DooPhone – the phone for people with disabilities – launching soon

We write a lot about new tech gadgets here, but it’s easy to forget that there are a lot of people who can’t use them.

For many people with disabilities, the task of making a phone call on most modern phones is simply too hard.

Enter DooPhone, the brainchild of Rhys Cooper, a disability support worker from Brisbane, Australia, and his startup Orange Dot.

DooPhone’s goal is to be the easiest mobile phone interface in the world to use no matter what your capabilities. I haven’t used every phone interface in the world, but from what I have used, I’d say DooPhone must be close to achieving that goal.

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To get to this point has taken Cooper over 18 months including a stint at MEGA, an Australian Entrepreneurship Masterclass program which helps tech entrepreneurs build their technical and business skills.

It should also be noted that while DooPhone is about helping people with disabilities, it doesn’t stop at an interface with large numbers and pictures.

Also included are tools for carers to help them perform their duties as well as possible. That includes tracking services (keeping in mind the inspiration for the DooPhone was a man Cooper was caring for who got lost and couldn’t use the phone he had on him) and admin tools to ensure that those receiving care aren’t able to accidently delete critical names/numbers.

In talking to the MEGA blog, Cooper had this to say about the trials he’d run with DooPhone last year:

“it’s already proving to be a hit with the type of people who are going to benefit from this technology the most.”

DooPhone is being released globally on June 8^th at a cost of US$79/year for the basic version and will work on any Windows Mobile touch screen device.

You can find out more about the DooPhone on their official site.