A user interface that would enable illiterate people to more easily use a smart cell phone

One of the functions that I hoped, early in my thinking about the ideal cellphone, would be developed is a user interface that enables users who are illiterate to use the cellphone for functions that, while available, require reading and writing text.

I thought of the user interface being created based upon a language of symbols or pictographs rather than an alphabet.

Well Microsoft has  assisted in the definition of  a model for a text free interface that cellphone operating system creators can adopt and incorporate:

http://research.microsoft.com/~indranim/text-free.htm

I had a particular use of  a text free user interface in mind. In Pakistan after the earthquake in 2005, there was consideration given by some aid groups to providing as many cellphones as could be funded to victims of the natural disaster as a new approach to improving the effects of international medical interventions.

Some means of providing  the medical aid recipients with an incentive to continue to follow the recommendations for, as examples, clean water and sanitation practices and children's vaccinations schedules.

A cellphone might be that incentive because cell phones are highly regarded and, when possessed, cared for with great intent.

The idea behind this plan was that the cell phone could also enable communications between families, support increased and more effective economic activity, provide a portable means of storing and carrying valuable documents, and facilitate health care and health maintenance by allowing health authorities to contact affected individuals to remind them of health care options and obligations.

But a large majority of the effected populations in northern Pakistan were illiterate. So any such cellphone would require a text free user interface if it were to meet all the requirements the aids groups had envisioned.