[Nfbf-l] Thousands of 'Currency Readers' in the Pipeline for the Blind

[Alan Dicey]

Thousands of 'Currency Readers' in the Pipeline for the Blind
By Anne L. Kim Posted at 4:31 p.m. on June 11
While a $1 bill means something entirely different than a $100 bill, they 
might not feel too different to the visually impaired. The government is 
ready to do something about that challenge, though.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing expects to distribute between 100,000 
and 500,000 "currency readers" to the blind and others who are visually 
impaired, says Larry R. Felix, director of the bureau in written testimony 
for a House Financial Services Committee hearing today.

In a report last year, the Government Accountability Office described the 
gizmos as "portable electronic devices capable of speaking the denomination 
of a bill out loud."

The effort is part of a response by the Treasury Department to a court 
ruling several years ago that directed the department to provide the blind 
and visually impaired with meaningful access to currency.
"We plan to launch a pilot program this summer and roll the program out 
nationally in 2015. The project plan is under joint development and will be 
operated by the BEP an the LOC/NLS," Felix said in his statement. LOC/NLS is 
the Library of Congress' service for the blind and physically handicapped. 
Felix said the office helped to develop the readers.