[Ct-nfb] National Federation of the Blind Applauds Release of KNFB Reader iPhone App

[Edward]

Hello all,
This looks amazing.  It will help so many in the blind community.

Edward

	From: John Fritz <johnfritz66 at gmail.com>
	Date: September 18, 2014 at 6:58:48 PM CDT
	Subject: [nfbwnews] Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Applauds
Release of KNFB Reader iPhone App
	
	

	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

		 

		CONTACT:

		Chris Danielsen

		Director of Public Relations

		National Federation of the Blind

		(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

		(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

		cdanielsen at nfb.org <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> 

		 

		National Federation of the Blind Applauds Release 
		of KNFB Reader iPhone App

		 

		Baltimore, Maryland (September 18, 2014): The National
Federation of the Blind <http://www.nfb.org> , the nation's leading advocate
for access to print by the blind, has applauded the release of KNFB Reader
<http://www.knfbreader.com/> , a new app for the iPhone and other Apple iOS
devices, which uses the phone's camera and state-of-the-art optical
character recognition (OCR) technology to give the blind instant access to
the contents of print materials. Members of the National Federation of the
Blind have worked with K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., which developed the
app along with Sensotec, Inc. KNFB Reader is now available in the iTunes app
store.
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/knfbreader/id849732663?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4>


		 

		Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the
Blind, said: "The National Federation of the Blind has been involved for
forty years in the development of technology that helps blind people to
acquire access to the various print materials that we all encounter from day
to day. Ever since our first collaboration with Ray Kurzweil to develop the
Kurzweil Reading Machine, which was the size of a household appliance, we
have been interested in the development of better and more portable reading
technology. Print on office documents, flyers, letters, menus, labels, and
throughout our environment is still a part of everyday life, even with the
increased electronic transmission of documents. Now revolutionary technology
that resides on the phones that many of us carry each day
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS-i9rn9nao&list=UU2VqDaqQP_m2JeznJm2yz0w>
provides instant access to the printed word. We can hear our mail or the
menu at our favorite restaurant spoken with the iPhone's built-in
text-to-speech technology, or read it in Braille with a refreshable Braille
display. This app will fundamentally change the everyday lives of many blind
people, helping us to get the information we need and live the lives we
want."

		 

		###

		 

		 

		About the National Federation of the Blind

		 

		The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is
not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.