Experimental accessibility search engine by google

Kurzweil NFB Reading Inc. is now offering a portable reading device. It utilizes a digital camera along with a personal desk assistant running optical character recognition software. For more information on this product you can visit:

The KNFB Reading Inc. home page

GW Micro the company that brings us the Window-eyes Screen Reader is now marketing a personal desk assistant called the Smalltalk. It utilizes a 1 gigahertz Crusoe microprocessor (which causes very low current drain, thus long battery life). It features WIFI Blue Tooth technology and USB ports. Not surprisingly it comes with the Window-eyes screen reader. For more information you can visit:

The GW Micro home page

One more comment on a Gw Micro product. I have successfully used the Firefox 1.5 web browser under Windows XP Professional with Window-eyes 5.5. Thus, blind users of Windows are no longer limited to just Internet Explorer. Thanks go to not only Gw Micro but to the developers at Mozilla who incorporated the accessibility controls into Firefox. I have not yet thoroughly tested Thunderbird their email client but it seems to be at least somewhat accessible.

Freedom Scientific continues to release accessories for their Pac Mate which is a Windows-based talking personal desk assistant. Accessories include, Destinator GPS which is a talking gps solution. Also, offered is Daisy Reader for reading the new digital talking book format and Scantalk for "speaking" barcodes. For additional information you can visit the Freedom Scientific home page:

The Freedom Scientific Home page

c.a.technology of Jensen Beach, Florida released what they refer to as the portable reading device or P2RD. THis device was formerly referred to as the "new Optacon". The machine enables the blind to access printed material without the need of a separate computer, reading machine software and a scanner. Instead of using a scanner this device utilizes a digital camera. The standard camera provides 4 million pixels, which enables the OCR software to perform with a high degree of accuracy. To find out more about the P2RD:

go to the CA Technology page

Access Solutions recently released a new Dectalk synthesizer that can operate using a USB as well as a standard serial port. For more information you can visit:

the Access Slutions home page

Corda Technologies demonstrated its products for making charts and maps accessible:     PopChart All PopChart products generate and deliver dynamic charts/graphics and descriptive text compliant with the accessibility standards to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act by providing access for blind and low vision web users.  Using patented technology, PopChart automatically generates text describing the charts/graphs as they are requested from the database.  With the D-link, the descriptive text can be read using a screen reader. As the database is updated, the charts/graphs and the text are automatically updated as a function of PopChart. There is no requirement for additional text input.

New Product for Maps
A new product, name to be determined, automatically generates text describing the maps as they are requested from the database.  It is to be released in the first quarter of 2004. Corda is looking for beta testers.

Here is a technical tip that will hopefully be of some help. Many blind users are having good luck with converting previously inaccessible pdf files containing pictures of text, into tiff images and then converting the images back into text using Kurzweil 1000 version 6.0.

Verbal View of Windows XP, written by Peter Duran, is a comprehensive tutorial designed for beginner and intermediate users. The braille edition, over 900 braille pages, is transcribed by Hotkey Systems in the Computer Braille Code, and the audio edition, 10 tone-indexed 2-track tapes with album, is recorded by the Cutter Corporation, a leader in audio > production for the blind. This tutorial (500+ print pages with 37 > chapters) is screen reader independent. Every chapter has a chapter > summary for quick reference and has a keyboard summary when applicable. >

A complete table of contents is available by email upon request. Place "Table of Contents for Windows XP" in the subject line of an email message and send that message to comments@wyfiwyg.com.

> Prices: Braille Edition $120; Audio Edition $95; email edition $55; reseller, dealer and distributor quantity discounts available Call toll free 877-993-4994 with questions or to order; all major credit cards are accepted.

A new service that allows blind users and others with reading disabilities to share books has been set up. This is permitted in the United States because of revisions to copyright law passed in 1996. People from other countries should be familiar with their copyright law before attempting to use this site. You can access their page by going to:

The bookshare home page

Window-Eyes Professional which supports WINDOWS 95, 98, ME, XP and 2000 has been released. In addition upgrades to Window-Eyes standard version 2.4 are now available. For more information on either of these new products you can visit:

the GWMicro home page

Kurzweil Education Systems Inc. is once again an independent company. Former KESI employees who continued to work for Lernout and Hauspie, have re-purchased the company. For information on KESI products including the Kurzweil 1000 and 3000 reading machines go to the

the Kurzweil home page

The Federal Communications Commission has announced the availability of the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). TRS is intended to aid you in talking with friends who are deaf or have trouble speaking. For more information about this exciting free service follow the link below

Consumers' Guide to the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

Many blind computer users are abandoning the world of the graphical user interface and are instead, returning to an operating system that uses plain text. But its not MS-DOS this time.

Read about the efforts to make Linux accessible.

In recent years, the trend has been for implementors to introduce increasingly graphical computer languages that are for the most part, inaccessible to the visually impaired programmer. Now, comes rebol, a very high-level scripting language that clearly bucks the trend. Instead of using graphics, and object orientation rebol stresses natural language and context sensitivity. The reason it is being mentioned here is that it is text oriented and easy to learn. It supports many internet-specific features, such as the ability to easily retrieve web pages and send email. We have tested rebol and it works well under WINDOWS with the WINDOW-EYES and the Jaws for Windows screen readers. The linux version works flawlessly when using the Speakup screen reading package.

Winvision 97 version 5.0 release

Envision America has developed a voice module and an associated bar code reader that allows users to record and associate voice messages with a particular bar code. This permits people who are blind to independently identify most consumer products once its bar code is known. For more information click on the link below:

the Envision America web site

If you are a NOAA employee, you can help by letting us know of any late-breaking news in assistive technology. Please send e-mail to:

james.wantz@noaa.gov

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This page was last updated on: November 1, 2006.
This page was last reviewed on November 1, 2006.