[Nfb-announce] MIT Seeks Input about Braille Labeler

[Zach]

See original message for responses

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Amy Ruell" <aruell at nbp.org> (by way of David 
Andrews<dandrews at visi.com>)
>To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:04:31 -0500
>Subject: [Nfb-announce] MIT Seeks Input about Braille Labeler

>I have been asked to circulate the following:


>-----Original Message-----
>From: <mailto:karina.pikhart at gmail.com>karina.pikhart at gmail.com
>[mailto:karina.pikhart at gmail.com] On Behalf Of Karina Pikhart
>Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 11:36 AM
>Subject: [2.009] Braille labeler product survey

>Dear Customer,

>We are the senior mechanical engineering design team at MIT 
working
>on designing and building a brand new Braille labeler.  We need 
the
>help of people like
>you to design the best product possible for the blind and 
visually
>impaired.  We would be so grateful if you could reply to this 
email
>with your own answers
>to the questions listed below at your earliest convenience.  The
>results will be assessed anonymously; your confidentiality is
>certainly our priority.

>Additionally, for those of you living in the Boston area, please 
keep
>your calendar open for this Saturday morning for a one hour focus
>group during which
>e will present some basic models and give you the opportunity to 
test
>them out and give us feedback.  Details of time and location will 
be emailed out
>shortly.  Please let your friends know about this event; we want 
to
>have as many blind and visually impaired people there as possible 
to
>help us design
>the best product that we can.

>Thank you so much! Please continue reading for our survey 
questions.

>1.  How much vision do you have? When did you lose your vision?
Answer: none; I actually never had vision
>2.  What is your age? (teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, etc.)
I am a teenager
>3.  Do you own a 3M label maker?
My parents (and my school) own a braille labeler, however I am 
not sure the type
>4.  What have you used your 3M label maker to label?
Homework assignments, sometimes those small yoghurt containers
>5.  Approximately how many letters can you type in 10 seconds on 
your 3M label maker?
I believe about 5 letters/10 seconds, which can be reduced to 1 
letter /2 sec
>6.  If you label disposable items, such as canned foods, can you 
>describe how you do it? Do you adhere the label to the can and 
>dispose of it when you throw >away the can? Or do you have a 
system for reusing your labels? Can >you describe it? If you 
reuse your labels, is it to save money, to >save the time of 
>making a new label, or is there another reason?
Take for example the yoghurt container described above.  If I 
were to have a blueberry yoghurt, I would press B on the labeler.  
I do not reuse my letters because I can make more.
>7.  When you use your 3M label maker, do you usually make 
multiple >labels in one sitting, or do you use it each time you 
need just one label?
I use it each time I need it
>8.  Do you ever have a need to make multiple lines of label? Is 
it challenging to make two labels and line one up below the next 
while >placing them?
I have only made one-line labels at this time
>9.  Is there any part of the labeling process for which you 
prefer or >require help from a sighted friend? (Identifying items 
to be labeled, >creating the labels, trimming the labels, peeling 
the labels, sticking the labels, etc.)
Sometimes I have trouble peeling the labels, depending on the 
labeler
>10.  Do you carry your 3M label maker with you? To work? To the 
grocery store? If your 3M label maker were small and light 
enough, >would you carry it with you to label things right away 
as you purchased them?
I usually do not carry my labeler with me because I use it at 
home and there is one at school as well
>11.  Would you purchase a label maker that required batteries to 
operate?
It's possible, depending upon how much I would use it; right now 
no
>12.  What other things do you have to do besides simply embossing 
the >braille in order to prepare a label? (How often do you have 
to buy >replacement tape?
>Do you have to trim the label? Peel the backing? Anything else?)
>Please elaborate on anything that is tricky or inconvenient, or 
that >might sometimes cause >a mistake so that you have to remake 
the label.
I usually do not have any trouble with the labeling process 
except for the peeling
>13.  Do you own any technology for which you would say that the 
>buttons are too small?
No, however I own and am composing this message on a BrailleNote 
Mpower from Humanware
>14.  Do you own a brailler or a Braille note? Which do you have, 
and >how long have you had one? Approximately how many letters 
per second >can you type in >10 seconds on your brailler or 
Braille note?
I have both a perkins and a braillenote, and I can type about 10 
letters / 10 seconds.  Sighted people think I am pretty good, 
actually
>15.  How much would you be willing to spend for a label maker 
that >used dymo tape, had a 6-button interface like a brailler or 
a Braillenote, and was smaller >than the 3M label maker?
If I were independent (grown up and gone, per say) maybe $25 or 
$30
>Thank you so much for your time! Please forward this on to any
>friends who may be able to help, and have them reply to me, 
Karina Pikhart, at
><mailto:kpikhart at mit.edu>kpikhart at mit.edu
>..  Any questions about the nature of our project or of this 
survey may
>also be addressed to me.

>Thanks again!
>Karina Pikhart
>2009 Blue Team


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