[nfbwatlk] U.S. Department of Education Announces New App to Identify U.S. Currency, ED.Gov, October 9, 2012

[Walt Cone]

Mike,

This ap is for the later version of android phones.  For that platform it is a good thing..



Sent from my iPhonew

On Oct 9, 2012, at 8:54 PM, "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:

> It's good there's an Android app out there now. However, if the new app is
> anything like EyeNote for the iPhone, LookTel MoneyReader for the iPhone
> works far better.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbwatlk [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Nightingale, Noel
> Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2012 1:38 PM
> To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org; rehab at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfbwatlk] U.S. Department of Education Announces New App to
> Identify U.S. Currency, ED.Gov, October 9, 2012
> 
> 
> Link:
> http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-new-
> app-identify-us-currency
> 
> Text:
> U.S. Department of Education Announces New App to Identify U.S. Currency
> U.S. Treasurer Applauds Department of Education's Accessibility Effort
> October 9, 2012
> 
> Contact:
> Timothy Muzzio, Education Department, (202) 245-7458 Darlene Anderson,
> Treasury, (202) 874-2229
> 
> 
> The U.S. Department of Education announced today the launch of the "IDEAL
> Currency Identifier," a free downloadable application (app) to assist
> individuals who are blind or visually impaired to denominate U.S. currency
> on some mobile devices.
> The IDEAL Currency Identifier was developed by IDEAL Group, IQ Engines, and
> the Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) at the
> Georgia Institute of Technology through a grant from the Department of
> Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
> (NIDRR), a component of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
> Services. NIDRR is the primary U.S. government agency focused on disability
> and rehabilitation research. Its mission is to generate research knowledge
> and assistive technologies while promoting their effective use in improving
> the abilities and opportunities of individuals with disabilities in
> performing activities of their choice in the community. The initiative
> supports the Department of Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP)
> in its mandate to provide increased access to U.S. currency for persons who
> are blind and visually impaired.
> Dr. Charlie Lakin, the Director of NIDRR, issued the following statement:
> "Through our dialogue with the BEP, a special opportunity emerged to fulfill
> our mission in support of persons who are blind and visually impaired. The
> IDEAL Currency Identifier uses advanced image recognition technology to read
> a note and, in a matter of seconds, provides users with an audible response
> indicating the note's denomination."
> Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios applauded the Department of
> Education's role in the app's development. "Treasury is committed to
> providing meaningful access to U.S. currency and, by using technology, we
> can help hundreds of thousands of individuals who are blind or visually
> impaired. Our collaboration with the Department of Education allowed us to
> be resourceful and, in turn, more individuals will have the means to
> independently denominate the U.S. currency they use in daily commerce."
> The app, which interacts with Google's "Eyes-Free" applications, can be
> downloaded for free on more than 1,250 different wireless devices. The IDEAL
> Currency Identifier was developed by Apps4Android, Inc., a subsidiary of
> IDEAL Group that develops mobile applications. Android-based devices are
> produced by 48 manufacturers and distributed by 60 wireless service
> providers in 136 countries.
> This new app is one of several measures the government is developing to
> assist people with vision impairments to denominate currency. In April 2011,
> the BEP introduced EyeNote(r), a similar currency reading mobile app. There
> have been more than 8,000 free downloads of the EyeNote(r) app since its
> introduction.
> In May 2011, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner approved three measures to
> provide accessibility to U.S. currency for those who are blind or visually
> impaired. These measures include implementing a Currency Reader Program to
> distribute a currency reader device to blind and visually impaired U.S.
> citizens; continuing to add large high-contrast numerals and different
> background colors to redesigned currency the BEP may lawfully change; and
> adding a raised tactile feature to U.S. currency unique to each U.S. Federal
> Reserve note that BEP may lawfully change, which would provide users with a
> means of identifying each denomination via touch. For more information about
> the IDEAL Currency Identifier and other accessibility apps, please visit
> www.moneyfactory.gov<http://www.moneyfactory.gov/>.
> 
> 
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