedly been working with scientists at the University of Toronto "on software that could make it possible to navigate the menus of gadgets that use circular touch pads with only audio cues." Essentially, touching the scroll wheel would provide audio clips to help you find your way through menus without ever seeing the screen, which would certainly prove useful on screenless DAPs. Currently, the system is quite limited in regard to the number of cues available, but here's to hoping that text-to-speech capabilities can become integrated as well so we can cycle through the thousands of artists and songs without even needing a display. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via TechnologyReview]

[PRODIGY @ May 9th 2007 3:38PM]

I participated as a research subject for this in Toronto... It works really well!

[R @ May 9th 2007 3:44PM]

What, no brass instruments? Bastards!

[PRODIGY @ May 9th 2007 3:49PM]

Hahha!!! I'm a trumpet player! I feel for you!!!

[Carlton Bale @ May 9th 2007 6:52PM]

Why don't they just install the RockBox firmware on an iPod? It already supports voice feedback prompts and is free and open source.

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/VoiceFiles

[chezzo @ May 9th 2007 5:19PM]

Sweet!


(I'm a cellist) :D

[AliasK @ May 9th 2007 7:31PM]

I've been using Rockbox for over two years now, and it's restored my screenless iPod mini from the dead. Simply by using the voice features mentioned by Carlton I can navigate the entire menu structure, choose what I want to listen to, and listen to it.
I am curious however, to see how this method works. What's the deal with the list of instruments? Are you supposed to remember that "artists" is a cello? Or is your music identified by the main instrument in the song? (and if so, how does it go about recognising this? Tags?)
Doesn't seem like a very good solution as far as I can see, but please, someone bring some more light to the situation.

[Dave95 @ May 9th 2007 5:35PM]

I called for this years ago, but Apple is going away from the iPod scroll wheel to touch. (rumored)

[Chris @ May 9th 2007 7:23PM]

Yeh I was gonna say about rockbox too... they've had voice menus for ages.. :/