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

[Jim Ellsworth]

Hi everyone,

The only question I have is why didn't they just use the already existing
technology which is the iBill currency identifier?  Not only would it help
the blind but it also helps those who are deaf and blind.

Anyway, just my thought.

Thanks,
Jim Ellsworth

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Alan Dicey via
Nfbf-l
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 7:39 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Thousands of 'Currency Readers' in the Pipeline for the
Blind

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.


_______________________________________________
Nfbf-l mailing list
Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Nfbf-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/jellsworth1%40tampabay.r
r.com