Finger tracking: facilitating non-commercial content production for mobile e-reading applications

Limited literacy and visual impairment reduce the ability of many to read on their own. Current e-reader solutions rely on either unnatural synthetic voices or professionally produced audio e-books. Neither provide the same enjoyment as having a family member read to a user, especially when the user requires assistive reading (following printed text while listening to it being read). Unfortunately, the support for non-commercial production of such e-books is limited and requires significant effort. We evaluate a novel, assistive mobile interaction technique that facilitates the recording of audio e-books and their synchronization with the read text. We show that a technique based on a finger tracking metaphor provides optimal support with respect to reading speed. These human-in-the-loop, adaptive techniques can now be used to reduce the content-creation burden that is associated with supporting those who cannot read on their own.