A talking pda for the blind

[Linley Meslier]

The pda is capable of reading printed materials, convert its readings into audio for its owner to listen through a headphone jack.

• Combining a state-of-the-art digital camera with a powerful personal data assistant, the "camera that talks" puts the best available character recognition software together with text-to-speech conversion technology--all in a single, handheld device.

• The Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader has the ability to dramatically enhance the lives of millions of people who have difficulty seeing or reading print by providing access like never before.

• Users need only hold the Reader over print-a restaurant menu, an airline ticket, a business card, a school assignment, an office memo-and in seconds they hear the contents of the printed document played back in clear synthetic speech.

• The National Federation of the Blind helped fund the development and production of the Reader and helped plan and design it, especially with respect to the user interface. As many as 500 NFB "Pioneers" have tested and influenced the design of the Reader. Read more...

[Bob Russell]

This looks like a very exciting development. I don't have a feel what sort of thing would work for the blind, but on the surface it really looks wonderful. I think $3,500 means that it has to really work! Then imagine if cell phone miniature cameras continue to improve in quality, and the whole thing can be smaller and cheaper. Very exciting to think how it really might be able to revolutionize lives.

[sian]

now this is very good news for both myself and my partner. please let us know about any more things that talk.