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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Walking and texting has become less dangerous
Source: Agencies |
July 6, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TODD Atwood says he doesn't worry much about accidents when walking down the street using his iPhone. But he's seen what can happen.
"I saw someone walk right into a sign," recalled the 32-year-old resident of California. "She didn't hurt herself but she was startled. ... It was funny but I guess it could've been more serious."
Using a cell phone while driving has prompted laws in several US states and various countries. Now experts say pedestrians are tripping on curbs or walking into traffic as they chat or type.
To help out, tech companies are creating applications that make a smartphone screen transparent and transform speech into text.
Whether the technologies will prevent injuries remains to be seen, but they are being welcomed as a step in the right direction.
"I don't think we're going to eliminate people from walking into things outright, but what we're trying to do is eliminate the friction point... and give the user back a little mental bandwidth," said Travis Bogard, the executive director for product management and strategy at San Francisco-based Aliph, which makes bluetooth earpieces.
Aliph's Jawbone earpiece incorporates voice-to-text technology that eliminates the need to look at the keypad to send an e-mail or text message. It also has a function that allows wearers to call their contacts using their voice.
"All of this gets rid of the need to touch your phone, which causes your eyes to move away from what's in front of you," Bogard said.
Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University, said these programs don't solve the biggest problem.
"It can help a little bit but the fundamental problem is that we're stuck with brains that can't do all that much when we're doing other things," he said.
"I saw someone walk right into a sign," recalled the 32-year-old resident of California. "She didn't hurt herself but she was startled. ... It was funny but I guess it could've been more serious."
Using a cell phone while driving has prompted laws in several US states and various countries. Now experts say pedestrians are tripping on curbs or walking into traffic as they chat or type.
To help out, tech companies are creating applications that make a smartphone screen transparent and transform speech into text.
Whether the technologies will prevent injuries remains to be seen, but they are being welcomed as a step in the right direction.
"I don't think we're going to eliminate people from walking into things outright, but what we're trying to do is eliminate the friction point... and give the user back a little mental bandwidth," said Travis Bogard, the executive director for product management and strategy at San Francisco-based Aliph, which makes bluetooth earpieces.
Aliph's Jawbone earpiece incorporates voice-to-text technology that eliminates the need to look at the keypad to send an e-mail or text message. It also has a function that allows wearers to call their contacts using their voice.
"All of this gets rid of the need to touch your phone, which causes your eyes to move away from what's in front of you," Bogard said.
Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University, said these programs don't solve the biggest problem.
"It can help a little bit but the fundamental problem is that we're stuck with brains that can't do all that much when we're doing other things," he said.
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