[nabs-l] Fw: Touchscreen Braille Writer

Sun Jan 6 19:59:13 UTC 2013

Hi,

I'm really interested in seeing how these Apps really turn out just
for the heck of it.  My thought on the second App is that it might be
faster than using the on-screen qwerty keyboard and hunting and
pecking all the time, but that's basically the only big thing I've
taken away from it.  I think they just developed it for competition;
otherwise we wouldn't have JAWS and Window Eyes, BrailleNotes and
BrailleSenses, Android competing with Apple for voice accessibility,
etc.  It's not that different from everything else.

I agree with Mauricio, although I think a lot of those people are
older and not necessarily on the technological up and up.  Although my
family is a big supporter of braille literacy and I've even attended a
state convention NAPUB meeting, I don't think Braille should be the
only way to go for every situation and it works on a case by case
basis.  I think it's an important skill to have, but the idea about it
that sighted people have is that it's the only tool we have.  (I'm
sure we've all had the astonished reactions of sighted people when
they see us typing on a standard computer, "Is that thing speaking
another language?  How can you hear it, it's so fast!").

I think the big braille supporters are right, that it is something not
enough people are being taught, not enough schools are providing to
blind students, and getting quick and efficient access to materials in
braille is still a problem, but the older people have been fighting
these things for decades and in the regard of making sighted people
realize braille is important they have succeeded.  However, I think we
young adults should also step in and show that other things are
important too.  Most people know about braille by now, but they also
know stereotypes that aren't true and underestimate how much like them
we can really be.

On 1/6/13, Mauricio Almeida <mauriciopmalmeida at gmail.com> wrote:
> hi misty,
>
> a lot of what you say about sighted people comes from us. there are people
> amongst us who defend braille like it is their son who has been kidnapped by
> armed forces on an island and needs rescue immediately before being cut into
> pieces and mailed to all relatives.
> I believe braille is important, but the way these people present braille as
> the blind's god, including when they say that we will only be competitive on
> employment using braille, damages the already messed up interpretation
> sighted folks have of us and the integrity of those of us who use other
> methods and are successful.
>
> mauricio
>
> On Jan 6, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Misty Dawn Bradley <mistydbradley at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> Yes, this app sounds similar to the other one, although I don't understand
>> why the students created one when there is another app like it already
>> being tested? I agree with others that the other project should not have
>> been dropped, although it is nice to be able to type in Braille. For me, I
>> am used to the QWERTY keyboard when typing emails, texts, documents, etc.
>> If I had difficulty typing on a touch screen, I would just get a bluetooth
>> QWERTY keyboard to type on, and the only reason I would switch to a
>> Braille keyboard is if I am actually composing Braille in a Braille
>> document. I guess the preference depends on the individual, but now I use
>> the computer for most things, so I am used to the QWERTY keyboard,
>> although I am fast with Braille also. I guess I am just surprised at how
>> sighted people think that all of our typing must be in Braille for us to
>> type adequately, and they seem to think that it is terribly difficult to
>> type on a QWERTY keyboard. I don't understand this, especially when
>> knowing how to use a QWERTY keyboard quickly and efficiently is an
>> important skill for employment and things of this nature. I can understand
>> that on a touch screen it can be more challenging, but after some time
>> getting familiar with it, one usually gets faster at it. I am not saying
>> that Braille is not important, but I am just saying that being quick and
>> accurate on a QWERTY keyboard is important in today's job market also,
>> although Braille is a very useful skill for the blind in taking notes,
>> labeling, and producing Braille materials, etc.
>> Misty
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kaiti Shelton"
>> <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2013 12:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fw: Touchscreen Braille Writer
>>
>>
>>> In googling for the name of the beta app, I've found this other app.
>>> I think this one might be more up my personal ally, since I primarily
>>> use my phone keyboard for texts and emails, but check it out:
>>>
>>> http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/20/can-braille-be-faster-than-qwerty-app-developer-thinks-so/
>>>
>>> On 1/6/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Gotcha,
>>>>
>>>> Yes, a link would be great.  Or even the name of the App should
>>>> suffice.
>>>>
>>>> On 1/6/13, Josh Gregory <joshkart12 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Would you mind sending the link? That way others, including myself can
>>>>> get
>>>>> a
>>>>> feel for what it is like
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>> On Jan 6, 2013, at 11:48 AM, christopher nusbaum
>>>>> <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> The beta version is on the app store now, but it is only a trial
>>>>>> version. They haven't come out with the full release yet, as they are
>>>>>> still Fixing bugs before they release the full version to the public.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Chris Nusbaum
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jan 6, 2013, at 11:38 AM, Kaiti Shelton
>>>>>> <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think it's on the App Store
>>>>>>> market yet.  If it is though I'd love to test it out.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I do agree with some things that were said, that the Braille OCR
>>>>>>> project should be picked back up and that the reasons for stopping
>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> were bogus, but I'm excited to see what this App is.  I love how
>>>>>>> small
>>>>>>> my BrailleSense On-Hand is, but if I, or any college student for
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> matter, could just pack an IPad along with a braille display and
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> the capability to go back and forth between writing in print and
>>>>>>> braille that would be amazing.  Although it wouldn't fully eliminate
>>>>>>> notetakers and laptops from the equasion, it would certainly make
>>>>>>> bags
>>>>>>> a little lighter and have sort of a 2-in-1 feel.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 1/5/13, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> What really would be useful is if I could type contracted Braille
>>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>>> texts and have it come out in English.
>>>>>>>> t way I wd n h (lowF)type (ou) e (th)(ing)
>>>>>>>> ;d
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> From: Chris Nusbaum
>>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2013 7:57 PM
>>>>>>>> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fw: Touchscreen Braille Writer
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dave,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> My question is how more than one dot, such as dots 1-4 for a c,
>>>>>>>> would be typed using this app on a touch screen. It is an
>>>>>>>> interesting
>>>>>>>> idea
>>>>>>>> indeed, and I am interested in playing with it on my iPhone. I
>>>>>>>> wonder
>>>>>>>> whether typing in Braille on a touch screen will increase my typing
>>>>>>>> speed
>>>>>>>> once I get used to doing it? Very interesting! By the way, have any
>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>> actually played with this app? If so, what are your thoughts after
>>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>>> it?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Chris
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David
>>>>>>>> Andrews
>>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2013 10:41 PM
>>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fw: Touchscreen Braille Writer
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It seems to me that you folks are getting all worked up over
>>>>>>>> nothing.
>>>>>>>> As I
>>>>>>>> understand it, the software is for input only, and would run on a
>>>>>>>> tablet
>>>>>>>> like the iPad with access through voiceover.  Some people prefer
>>>>>>>> Braille
>>>>>>>> input, some qwerty, some fleksy or another system.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dave
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> At 10:29 PM 1/3/2013, you wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Maybe, I just want to know whether the software they created would
>>>>>>>>> run
>>>>>>>>> on a device that has accessible output of some sort, like
>>>>>>>>> VoiceOver.
>>>>>>>>> If not, then the Braille touchscreen is pretty much useless.
>>>>>>>>> Personally, as a Braille reader and longtime Braille Note and
>>>>>>>>> Braille
>>>>>>>>> Lite user, I feel like typing in Braille without the Braille
>>>>>>>>> output
>>>>>>>>> would be awkward and not very helpful. But maybe others disagree
>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>> me?
>>>>>>>>> In any case I think their first idea of the Braille character
>>>>>>>>> recognizer has much greater utility, and their reasons for
>>>>>>>>> abandoning
>>>>>>>>> it are without much basis.
>>>>>>>>> Arielle
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 1/3/13, Kirt <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Hello everyone,
>>>>>>>>>> I'm sorry for the double post. But I feel like I need to clarify.
>>>>>>>> Already,
>>>>>>>>>> this idea is being modified in apps where we can use of virtual
>>>>>>>>>> braille
>>>>>>>>>> writer on the touch screen of an iPhone or an
>>>>>>>>> iPad. I see a decent amount of
>>>>>>>>>> value and that, I think.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 3, 2013, at 9:06 PM, Arielle Silverman
>>>>>>>>>> <arielle71 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Oh how I wish these smart, creative guys had talked with blind
>>>>>>>>>>> people
>>>>>>>>>>> before inventing this thing! Unless I missed something, does
>>>>>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>>>>>> tablet have speech or Braille output? How is the blind user
>>>>>>>>>>> supposed
>>>>>>>>>>> to be able to read his/her notes? I'm not sure if any current
>>>>>>>>>>> tablets
>>>>>>>>>>> are accessible. Even if one is, I don't think the ability to
>>>>>>>>>>> write
>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>> Braille rather than in QWERTY matters that much. The appeal of
>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>> overpriced Braille notetaker is the Braille output, not the
>>>>>>>>>>> Braille
>>>>>>>>>>> keyboard! Oh....Wow! That's all I can say.
>>>>>>>>>>> If I were these guys I would go ahead with the Braille character
>>>>>>>>>>> recognizer. That actually has some utility. It would allow a
>>>>>>>>>>> blind
>>>>>>>>>>> schoolchild to convert his Brailled homework to print that his
>>>>>>>>>>> teacher
>>>>>>>>>>> could read, or a blind college student to Braille math
>>>>>>>>>>> equations,
>>>>>>>>>>> scan
>>>>>>>>>>> them and send them to her professor. If these Stanford students
>>>>>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>>>>> actually talked with blind people, they would have learned that
>>>>>>>>>>> blind
>>>>>>>>>>> people successfully use apps that involve taking pictures of
>>>>>>>>>>> print.
>>>>>>>>>>> Taking pictures of Braille would be easier, not harder, than
>>>>>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>>>>>> already exists.
>>>>>>>>>>> It continually blows my mind how many people make it a personal
>>>>>>>>>>> passion to work on improving the lives of blind people in one
>>>>>>>>>>> way
>>>>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>>>>> another, without really educating themselves on what is already
>>>>>>>>>>> out
>>>>>>>>>>> there or what real live blind folks actually need.
>>>>>>>>>>> Arielle
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On 1/3/13, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>>>>>>> Below is an article I was sent about a new app. I am not a fan
>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> way
>>>>>>>>>>>> the creator views blind people, but I do think having a Braille
>>>>>>>>>>>> Writer
>>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>>>>>>> the tablet would be very nice. It is so much faster to type
>>>>>>>>>>>> texts
>>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>>> Braille
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> than in print LOL...
>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> STANFORD SUMMER COURSE YIELDS TOUCHSCREEN BRAILLE WRITER
>>>>>>>>>>>> Home<http://engineering.stanford.edu/> >
>>>>>>>>>>>> About<http://engineering.stanford.edu/about> > News &
>>>>>>>>>>>> Updates<http://engineering.stanford.edu/about/news> > Stanford
>>>>>>>>>>>> summer
>>>>>>>>>>>> course
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> yields touchscreen Braille writer
>>>>>>>>>>>> <http://engineering.stanford.edu/print/node/148>
>>>>>>>>>>>> In a two-month summer course on high-performance computing,
>>>>>>>>>>>> promising
>>>>>>>>>>>> undergrads compete to create innovative applications. This
>>>>>>>>>>>> summer's
>>>>>>>>>>>> winner
>>>>>>>>>>>> developed a touchscreen Braille writer that stands to
>>>>>>>>>>>> revolutionize
>>>>>>>> how
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> blind negotiate an unseen world by replacing devices costing up
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> 10
>>>>>>>>>>>> times
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> more.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Andrew Myers
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Each summer, under the red-tiled roofs and sandstone of
>>>>>>>>>>>> Stanford,
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Army
>>>>>>>>>>>> High-Performance Computing Research Center (AHPCRC) invites a
>>>>>>>>>>>> select
>>>>>>>>>>>> group
>>>>>>>>>>>> of undergraduates from across the country gather for a
>>>>>>>>>>>> two-month
>>>>>>>>>>>> immersion
>>>>>>>>>>>> into the wonders of advanced computing.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Some of the undergraduates are gathered into teams. Some work
>>>>>>>>>>>> alone.
>>>>>>>> All
>>>>>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> assigned mentors and tasked with a challenge. They compete,
>>>>>>>>>>>> American
>>>>>>>>>>>> Idol-style, for top honors at the end of the summer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The competition is made possible in part by a collaboration
>>>>>>>>>>>> between
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> U.S.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Army and several university and industry partners that makes up
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> AHPCRC.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Adam Duran is one such undergraduate, a student both lucky and
>>>>>>>>>>>> good.
>>>>>>>> He
>>>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>>>> now in his senior year at New Mexico State University. Last
>>>>>>>>>>>> June,
>>>>>>>>>>>> he
>>>>>>>> came
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Stanford at the suggestion of one of his professors. His
>>>>>>>>>>>> mentors
>>>>>>>>>>>> were
>>>>>>>>>>>> Adrian
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Lew, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and
>>>>>>>>>>>> Sohan
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> a doctoral candidate at Stanford studying computational
>>>>>>>>>>>> mathematics.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "Originally, our assignment was to create a
>>>>>>>>>>>> character-recognition
>>>>>>>>>>>> application that would use the camera on a mobile device - a
>>>>>>>>>>>> phone
>>>>>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>>>>>> tablet - to transform pages of Braille into readable text,"
>>>>>>>>>>>> said
>>>>>>>> Duran.
>>>>>>>>>>>> "It
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> was a cool challenge, but not exactly where we ended up."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> BIGGER FISH
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Even before Duran arrived for the summer, Lew and Dharmaraja
>>>>>>>>>>>> began
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> talk
>>>>>>>>>>>> to the Stanford Office of Accessible
>>>>>>>>>>>> Education<http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/oae>, people whose
>>>>>>>>>>>> profession
>>>>>>>>>>>> is helping blind and visually impaired students negotiate the
>>>>>>>>>>>> world
>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>> higher learning. It became clear that there were bigger fish to
>>>>>>>>>>>> fry.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> While a Braille character reader would be helpful to the blind,
>>>>>>>>>>>> Lew
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja learned, there were logistics that were hard to get
>>>>>>>>>>>> around.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "How does a blind person orient a printed page so that the
>>>>>>>>>>>> computer
>>>>>>>> knows
>>>>>>>>>>>> which side is up? How does a blind person ensure proper
>>>>>>>>>>>> lighting
>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> paper?" said Duran. "Plus, the technology, while definitely
>>>>>>>>>>>> helpful,
>>>>>>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>>>>>>> be limited in day-to-day application."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "It was a nice-to-have, not a must-have," said Dharmaraja.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> So, the three began to ask questions. That is when they
>>>>>>>>>>>> stumbled
>>>>>>>>>>>> upon
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> sweet spot.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "The killer app was not a reader, but a writer," said
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "Imagine being blind in a classroom, how would you take notes?"
>>>>>>>>>>>> said
>>>>>>>> Lew.
>>>>>>>>>>>> "What if you were on the street and needed to copy down a phone
>>>>>>>> number?
>>>>>>>>>>>> These are real challenges the blind grapple with every day."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> There are devices that help the blind write Braille, to send
>>>>>>>>>>>> email
>>>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>>>>>> forth, but they are essentially specialized laptops that cost,
>>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>>> some
>>>>>>>>>>>> cases, $6,000 or more. All for a device of limited
>>>>>>>>>>>> functionality,
>>>>>>>> beyond
>>>>>>>>>>>> typing Braille, of course.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "Your standard tablet has more capability at a tenth the
>>>>>>>>>>>> price,"
>>>>>>>>>>>> said
>>>>>>>>>>>> Duran.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "So, we put two and two together. We developed a tablet Braille
>>>>>>>> writer,"
>>>>>>>>>>>> said Dharmaraja, "A touchscreen for people who can't see."
>>>>>>>> [http://engineering.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/imagecache/700wide/news
>>>>>>>> %20-%202012%200505%20-%20touchscreen%20braile%20writer.jpeg]Sohan
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja, a doctoral candidate at Stanford, demonstrates how
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> software
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> works.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> First, however, the student-mentor team had to learn Braille.
>>>>>>>> Originally
>>>>>>>>>>>> developed for the French military, Braille is a relatively
>>>>>>>>>>>> simple
>>>>>>>>>>>> code
>>>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> each character made up of variations of six dots - or bumps,
>>>>>>>>>>>> really
>>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>>> arranged in a 2-by-3 matrix. The blind read by feeling the
>>>>>>>>>>>> bumps
>>>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> fingertips.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> As any computational mathematician will tell you, such a matrix
>>>>>>>>>>>> yields
>>>>>>>>>>>> two-to-the-sixth minus one variations, or 63 possible
>>>>>>>>>>>> characters.
>>>>>>>> These
>>>>>>>>>>>> 63
>>>>>>>>>>>> characters are enough for a Western alphabet plus 10 numerical
>>>>>>>>>>>> digits,
>>>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> several left over for punctuation and some special characters.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Over the years, however, those 63 characters got quickly
>>>>>>>>>>>> gobbled
>>>>>>>>>>>> up
>>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>>> through the addition of character-modification keystrokes, the
>>>>>>>>>>>> total
>>>>>>>> grew
>>>>>>>>>>>> and now includes chemical, mathematical and other symbols.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> CHALLENGE
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> A modern Braille writer looks like a laptop with no monitor and
>>>>>>>>>>>> an
>>>>>>>>>>>> eight-key
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> keyboard - six to create the character, plus a carriage return
>>>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> delete
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> key.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Duplicating the Braille keypad on a touch-based tablet seemed
>>>>>>>>>>>> simple
>>>>>>>>>>>> enough,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> but there was at least one significant challenge: How does a
>>>>>>>>>>>> blind
>>>>>>>> person
>>>>>>>>>>>> find the keys on a flat, uniformly smooth glass panel?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja and Duran mulled their options before arriving at a
>>>>>>>>>>>> clever
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>>> simple solution. They did not create virtual keys that the
>>>>>>>>>>>> fingertips
>>>>>>>>>>>> must
>>>>>>>>>>>> find; they made keys that find the fingertips. The user simply
>>>>>>>>>>>> touches
>>>>>>>>>>>> eight
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> fingertips to the glass, and the keys orient themselves to the
>>>>>>>> fingers.
>>>>>>>>>>>> If
>>>>>>>>>>>> the user becomes disoriented, a reset is as easy as lifting all
>>>>>>>>>>>> eight
>>>>>>>>>>>> fingers off the glass and putting them down again.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "Elegant, no?" said Lew. "The solution is so simple, so
>>>>>>>>>>>> beautiful.
>>>>>>>>>>>> It
>>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>>>>>>> fun to see."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Beyond the price difference, touchscreens offer at least one
>>>>>>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>>>>>>> significant advantage over standard Braille writers: "They're
>>>>>>>>>>>> customizable,"
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dharmaraja noted. "They can accommodate users whose fingers are
>>>>>>>>>>>> small
>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>>>>>> large, those who type with fingers close together or far apart,
>>>>>>>>>>>> even
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> allow a user to type on a tablet hanging around the neck with
>>>>>>>>>>>> hands
>>>>>>>>>>>> opposed
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> as if playing a clarinet."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "No standard Braille writer can do this," said Professor
>>>>>>>>>>>> Charbel
>>>>>>>> Farhat,
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> chair of the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department and
>>>>>>>>>>>> executive
>>>>>>>>>>>> director
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> of the summer program. "This is a real step forward for the
>>>>>>>>>>>> blind."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> SHOWING OFF
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> In a demo, Duran donned a blindfold and readied himself before
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> touchscreen. He typed out an email address and a simple subject
>>>>>>>>>>>> line.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Then
>>>>>>>>>>>> he typed one of the best-known mathematical formulas in the
>>>>>>>>>>>> world,
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Burgers
>>>>>>>>>>>> Equation<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgers%27_equation>,
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>>> followed with the chemical equation for
>>>>>>>>>>>> photosynthesis<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis> -
>>>>>>>>>>>> complex
>>>>>>>>>>>> stuff - all as if writing a note to his mother.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> For Duran, who has an uncle who is blind, the greatest joy was
>>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>> seeing
>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> blind person using his creation for the first time. "That was
>>>>>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>>>>>> awesome,"
>>>>>>>>>>>> he said. "I can't describe the feeling. It was the best."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> In the immediate future, there are technical and legal hurdles
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> address,
>>>>>>>>>>>> but someday, perhaps soon, the blind and visually impaired may
>>>>>>>>>>>> find
>>>>>>>>>>>> themselves with a more cost-effective Braille writer that is
>>>>>>>>>>>> both
>>>>>>>>>>>> portable
>>>>>>>>>>>> and blessed with greater functionality than any device that
>>>>>>>>>>>> went
>>>>>>>> before.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> "AHPCRC is an excellent model for outreach, which not only
>>>>>>>>>>>> trains
>>>>>>>>>>>> undergraduate students in computational sciences but also
>>>>>>>>>>>> exposes
>>>>>>>>>>>> students
>>>>>>>>>>>> to real-world research applications," said Raju Namburu, the
>>>>>>>> cooperative
>>>>>>>>>>>> agreement manager for AHPCRC.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The center addresses the Army's most difficult scientific and
>>>>>>>> engineering
>>>>>>>>>>>> challenges using high-performance computing. Stanford
>>>>>>>>>>>> University
>>>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> AHPCRC lead organization with oversight from the Army Research
>>>>>>>>>>>> Laboratory.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> As for his summer courses, Farhat is optimistic. "Let's
>>>>>>>>>>>> remember,"
>>>>>>>>>>>> he
>>>>>>>>>>>> points
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> out, "This was a two-month summer project that evolved because
>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> few
>>>>>>>>>>>> smart
>>>>>>>>>>>> people asked some good questions. I'm always amazed by what the
>>>>>>>> students
>>>>>>>>>>>> accomplish in these courses, but this was something special.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Each
>>>>>>>>>>>> year
>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>>>>> seems to get better and more impressive."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Andrew Myers is associate director of communications for the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Stanford
>>>>>>>>>>>> School
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> of Engineering.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Video
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Watch: Stanford Course Yields Touchscreen Braille
>>>>>>>>>>>> Writer<https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100361023253469>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Thursday, October 6, 2011
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>> nabs-l:
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>>>>>>>> om
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>> nabs-l:
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>> nabs-l:
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Kaiti
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Kaiti
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Kaiti