[Nfb-science] firm to show off device at WhiteHouse

[Steve Pattison]

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Last week, Purdue University President France Córdova was at the
White House for a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden.
This week, representatives from Independence Science LLC, a Purdue
Research Park company from West Lafayette, will be in the same
building.
"I've never been in the White House before. It's quite an honor,"
said Independence Science founder and president Cary Supalo.
Supalo and Mick Isaacson, the company's director of research and
development, will demonstrate the Talking LabQuest, a device that
analyzes and collects data and uses a text-to-speech software
component that makes the information displayed on its screen audible.
"It's like they designed it for me," said Supalo, a blind chemist who
wants his startup company to produce and market educational products
that can be sold to schools for use by blind and low-vision students.
"My No. 1 goal is to make the Barack Obama administration aware of
what we're doing and how people can become scientists and STEM
(science, technology, engineering and
math)
educated. If they'd give
us contacts -- it would be nice to have a White House connection."
On Monday, representatives of Independence Science will be meeting
with Kareem Dale, associate director of the White House Office of
Public Engagement and special assistant to the president for
disability policy, and Jessie DeAro, senior policy analyst in the
Office of Science and Technology.
"I think it's an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate what
we've been developing -- the technologies -- and how to promote the
mission of Independence Science,"
said Isaacson. "This is a
great opportunity ... to increase awareness of what we're doing.
People are not aware of the problem."
Using a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation,
Independence Science has collaborated with Vernier Software &
Technology and the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue to
create Talking LabQuest.
The device can collect and store scientific data such as acceleration
and pH level and provide a more hands-on STEM education.
"It eliminates the need for a personal computer. It has a speaker and
headphone jack," Supalo said.
"I said, 'Let's make the LabQuest have a text-to-speech capability.'
"It's liberating for under-represented blind people. They can go out
and be with their fellow students. The products Independence Science
is designing are cutting edge.
We want to stimulate job
growth in central Indiana and keep some Purdue students here."
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ARTICLE SOURCE
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http://www.jconline.com/article/20100926/BUSINESS/9260343