[Nfbf-l] Will we be saying: BYE BYE to BRAILLE! THIS FINGER READER RING CAN READ BOOKS TO THE BLIND

[Judith Hamilton]

Some parts of this article seem to be reminiscent of the Opticon;only audible. To make it financially affordable for those who could utilize it, it would have to be universally designed to appeal to anyone.
Judy


-----Original Message-----
>From: Alan Dicey <adicey at bellsouth.net>
>Sent: May 3, 2014 1:50 PM
>To: NFB Florida List Group <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
>Subject: [Nfbf-l] Will we be saying: BYE BYE to BRAILLE! THIS FINGER READER	RING CAN READ BOOKS TO THE BLIND
>
>Dear Friends,
>I can hardly believe this!
>Well, that is wrong, I take it back!
>I can believe anything concerning Technology these days!
>Simply incredible the times we are living in.
>Things are well, just happening so fast!
>As soon as one technology is developed, something else comes along.
>With Best Regards,
>God Bless,
>Alan
>Plantation, Florida
>
>Researchers from MIT Media Labs are developing a wearable device that can 
>read out printed text using a synthesized voice, helping the sight-impaired 
>read books without the use of Braille.
>
>Called the FingerReader, the ring-like device has a mounted camera for 
>scanning text. Audio feedback comes in the form of a robot voice that sounds 
>like it has a speech impediment. However, according to the research team's 
>website, the device is "just a research prototype at this point," so audio 
>feedback would be fixed if and when it becomes available to the mass market.
>
>To help the sight-impaired read text more efficiently, the device has cues 
>or "haptic feedback" to help blind readers maintain a straight scanning 
>motion with their finger. It gives out a vibration signal when their finger 
>veers away from the line of text, and does the same thing when they've 
>reached the end and the start of every line of text.
>
> The device can't read the fine print in your contracts, but it can detect 
>12-point printed text, which is ubiquitous enough when it comes to printed 
>text. In an interview with TechCrunch, Roy Shilkrot, one of the researchers 
>for the project, hopes that the device will help more than the visually 
>impared. He said that the device is for people with "disability, ability, 
>and superability" and hinted that it could be used to translate languages.
>
>http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fingerreader-h...
>
>The team behind the FingerReader is said to be looking into miniaturization 
>and features such as tethering to a PC or smartphone. If you want to see the 
>device in action, check out the demo video below.
>
>http://vimeo.com/86912300#at=31
> 
>
>
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