AppleVis Extra 117: Blind Developer Showcase: Rocco Fiorentino of FloType
<p>In this episode of the AppleVis Extra, David Nason speaks with Rocco Fiorentino, developer of <strong>FloType</strong>, an upcoming VoiceOver-first keyboard for blind and low-vision users. If you remember the speed and simplicity offered by Fleksy and later FlickType, FloType will feel immediately familiar. Rocco explains how his background as an audio engineer and producer gradually led him into development, first through scripting tools designed to make Pro Tools more efficient with VoiceOver, and eventually to building a keyboard intended to solve one of the persistent frustrations of touchscreen devices: typing quickly without needing to hit every virtual key precisely.</p><p>FloType takes a very different approach from Apple's conventional onscreen keyboard. Rather than requiring you to locate individual letters accurately, you tap approximately where you believe the letters would be on a QWERTY keyboard. FloType analyzes the pattern of those taps and predicts the word you intended. Swipe right to accept the suggestion, swipe up or down to move through alternatives, and continue typing without having to find a spacebar. In the episode, Rocco gives a hands-on demonstration showing just how quickly this can work, including entering words, correcting an incorrect prediction, adding punctuation and emoji, deleting text, and switching to manual character entry when a word isn't in FloType's dictionary.</p><p>There is considerably more going on than word prediction. FloType can be used system-wide through an iOS keyboard extension, while gestures provide access to editing commands that would otherwise require finding controls on the screen. Rocco discusses cursor navigation, manual entry, customizable sounds and haptics, key size and contrast options for low-vision users, and plans for a self-voicing experience. He also talks about an Apple Watch version currently being tested, where limitations in watchOS gesture handling present some interesting accessibility challenges. Multi-language support is another major goal, with English and Spanish planned as the initial languages when FloType reaches the App Store.</p><p>The conversation also offers an interesting look behind the scenes at accessible app development. Rocco is totally blind and discusses using Swift and Xcode, AI-assisted development, sighted feedback for visual design, and extensive input from blind and low-vision beta testers. He explains why supporting another language involves far more than translating an interface: FloType needs to understand the vocabulary, grammar, keyboard layout, and patterns of each language well enough for its prediction system to remain useful. The pair also discuss FloType's eventual business model, the realities of maintaining an accessibility-focused app as Apple changes VoiceOver and its operating systems, and Rocco's commitment to ensuring the project can continue even if he is someday unable to maintain it himself.</p><p>This episode should be particularly interesting to anyone who misses Fleksy or FlickType, finds conventional touchscreen typing cumbersome, doesn't use Braille Screen Input, or simply wants another fast way to enter text on an iPhone or iPad. It is also well worth hearing for blind developers and anyone curious about how a VoiceOver-first application moves from an idea to a working product. FloType remains in active beta at the time of writing rather than being a publicly released App Store app, but its…</p>
