Free New App For Parkinson’s Patients Steadies Screens When They Have Tremors
By Mikelle Leow, 09 Apr 2022
Image via Havas Creative / PR Newswire
With the internet, you’ve got everything you need at your fingertips—and although its availability on handheld devices is meant to make things easier, millions of digital users worldwide continue to be locked out from this endless trove of resources. For Parkinson’s Disease patients and other users who suffer from tremors, being informed and connecting with loved ones isn’t as straightforward as tapping a button.
Staybl, an inventive web browser app developed pro bono by advertising agency Havas Creative, seeks to make digital routines less of a chore for Parkinson’s patients. It cleverly stabilizes the user’s screen whenever they experience a tremor.
Image via Staybl
The app relies on the device’s accelerometer—which typically detects shaking, tilting, and other motions to adjust its orientation. Early versions of this feature in use include the iBeer app, which imagined the entire display as a glass of beer and followed the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer to tip the “drink” into the user’s mouth.
When Staybl recognizes that the gadget is being shaken, it immediately shifts the UI in the opposite direction to maintain a steady view. The in-app browser appears as a smaller window within the interface, resizing itself when a tremor is detected.
Video screenshot via Staybl
Video screenshot via Staybl
The app’s default font is ‘Atkinson Hyperlegible’, a sans-serif designed with little intricacies in its characters so readers with visual impairments can easily differentiate letters (web designers can now use this font in their projects by way of Google Fonts).
Other additions for legibility in Staybl include a high-contrast design, customizable font sizes, and larger buttons.
Dan Lucey, chief creative officer at Havas New York, points out that tremors don’t just disrupt reading but also slow down the ability to complete everyday tasks like shopping, banking, watching videos, and keeping in touch with friends and family. An app like Staybl, which is billed as the first of its kind, could make these routines as user-friendly as they would normally be for those who don’t encounter tremors.
Notably, Staybl—which took teams of Havas New York and Germany more than two years to complete—is also for the millions of people around the world who deal with uncontrollable trembling but don’t have Parkinson’s Disease.
“We always talk about how technology should improve our lives, but we don’t naturally include everyone in those benefits,” adds Eric Schoeffler, Chief Creative Officer of Havas Germany and Executive Creative Director at Havas Europe. “Staybl is not a medicine, nor is it a cure. However, it’s a technological solution that can provide easier access to the digital world for all people with Parkinson’s and tremors.”
The browser is free to download but is currently only optimized for iPads as their screens are wider and their operating system supports faster display refresh rates. However, Staybl’s creators have plans to expand its use across other devices.