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<DIV>here is a new print to braille reader <FONT
style='face: "Times' New roman?><B>IInstant Braille translator can fit in your
hand </B></FONT>Instant Braille translator can fit in your hand - CNET</DIV>
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<P>An all-woman team of six engineering undergraduate students at MIT has
created an inexpensive, hand-held device prototype that provides real-time
translation of printed text to Braille -- which could greatly increase
accessibility of written materials for the blind.</P>
<P><A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.teamtactile.com_&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=uwQe0k5qzWXs3ST1IoZD4ckIjvHDST10qLte-7zO-LM&e="'
target=_blank>Team Tactile</A> was one of the winners of the <A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lemelson.mit.edu_winners_chen-2Dwang-2Dchandani-2Ddoshi-2Dgrace-2Dli-2Djessica-2Dshi-2Dcharlene-2Dxia-2Dtania-2Dyu&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=0oqKjDkHBPU6PfK4scB68HtELapUVhLr9lpoAOoRsWw&e="'
target=_blank>Lemelson-MIT Student Prize</A> this year for their creation,
which translates printed text into the raised-dot language. </P>
<P>Here's how it works: The device has an internal camera that takes photos of
the printed text, which is then converted into digital text using optical
character recognition software. Next, the text is translated into Braille, and
a mechanical system raises and lowers pins on the surface of the Tactile that
form the characters to be read by one's fingertips. </P>
<P>Though the current version is limited in the number of characters it can
translate and display, the team hopes to make the device capable of scanning
an entire page at a time and displaying two lines of text at once.</P>
<P>Credit: Team Tactile</P>
<P>In a world of audiobooks and text-to-audio technology, why is Braille still
important? Though audio systems are easier to use, <A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.smithsonianmag.com_innovation_device-2Dtranslates-2Dtext-2Dbraille-2Dreal-2Dtime-2D180963171_&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=2Z1z6bTjaPG10hnCCKzl6_ndOZo7bGCF65PCQc7-xx0&e="'
target=_blank>they don't instill the same understanding of language as a
written system like Braille does</A>. Studies have shown that Braille literacy
significantly improves employment opportunities for the blind -- but right
now, <A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__nfb.org_images_nfb_documents_pdf_braille-5Fliteracy-5Freport-5Fweb.pdf&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=T9XCeDYQg9FuMNPNRiGryH7LuSqqIlH1SmwT_6gk8bc&e="'
target=_blank>less than 10% of blind Americans can read it</A>.</P>
<P>Part of the problem is that creating Braille texts is costly, greatly
limiting choices for the visually impaired. The Tactile device has the
potential to open up entire libraries of books to the blind. And while there
are products on the market that translate <EM>digital</EM> texts to Braille,
there are some drawbacks. Not all documents are available electronically.
Also, these devices are very expensive and are designed to work with laptops
and computers, making them less than portable. Team Tactile hopes to make
their handheld translator available for less than $200. </P>
<P>The six women -- Chen Wang, Chandani Doshi, Grace Li, Jessica Shi, Charlene
Xia and Tania Yu -- met freshman year at MIT. The original Tactile was the
result of a hackathon they entered <A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ipoef.org_-3Fp-3D2522&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=UjNVcwchpPW2lLKa61gWwPP3AC34jmO6Ns2K6qqSQKU&e="'
target=_blank>"as a team of friends just for fun."</A> </P>
<P>Now, they're receiving patent help and mentorship through Microsoft's #<A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__blogs.msdn.microsoft.com_microsoftimagine_2016_09_29_team-2Dtactile-2Dtakes-2Dtheir-2Dinvention-2Dto-2Dthe-2Dpatent-2Doffice-2Dand-2Dbeyond_&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=Sz4gIv0CY-gpGV8yNtpWMJhNADnr2FrZ5zYSZQDEq4A&e="'
target=_blank>MakeWhat'sNext</A>, a program that encourages talented women who
are creating technology for positive change. Though all six team members are
graduating this year, they hope to continue working on the Tactile -- and
their larger ambition: to <A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lemelson.mit.edu_winners_chen-2Dwang-2Dchandani-2Ddoshi-2Dgrace-2Dli-2Djessica-2Dshi-2Dcharlene-2Dxia-2Dtania-2Dyu&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=0oqKjDkHBPU6PfK4scB68HtELapUVhLr9lpoAOoRsWw&e="'
target=_blank>"improve the world, one innovative solution at a
time."</A> </P>
<P> </P>
<DIV>ATTENTION THIS IS A DISCLAIMER </DIV>
<DIV>I Mr Lester take any responsibility for any miss
spelled words or any miss leading comments </DIV>
<DIV>sent out as received </DIV>
<P> </P>
<P><A
style='href: "https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__feedproxy.google.com_-7Er_cnet_tcoc_-7E3_vbjFt0dccic_&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=RX-3YZR_xN9QVb-MVnudSUwaYTurUGRdCZwZ11hyJDQ&m=_xyIZCoClvd2Y3TFBPOTGi-wPh560JQTXbKvFB9aEmQ&s=SnWftIZ3Ajv-lDdc0mMVnlKrKKgtZy2kqTD0S_QYuKQ&e="'>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/vbjFt0dccic/</A></P></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ">from the desk of Mr lester cameron
<BR>remember life is what it is <BR>it is what you do with it that matters
<BR>do all you can with it <BR>I do that each day of my life <BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial'; COLOR: #000000">from the desk
of Mr lester cameron <BR>remember life is what it is <BR>it is what you do with
it that matters <BR>do all you can with it <BR>I do that each day of my life
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