Funkcjonalność aplikacji mobilnych w tyfloświecie

The primary aim of this article is to present the potential and functions of mobile applications dedicated to the blind and visually impaired. There is no doubt that despite their enormous intellectual abilities, people with visual impairments have limited perspectives in the reception of visual culture. Dedicated smartphone applications give them a chance for greater independence in everyday activities. The paper starts with a short introduction about the place of mobile devices and applications in contemporary culture. Next, it moves on to discussing the main concepts of the works by Marshall McLuhan and Derrick de Kerckhove, highlighting the importance of tactile aspects and the eye-ear axis (critical for interfaces adopted in mobile technologies). The next section focuses on the functions of accessibility and usability of these tools in terms of their implementation. The most important design principles are presented and analysed (including the use of the compact and simple information architecture, clear visual elements, intuitive programmes, and the dark mode). The final section presents examples of mobile applications based on algorithms that recognise and describe selected aspects of reality, allow users to make sound and visual recordings, and use geolocation to create ‘auditory fields of view’.