[Nfbf-l] Fw: [Accessible Devices] Press Release: GW Micro Introduces The First Stand Alone Video Magnifier That Can Read Text Aloud

Wed Mar 16 23:30:36 UTC 2011

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Accessible Devices" <parker2745 at accessible-devices.com>
To: "Accessible Devices List" <a-d at accessible-devices.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 7:23 PM
Subject: [Accessible Devices] Press Release: GW Micro Introduces The First 
Stand Alone Video Magnifier That Can Read Text Aloud


> This is all the information we have on this.
> GW Micro is proud to announce a major innovation in low vision technology. 
> The Orabis
> and the Vocatex are the first HD video magnifiers (also known as CCTVs) 
> that recognize
> text and read it back to you - all without a computer.
> Low vision consumers have long been plagued with eye fatigue derived from 
> having
> to read everything on their CCTV screen. In fact, many consumers of video 
> magnifiers
> are only able to read for a very short period of time.  The Orabis and 
> Vocatex distributed
> by GW Micro now solve the problems CCTV users have had for decades by 
> reading the
> magnified text out loud and eliminating the need to stare at the screen 
> for long
> periods of time.
> "Before the Orabis and the Vocatex, it was very difficult to read printed 
> material
> on a CCTV for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time," said Jeremy Curry, 
> Director
> of Training for GW Micro. Curry suffers from Cone Dystrophy, a retinal 
> degenerative
> eye condition. "For someone with an eye condition similar to mine, such as 
> Macular
> Degeneration or other eye diseases that cause low vision, the Orabis and 
> the Vocatex
> are miracle machines. I can now put printed text under the CCTV, press a 
> button,
> sit back and let the machine read to me." In addition to speaking the 
> text, a focus
> rectangle follows each word as it is spoken making it simple for a low 
> vision consumer
> to see exactly where they are in the document. There are no special modes 
> to go in
> and out of. The image a low vision consumer sees is exactly how the text 
> appears
> to a sighted person.
> The Orabis and the Vocatex do not require a computer. They consist of the 
> CCTV with
> a monitor mounted on top. The Vocatex was first released in Belgium on 
> October 2,
> 2009, making it the world's first talking CCTV that shows the magnified 
> image and
> reads at the same time. Both units were created by KOBA Vision, a Belgium 
> firm who
> has been providing high-end low vision solutions for over 25 years. "We 
> are extremely
> happy to have GW Micro as our North American distributor," said Bart 
> Peremans, Director
> of Sales and Marketing for KOBA Vision. "We believe the Orabis and the 
> Vocatex provide
> the best possible solution for our low vision customers. The Vocatex has 
> been extremely
> successful throughout Europe, and we are very excited to bring it to North 
> America."
> "This is a technology revolution in the world of low vision," said Dan 
> Weirich, Vice
> President of Sales and Marketing for GW Micro. "It's amazing that a person 
> who is
> legally blind can use this simple machine to read printed material just by 
> pressing
> a button and having the machine instantly read to them."
> The Vocatex was the first talking video magnifier created by KOBA Vision. 
> The patented
> technology was then used to create the Orabis. The Orabis boasts many of 
> the same
> features of the Vocatex, and is the entry-level unit in the new series. 
> The Orabis
> provides HD video, and comes with a large 22-inch widescreen monitor with 
> a minimum
> magnification of 2x and includes 22 different languages and has 32 
> high-quality human-sounding
> voices from Nuance.
> For low vision consumers who need a larger monitor, they can step up to 
> the Vocatex,
> which comes with a 26, 32, or 37-inch monitor.  The Vocatex comes in two 
> models:
> the Vocatex and Vocatex Plus. Both Vocatex models are HD, and the Vocatex 
> Plus comes
> with multiple languages (just like the Orabis), the ability to move by 
> sentence with
> speech, a lower magnification starting point, and many more options.
> If you would like to check our YouTube video that showcases these 
> innovative new
> products, please visit:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYcfVG4SxOk
> .
> For pricing, specifications, and other information, call GW Micro at (260) 
> 489-3671,
> email GW Micro at
> sales at gwmicro.com
> , or check out GW Micro on the web at www.gwmicro.com.
> GW Micro has been a trusted pioneer in the adaptive technology industry 
> since 1990,
> and continues to lead with innovative, customer driven solutions.
> KOBA Vision is a Belgium-based company that provides high-end solutions to 
> customers
> with low vision, and continues to lead the industry in low vision 
> innovation.
> Contact:
> Dan Weirich, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
> dan at gwmicro.com
> (260) 489-3671
>
>
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