ATU753 – Switchify with Owen McGirr

Hi, this is Owen McGirr, and I’m the founder and developer of Switchify Switch Access for Android, and this is your Assistive Technology Update.

Hello and welcome to your Assistive Technology Update, a weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist individuals with disabilities and special needs. I’m your host, Josh Anderson with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. Welcome to episode 753 of Assistive Technology Update. It is scheduled to be released on October 31st, 2025. On today’s special Halloween episode, we are full of treats but no tricks. Actually, nothing really special for Halloween. Just wanted to at least get something out there, but today we are super excited to welcome Owen McGirr, he is the founder and developer of Switchify, to the show. He’s going to tell us all about Switchify and how it can help individuals with different access needs in accessing their Android devices. And just to let you know folks, Owen does utilize an augmentative alternative communication device to speak.

So the words themselves are all Owen’s, but the voice you hear will be from his AAC device. We are also joined by our friends from Bridging Apps with an app worth mentioning, and we have a story about how Oregon became the first state to earn the accessibility verified travel designation. I want to thank you for taking time out of your Halloween to give us a listen today, folks, and if you ever do have questions, comments, or anything that you’d like to share with us, don’t forget, you can drop us an email at Tech@EastersealsCrossroads.org, or call our listener line at 317-721-7124. We hope you’re having a great day and a wonderful, happy and safe Halloween. Now, let’s go ahead and get on with the show.

Listeners, I’ve told you many times on here about our other show, Assistive Technology Frequently Asked Questions, or ATFAQ. These podcasts are available, well, wherever you got this podcast probably, but they’re also available on our website, which is eastersealstech.com. I wanted to take a moment just to tell you about some of the other great things that you can find over there at eastersealstech.com. You can find all of our podcasts, this one as well as the others, but you can also find a wealth of other knowledge and great assistive technology things. As you all know, INDATA is the Tech Act provider for the state of Indiana, but if you’re looking for local Tech Act provider, well, you can find that there too. You can go to eastersealstech.com/states, or just find it from the drop-down menus. Podcasting are not the only thing that we do. You can also find tech tips. These come out every Monday and are a short video that will show you a piece of assistive technology, another adaptive device, or maybe a different way of using something in order to help individuals with disabilities and special needs.

You can find out about our full day trainings. You can also sign up for them, attend, and even go back and look at the archives to find some of our old trainings and watch those at your leisure. You can find out about our different programs, including the Clinical Assistive Technology Program and all the amazing things that INDATA does. If you’re here in the state of Indiana and you’d like to access any of our services, be that the library, the demonstration program or the depot, all that information is located right there on eastersealstech.com. You’ll also find blog posts and just tons and tons of content all related to assistive technology, and if you go to eastersealstech.com and click on this show, a full transcript will appear right below so that if you would like a transcript of this show or more information about it, you can always check that out on the website.

And I’m pretty sure I tell you this folks quite often, but if you ever have a question, a comment, someone you’d like to see for a guest or anything along those lines, please reach out to us. You can reach us via email at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org, call our listener line at 317-721-7124, or drop us a line on Twitter at INDATA Project. You can also find ways to contact us through the website itself at eastersealstech.com while you’re checking that out. So again, if you do enjoy this show and you’re looking for more information on assistive technology, you can always check out our sister podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or you can also go to eastersealstech.com and check out everything there is to know about our program, access our blog posts, our YouTube channel, our podcasts, and tons of other information related to assistive technology. I thank you so much for listening. Now let’s go ahead and get on with the show.

Today’s show happens to fall on Halloween, so hopefully everybody’s getting ready in their costumes and going out to trick or treat, and hopefully you’re doing all you can to make that trick or treating and your holiday festivities accessible. For a story today, I wanted to share something I found out over at Oregon Live. This is part of the Oregonian, and I probably mispronounced that, I’m going to get into trouble by my folks west, but story titled How Oregon became First State to Earn Accessibility Verified Travel Designation. The story written by Chiara Profenna, and it talks about a partnership between Travel Oregon and Wheel the World. And it digs into how Oregon has been named the first state to be accessibility verified by Wheel of the World, and this designation recognizes the state as an accessible travel destination.

The story really digs into the two and a half year process of vetting that Oregon went through in order to get this designation. The group visited Oregon in 43 different communities across the state and assessed over 750 tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, and other places. So not only did they get this designation, but also using those results, it looks like Travel Oregon and Wheel the World created accessible vacation itineraries for seven different regions in Oregon. These include accessibility information such as information for hotels, restaurants, activities, and other things to be able to do out there in Oregon and ensure that they’re completely accessible for individuals with different kinds of needs. And just a couple of examples of things that are kind of highlighted out here that are a little bit more accessible in Oregon, some are Mobi mats at the Kiyokawa Family Orchard, and so these mats go in between the trees in the orchard so that someone in a wheelchair, someone using crutches, or someone pushing a stroller can easily make it between the trees and go and pick their own fruit.

They put the mats all throughout the place just to make sure that individuals can access any part of the orchard that they might want to, not just certain places or anything like that. So very, very cool, but this also highlights things like accessibility of hotels, including bed height, accessible bathrooms, restaurants, the accessibility of them, not just in the ramp outside the door, but also in table height, accessibility of getting to the restroom and getting around. So very cool, lots of data points that they really kind of took. So I’ll put a link to this story over so you can go check it out. And congratulations Oregon on being designated as an accessibility verified travel destination. And coming up next on the show, we welcome back Bridging Apps with an app worth mentioning.

This is Ale Gonzalez with Bridging Apps, and this is an app worth mentioning. This week’s featured app is called Plum Village Zen Meditation. Plum Village Zen Meditation is an app that is packed with guided meditations of various types, short, long, silent, eating meditations, deep relaxation, love, and many more, as well as guided meditations for children and stories for children. There are many features that make this app a good choice for adults of a wide variety of cognitive abilities and experience level with meditation. The app is very simple to use and therefore could be beneficial for adults of any age and any skill level who are interested in learning about mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness, learning how to stop and focus on the current task or enjoy the moment can be an invaluable skill in the fast-paced, over-scheduled modern world. It could also be useful for anyone who struggles with stress or anxiety related to daily decision-making and care-taking. Plum Village is currently available for both iOS and Android devices and is free to download. For more information on this app and others like it, visit bridgingapps.org.

Listeners, on today’s show, we are super excited to welcome Owen McGirr, the founder and developer of Switchify. Owen’s joining us to tell us all about how this app is able to increase access to Android devices for individuals with different barriers to mobility. We cannot wait to learn more and hear all about it. Owen, welcome to the show.

It’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me.

Yeah, you are so welcome. It’s a pleasure to have you on. Before we start talking about Switchify, can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself?

So a little bit about myself. I’m a software developer from Donegal, Ireland, and I’ve lived with cerebral palsy my whole life. My personal experiences with navigating the world and technology with a physical disability have really shaped my passion for accessibility and assistive technology. I’ve always been driven to create solutions that empower people with disabilities to have the same opportunities and independence as everyone else. Before Switchify, I even developed an AAC app for iOS called Say It, but ultimately decided to focus my efforts on Switchify because I felt it could have a broader impact. It’s truly a privilege to combine my skills in software development with my lived experience to build tools that can make a real difference in people’s lives,

Yeah, and I love how you’re bringing the experience, the skill and everything all together into Switchify. So I guess on to Switchify, what is it?

Switchify is an accessibility application for Android devices that fundamentally changes how individuals with significant physical disabilities can interact with their smartphones and tablets. In essence, it provides a robust alternative to the traditional touchscreen interface. For many people, touching, swiping and gesturing on a screen are intuitive actions, but for those with motor impairments, these actions can be impossible. Switchify steps in to bridge that gap. It allows users to navigate and control every function of their Android device, from launching applications and typing messages to browsing the internet and adjusting settings, using methods that are adapted to their specific needs.

This might involve an external switch, which could be a simple button pressed with a hand, foot, or even a head movement, or a more advanced sip and puff device. Crucially, it also integrates with the device’s camera to recognize facial gestures like a smile, a wink, a blink, or head turns as control inputs. The core idea is to translate these alternative inputs into actions that the Android operating system understands. Instead of physically tapping an icon, a user might activate a switch. When a scanning cursor highlights that icon. This comprehensive approach ensures that the full functionality of an Android device is put within reach for individuals who might otherwise be excluded from using these powerful tools for communication, education, entertainment, and everyday tasks.

That is absolutely awesome and just a great access method. Owen, where did the idea come from for Switchify?

Well, the idea for Switchify really grew out of my own personal experiences, and quite a bit of frustration to be honest. I’ve been an iOS user for many years and rely on their accessibility features, and while iOS has some great tools, I found myself increasingly wanting to use Android devices, mainly because of the flexibility and openness of the platform. However, when I looked at the existing switch access solutions available on Android, they simply weren’t usable for me. They felt clunky, limited, and just didn’t offer the level of control and personalization I needed to truly use a device independently. I realized there was a significant gap. I thought, if I as someone who uses switch access daily find these options inadequate, then countless other individuals must be facing the same barriers. That personal frustration combined with my background in software development sparked the idea. I needed to build something better, something that truly empowered Android users with physical disabilities to interact with their devices seamlessly and effectively, and that’s how Switchify was born, out of a necessity to create a more inclusive digital experience on Android.

Nice, nice. I hate that you had the frustration, but I’m so glad that it sparked that, to be able to make access methods for so many kind of other folks. You’ve kind of already answered this, Owen, but why is it important to have something like Switchify and these other access methods?

Switchify is important for a couple of key reasons, and they’re both very personal to me and broadly relevant to the accessibility community. Firstly, it’s important because I need it. As someone who relies on switch access every single day to interact with technology, the lack of truly usable and comprehensive options on Android was a significant barrier in my own life. If I with my technical background couldn’t find a solution that met my needs, then it highlighted a glaring gap that many others must be facing. Building Switchify was in many ways an act of empowerment, creating the tool I desperately wished existed. Secondly, and perhaps more broadly, Switchify addresses the fact that switch access as a fundamental assistive technology is often overlooked, or dare I say, forgotten about in the broader conversation around accessibility. In the professional world, especially among occupational therapists and assistive technology specialists, eye gaze technology has become the new go-to, and for good reason. It’s powerful for many users.

However, it’s not a universal solution. Imagine a scenario, an occupational therapist works with a child who has complex physical needs. They try an eye gaze system, and for whatever reason, maybe it’s the child’s cognitive load, their specific physical presentation or environmental factors, it doesn’t quite work out. So what’s the next step? Often the answer is to go back to basics, to try a switch, and that’s where Switchify becomes critical. It provides a robust, modern, and highly adaptable switch access solution that can be that vital next step. It ensures that switch access isn’t seen as a last resort, but as a powerful, flexible and often preferred method for interacting with technology, filling a crucial void in the assistive technology landscape.

Nice, and I do agree that yeah, the eye control is such an amazing, amazing thing, but for a lot of folks, you’re right, it’s kind of the end all be all. If it doesn’t work, then we have to go back to the drawing board, back to the basics, and maybe that’s not a way. So I love that this is a tool that still gives that control, gives all that functionality, especially for individuals who I personally couldn’t imagine trying to use my eyes to control everything and just the stress on the eye muscles and the fatigue and everything. So I love that there’s a whole other way. So kind of talking about Switchify, what different control features does it offer?

Switchify offers a really comprehensive suite of control features designed to give users precise and efficient command over their Android devices. We’ve built it with flexibility in mind, recognizing that different users will have different needs and preferences. The primary control mechanisms revolve around various scanning and navigation techniques. We have the point scan system, which is our highly precise method where a visual cursor moves across the screen, allowing users to activate a switch when it lands on their desired item. Then there’s the item scanning system, which automatically highlights interactive elements on the screen, like buttons or text fields one by one, and the user selects the highlighted item with their switch. For a more direct approach, we also offer a radar mode where a line sweeps from the center of the screen and the user activates a switch when that line intersects their target. Beyond these core navigation methods, Switchify also provides a comprehensive on-screen menu.

This menu can be customized to include a wide array of actions, not just typical taps, but also complex gestures like swipes, drags, scrolls, and zooms. It also provides access to essential device functions like going home, back, opening recent apps, or controlling media playback. Crucially, we’ve also integrated gesture patterns which allow users to record and then replay sequences of touch gestures. This is incredibly powerful for automating complex or repetitive actions that might otherwise be cumbersome with single switch presses. So in summary, it offers point scan, item scanning, radar mode for navigation, a customizable on-screen menu for gestures and device functions, and recorded gesture patterns for automation.

Oh, that’s awesome. Just so many kind of different control features in different ways, and I love that you even get into the gesture patterns and the complex actions that would be very, very challenging for folks maybe without this kind of tool or it would just take, well, that’s just not really available. And I guess that kind of leads to my next question. You kind of brought this up, but how do these control features and access techniques really improve access for individuals compared to just the standard accessibility features on the devices?

This is a really important question because it highlights why Switchify is so vital. While Android devices do come with built-in accessibility features, including their own form of switch access, Switchify significantly surpasses them in terms of precision, depth of control and overall efficiency. Here’s how we improve access compared to standard offerings. One, superior precision with multiple scanning techniques. Standard Android switch access often provides a very basic, often linear scanning method. This can be slow and lacks the fine control needed for many apps. Imagine trying to select a tiny button or a specific character on a keyboard with a generic scanner. It’s often frustratingly imprecise. Switchify addresses this with point scan, offering true pixel level accuracy. Users can pinpoint exactly where they want to interact on the screen, which is crucial for intricate tasks. Item scanning, while standard systems might highlight entire blocks, our item scanning intelligently focuses on just the interactive elements, making navigation faster and more intuitive. Radar mode, providing a distinct visual approach that some users find more efficient or less cognitively demanding.

These multiple specialized scanning techniques empower users with the right tool for any interaction, far beyond what basic linear scanning can offer. Two, addressing complex interactions in automation. A major limitation of standard accessibility features is their struggle with anything beyond a simple tap or basic scroll. They typically don’t support multi-touch gestures, specific swipe patterns, or sequences of actions. This is where Switchify truly excels. Gesture patterns, our ability to record and replay entire sequences of taps, swipes and other gestures is revolutionary. This means tasks like entering a phone pin, navigating a multi-step login, or performing complex in-app actions can be automated with a single switch press. This kind of robust automation is absent in standard accessibility. Comprehensive on-screen menu. Our menu doesn’t just offer basic functions. It provides access to a full range of gestures, swipes, drags, zooms, and device controls, home, back, notifications, that are often cumbersome or unavailable through default switch access, all through a customizable layout.

Three, deeper customization for individual needs. While built-in options offer minimal adjustments, Switchify prioritizes deep personalization. Users can fine-tune scanning speeds, delays and other settings to precisely match their motor control and cognitive pace. This level of granular control ensures that the system truly adapts to the user rather than the user being forced to adapt to a generic system. In essence, standard accessibility provides a foundational level of access, but Switchify transforms that into a powerful, precise, and highly individualized control system. It moves beyond just making it possible to making it efficient and independent for Android users with physical disabilities.

Nice, and I love the way that you said that Switchify adapts to the user as opposed to the other way. That is absolutely amazing. Owen, where is Switchify available?

Switchify is readily available to anyone who needs it. You can find and download Switchify directly from the Google Play Store. Since it’s an Android application, that’s the primary platform where it’s distributed. We’ve made it accessible there so that users can easily discover, download, and install it on their compatible Android smartphones and tablets just like any other app. This ensures it’s widely available to a global audience.

And I know that there is a free and a paid version. Can you tell us the difference between the free and paid versions?

To clarify the differences between the free and paid versions of Switchify, it’s quite simple. The free version allows users to fully experience Switchify, but it has a time limit, meaning you can use it for about an hour at a time. It’s designed to give you a complete trial of all the features and capabilities to see if it meets your needs. The paid version, on the other hand, unlocks unlimited usage. There are no time restrictions, allowing you to use Switchify for as long as you need it, whenever you need it without interruption.

Awesome, awesome. Well, Owen, if our listeners want to find out more about Switchify, about all the great tools and amazing things that it can do, what’s a good way for them to do that?

To find out more, listeners have a few easy options. First, you can simply head to the Google Play Store on any Android device and search for Switchify to download and try the app for yourself. For more in-depth information about the app and its features, the official website is switchifyapp.com, and if you’re interested in my broader work or background, my personal website is owenmcgirr.com. Finally, we’re active on social media, so you can always follow Switchify on platforms like LinkedIn for updates.

All right. We will put all those links down in the show notes so that folks can learn more, can get Switchify for themselves, and can even check out a little bit more about you, Owen, and kind of everything that they might want to know about you. Well, thank you so much for coming on the show, for telling us all about Switchify. What a great access method, and one of our favorite things on this show is just learning about new access methods and different ways that people can be able to use the devices for all the things that they want. And I’ll just stress the point that you brought up earlier. I love that you’ve created something that’s able to adjust to the person as opposed to the person having to adjust to it. So again, thank you so much for coming on the show and for sharing this and for creating it, and yeah, maybe someday we’ll have you back on to hear about some of the other things that you’re working on. But again, thank you so much for coming on, Owen.

Thank you so much for having me. It’s been a real pleasure. There’s one exciting development I’d love to quickly mention. By the time this episode airs, we anticipate that head control will be a fully integrated feature in Switchify. This is a significant addition that will further expand the ways users can interact with their devices, offering another powerful hands-free input method. It’s something we’re incredibly excited about and will provide even more flexibility for our users.

Awesome. Again, thank you so much for coming on, Owen.

Thank you so much for having me.

Do you have a question about assistive technology? Do you have a suggestion for someone we should interview on Assistive Technology Update? If so, call our listener line at 317-721-7124, send us an email at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org, or shoot us a note on Twitter at INDATA Project. Our captions and transcripts for the show are sponsored by the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation, or INTRAC. You can find out more about INTRAC at RelayIndiana.com. A special thanks to Nicole Prieto for scheduling our amazing guests and making a mess of my schedule. Today’s show was produced, edited, hosted, and fraught over by yours truly. The opinions expressed by our guests are their own and may or may not reflect those of the INDATA Project, Easterseals Crossroads, our supporting partners, or this host. This was your Assistive Technology Update. I’m Josh Anderson with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. We look forward to seeing you next time. Bye-bye.