Cell Phone Device Allows The Blind to ‘Read’
Posted July 29, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Technology is an amazing thing, and nowhere is that more obvious than when it comes to some of the amazing ways it’s helping those with disabilities.
Scooters aid those who can’t walk. Cochlear implants are a sometimes controversial way to allow the deaf to hear. And software can let paralyzed people operate a computer with the blink of an eye.
Those without eyesight face an entirely different dilemma. It’s difficult enough to navigate in a world where you can’t see. And not being able to read simple things like a book, a menu or even a warning sign can not only be inconvenient but downright dangerous.
Up until now, computers were able to fill some of the gap by reading what appeared on the screen.
But few were portable enough, small enough or versatile enough to allow users to take it with them. Enter the cell phone and a company called Microcomputer Science Centre, Inc. The Mississauga firm specializes in creating and selling devices for those with learning disabilities, hearing problems or people who are visually impaired.
It’s selling a mobile reader that comes along with a special cell phone. It allows users to read just about any printed documents just about anywhere, displays and highlights each word as it’s read, and even converts the text on the screen to Braille if needed.
“ Someone can hand me something that’s in print, and I can read it,” marvelled Andrew Cummins, who is visually impaired.
“As long as you know how to use a cell phone, you can figure out how to use something like this.”
Soon the software will be able to translate the text into a different language.
It’s not cheap – the device sells for $1,695. But it can bring a world of understanding into a world of darkness. And that’s something that may be beyond price.
Here’s where you can find out more about the product and other devices the firm sells.
