An app for the blind to play Fifa. What seemed an oxymoron until recently has become reality with Novis, the start-up of Arianna Ortelli, Marco Andriano and Moreno Gregori.
Ortelli, how are video games taught to the blind?
«A language is created with sounds».
Give us an example.
“We started with ping pong. Our game involved using the smartphone as a racket. Depending on the shot, the ball made different sounds. With stereo headphones, the player understands which side the ball is coming from and responds. It was an experimental app that allowed us to get closer to the reality of the blind and lay the foundations for our subsequent applications ».
What was the next step after ping pong?
“Dear old Supermario.
That Supermario? The archeology of videogames?
“Just him. It was important to create a version for the blind. Because the game represented an extra difficulty. In fact, our software had to be able to distinguish all the elements of the game ».
Your latest creation?
«Her name is Camilla: a virtual guide dog on video games.
Why Camilla?
“Really exists. He is the guide dog of a blind person who has collaborated with us ».
What is the role of the virtual Camilla?
«Warn the player in advance of the existence of obstacles and opportunities. Exactly as happens in the reality of many blind people ».
How many people collaborate with you?
“We work with about fifty developers and companies. And we plan to grow ».
Was this your childhood dream?
“Absolutely no. All I had in mind was the game of football. I dreamed of women’s Turin. This was my passion ».
Is it still today?
«Today I continue to play football, obviously not at a professional level. I play in a five-a-side football team in San Salvario ».
How did you come to found a start up?
«I studied business administration and business administration. I was in my third year and I took a course on start-ups. Then I attended the management courses organized by Sei and together with my two co-founders we gave birth to Novis. Moreno Gregori deals with the technological development of the gaming system. Marco Andriano, our visually impaired co-founder, takes care of the commercial aspects ».
What is the ultimate goal of your start up?
«To create a universal language of sounds to sell to companies that produce video games. But also for other applications. In that language each sound will have a positive or negative value and will replace the graphic language. It is very important for visually impaired people to create a standard. We will get there ».