[Nfbv-announce] KNFB Reader as a freely included app on the BrailleNote Touch.

[John Bailey]

KNFB Reader as a freely included app on the BrailleNote Touch.

HumanWare Partners with KNFB Reader, LLC and National Federation of the Blind

Longueuil, Quebec, and Baltimore, Maryland (July 25, 2016): Nearly every blind person encounters print material on a daily basis—whether it is a paper handout in a classroom or meeting, inaccessible content on a screen, or personal mail. In the past such situations would require the blind person to ask for assistance and, often, to wait for that assistance. The launch of KNFB Reader for smartphones forever changed the significance of receiving an inaccessible piece of paper. Now a blind user can simply snap a picture using their smartphone and have the print read to the user in seconds.

HumanWare, KNFB Reader, LLC (KNFB), and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) have taken instant access to print content even further. Both HumanWare and NFB have always been primary advocates of Braille literacy and share the belief that Braille literacy is directly related to success in employment. Building from this belief, along with a desire to empower blind people with a tool that can turn print into Braille in seconds, HumanWare, KNFB, and the NFB have partnered together to offer the KNFB Reader as a freely included app on the BrailleNote Touch.

“Someone once told me they dreamt of a world where all print material could instantly be replaced with Braille. Today, with this partnership, we are making that dream a reality,” said Greg Stilson, HumanWare’s Product Manager of Blindness Products.

This March HumanWare launched the BrailleNote Touch, the most powerful Braille productivity tool ever built. The first and only Google-certified Braille tablet, the BrailleNote Touch combines the efficiency and simplicity of a traditional Braille notetaker with the power and open mainstream apps of an Android tablet. Equipped with a customized touch surface or optional Braille keyboard, a built-in Braille display, and an 8-megapixel camera, the combination of the BrailleNote Touch and the KNFB Reader is a natural marriage.

“As an organization that strives every day to raise expectations for the blind, the National Federation of the Blind applauds the work HumanWare and Google have done to create an innovative product that breaks down the traditional barriers using assistive technology. It was only fitting to empower this technology with the best print recognition tool, and we are excited that BrailleNote Touch users will immediately have access to the KNFB Reader,” said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind.

HumanWare is aiming to include KNFB Reader in a free BrailleNote Touch update this September. All existing BrailleNote Touch users will receive a notification on their device when this update becomes available and can initiate the wireless update immediately.

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For over 25 years, HumanWare’s inspirational vision has resulted in a range of highly intuitive and intelligent solutions that empower people who are blind or with low vision by giving them the independence to participate effectively within a sighted world. From advanced Braille products and electronic magnifiers to digital talking book players and beyond, our tools help end-users to live independently and compete effectively in today’s world.

For more information about HumanWare and the BrailleNote Touch, please visit: www.humanware.com.

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, please visit: www.nfb.org.

To learn more about the KNFB Reader, please visit:  http://www.knfbreader.com.


National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street
at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
United States
(410) 659-9314 


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org