Comparison

Tactile Images READER vs 听海网

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tactile Images READER

This educational tool provides audio descriptions for tactile graphics, allowing blind and visually impaired individuals to learn independently. It works with interactive tactile graphics from an e-learning platform, offering a virtual assistant to explain details when a phone is placed over the graphic.

Highlights
  • Audio descriptions for tactile graphics
  • Virtual assistant for detailed explanations
  • Supports independent learning
  • Works with interactive tactile graphics
  • Customizable descriptions
  • Multilingual support
Features
Read full description

Replicate the tactile learning experience at your own place & pace. Meet the virtual assistant that describes tactile graphics just like a specialist and allows blind people to study at home. This educational tool is part of the Tactile Images e-learning platform, where teachers and parents can find, personalize and create interactive tactile graphics, with audio descriptions. The Tactile Images Reader app teleports the voice and knowledge of the teacher at home. How? Let’s say that we have the tactile graphic of an African elephant. You will explore it with both hands, as you usually do, to contextualize. So far so good. But when you place the phone above the graphic, the magic happens. Just point at the ear of the elephant and the smartphone will tell you: ”This is the ear of the elephant. The ears of an African elephant are bigger than the ears of an Indian elephant because they help the elephants cool down by radiating the excess heat. The ears can also be used to communicate visually, flapping ears signifying either aggression or joy.” The descriptions are customizable and can be adapted to the specific needs of every person. The Tactile Images Reader mobile assistant empowers you to discover the world independently. It gives you the freedom to explore untouchable objects and study school subjects based on graphics, such as Maths, Geography or Biology at your own pace. Using this app feels like watching the Discovery Channel for the first time. How does it work? The app works only with interactive tactile graphics from our e-learning platform. Join for FREE right here www.tactileimages.org and get access to a Library of 800 tactile graphics with multilingual descriptions and drawing software that allows teachers and parents to create their own interactive tactile graphics. Download your first interactive catalogue for FREE https://bit.ly/Catalog_UrbanLandscapes, emboss the drawings and explore with the app! Remote teaching and homeschooling have never been easier for blind and visually impaired people! How to use? Position the phone above an interactive tactile graphic. The app will read the QR Code placed in the upper left corner and tell you the title of the graphic. Position the index finger on the Braille-written title (available for the tactile graphics in the Library) and the app will tell you the description of the graphic. Start exploring with both hands. The app will identify the position of the index finger and beep once when you come across an area with descriptions. Point the index finger if you want to find out the description of that area. Preferably, clench your fist and extend the index finger as if you were pointing to that area. Be steady for 3 seconds. The app will send you 3 beeps and deliver the audio description of the area. Additionally, you can touch the QR Code to listen to general information about the subject of the graphic. Features - Audio descriptions can be in these languages: English, French, German, Italian, Turkish, Romanian, Finnish, Spanish - You are free to personalize the descriptions of any graphic - Multi-sensorial learning - Mobile assistant (works anywhere: school, home, park, library, museum, city hall, train station, metro) - You can either hold it with your hand or use a phone holder (Gooseneck) - Modern technologies: AI, machine learning, interactive augmented reality, finger tracking This app was featured in the American Alliance of Museums http://bit.ly/exploration-at-museums and other 35 publications. The Tactile Images e-learning platform was financed by The Romanian Ministry of Culture, the Administration of the National Cultural Heritage, the Civic Innovation Fund, the Orange Foundation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, OMV Petrom, ING Bank Romania, Microsoft Romania, Electrica SA. This app is created by the Urban Development Association, which has the mission to improve the life quality of blind children through education.

About

听海网

Features
Read full description

盲人专用知识无障碍服务平台

Screenshots

Tactile Images READER4 screens
听海网3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tactile Images READER at every 4 months against 听海网's every 13 months. 听海网's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tactile Images READER ships an update every 4 months, 听海网 every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Tactile Images READER versus 听海网: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTactile Images READER听海网
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 13 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB83 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAsociatia pentru Dezvoltare UrbanaChina Braille Press

In-app purchases

None

Tactile Images READER

No in-app purchases

None

听海网

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tactile Images READER free?
Tactile Images READER is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 听海网 free?
听海网 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tactile Images READER or 听海网 have ads?
Neither Tactile Images READER nor 听海网 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tactile Images READER or 听海网?
Tactile Images READER ships an update every 4 months, and 听海网 every 13 months. Most recently, Tactile Images READER was updated on October 3, 2026 and 听海网 on October 13, 2026.

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