[nfbwatlk] The ecane

[Mike Sivill]

How funny. I'm so sure this cane can really bring you to a restroom and tell
you whether it's men's or women's. Maybe it'll even flush the toilet and dry
your hands for you.
Mike S

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of KAYE KIPP
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 5:13 PM
To: Multiple recipients of NFBnet nfb of washington talk Mailing List
Subject: [nfbwatlk] The ecane

THE eCANE





An innovative new Assistive Technology called the eCane

is anticipated in the market based on a patent that has just been announced.

It uses a combination of old and new technologies to produce a smart cane 
for people who are blind or deaf and blind (deafblind). It provides 
communications and navigation on numerous levels. Moreover the eCane is not 
limited by the restrictions that GPS units have by not being able to 
function indoors or near tall buildings.



Navigation



The device can tell a blind person if a specific object is in the immediate

area. For example, if a person is in a hotel lobby, the eCane can tell the 
user if there is an elevator, or a restroom in the immediate area. After 
receiving a command, the cane will guide the person to an elevator or 
restroom, and in the case of the restroom tell if it is a men's, women's, or

coed restroom. An important feature of the eCane is the ability to correct 
any deviations in the course towards a destination.



Communication for and with Deafblind Users



One of the most exciting aspects of the eCane is its communications

capability. This capability is enabled by an innovative use of both old and 
new technology. Using the eCane a person who is both deaf and blind can 
communicate with others regardless of whether they are deaf or hearing. The 
person who is deafblind would know what the hearing person says and the 
hearing person will hear a voice that says what the deafblind person has 
said by communicating it to the eCane. The person who is deafblind 
communicates by keying into the eCane what they want to say by using Morse 
code. The cane translates the response from the hearing person into Morse 
code and vibrates the code to the deafblind user.



The eCane uses voice recognition technology to translate the response from 
the hearing user into Morse code. Using the eCane a deafblind person can now

have a conversation with a hearing person without having to rely on an 
interpreter to do finger spelling in the palm or his or her hand.



About the inventor



Dr. Ron Liebermann, the inventor of the electronic cane is the president of

Signtel Inc., the makers of the acclaimed Signtel Interpreter that was 
developed with a team that included over100 deaf employees of Signtel. Among

his many inventions, he holds patents for the Telephone for the Deaf, which 
allows communication between hearing and deaf persons, without utilizing the

relay service, The Fast Cash Transactions (FCT) -

the forefather of the mobile electronic banking system and a TV for persons 
who are both deaf and blind.



Ron Liebermann has a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Oxford,

England. He was an associate professor of physics at the Federal University 
in Brazil and later moved to Yale University where he worked on the Hubble 
Telescope. His social contributions predate his work on behalf of deaf, 
blind and deaf-blind persons, volunteering time in his community. He created

the New Haven Police Stress Unit and later the New Haven Police Hostage 
Negotiations Team together with former Chief Bill Farrell, for which he 
received a letter of commendation from the Board of Police Commissioners and

also an award from the City of New Haven.  Dr. Liebermann also headed a 
successful startup company in

telecommunications.



Dr. Liebermann is the first to acknowledge that in order to stay focused, 
yet

bring the eCane product to market he needs to team up with others and says 
he'd welcome any interest from seasoned entrepreneurs, business people and 
companies to usher such products to market. Dr. Liebermann can be reached at

Signtel 203-248-0600 or via the Contact Us form at Signtel's web site 
(www.signtelinc.com).


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