Samsung has made an announcement regarding a brand-new smartphones that will be getting some interesting peripherals. The fairly new Galaxy Core Advance, as far as the phone itself goes, isn’t all that remarkable. It features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of system memory and 8GB of storage running on a 4.7-inch display and Android 4.2. Not stellar.

But it will have some interesting gear to go along with it. The first of these is an Ultrasonic Cover, which is designed to assist the visually impaired by acting a lot like a guide dog. It is able to “…detect obstacles and navigate unfamiliar places by sending an alert through a vibration or TTS feedback.” Samsung says that it is able to sense objects or people up to two meters away.

Samsung will also be rolling out a stand that will be allow users to utilise the device as a text scanner, letting a visually impaired user turn the phone into a read-aloud device by reading the text on paper that is placed in the Optical Scan Stand, as it is know. The system is able to start the scan and read function automatically when paper is sensed on the stand.

There’s also a function called Voice Label, which will use an NFC-enabled system to let users make voice tags and note for electronics (we assume NFC capable) that would give visually impaired users instructions on how to use tech when they get within range.

This range of features is highly specific but the company seems to be reaching out to those who might not be able to utilise smartphones in the ways that we all take for granted. And, in the process, giving them something much more useful for their daily lives. Unfortunately the Galaxy Core Advance and its new peripherals have not been announced for South Africa as yet.

Source: Ars Technica