Google Upgrades Assistive Apps for Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Google has upgraded its Lookout, LooktoSpeak, Maps, and ProjectRelate Android apps to improve accessibility features in preparation for the 13th Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).

Lookout

Lookout, one of Google's new assistive Android apps, is designed to help blind and visually impaired Android users identify objects in their surroundings and read documents.

Google has now released a new find mode for Lookout, providing a new way to search for specific objects.

The feature is currently being tested and can recognize seven categories of items such as chairs, tables, or bathrooms. Now, when you scan a room with your phone's camera, the Lookout app will tell you how far you are from the selected item and in which direction to move.

Notably, the updated Lookout app can now also directly provide AI-generated descriptions of images.

LooktoSpeak

Google's LooktoSpeak app allows users to choose pre-written and customized phrases using their eyes. Once a phrase is selected, it will be spoken aloud.

In the new update, a text-free mode has been added. Users can also choose personalized emojis, symbols, and photos in their phrases.

ProjectRelateAndroid

This app helps users with language barriers communicate. The updated app allows users to import text from other applications and create custom prompts for speech training.