BRAILLE ACCESS TO OFF-THE-SHELF
TECHNOLOGY WITH WIRELESS BLUETOOTH(r)
Presenter(s)
Dipl.-Ing. Siegfried Kipke
Handy Tech Elektronik GmbH
BrunnenstraRe 10
Horb 72160 Germany
Day phone: +49 7451 5546-0
Fax: +49 7451 5546-67
Email: info@handytech.de
Making
of-the-shelf technology accessible helps to improve the lives of blind and
visual impaired. It is important that the latest generation of technology is
accessible for people with handicaps. Special solutions for blind and visual
impaired like dedicated notetakers with dedicated software are always soon out
dated.
We believe
making off-the-shelf technology accessible for blind and visual impaired helps
to provide them with the latest improvements. Separating assistive technology
like a Braille display from off-the-shelf technology is needed since they have
so different life cycles. Since a Braille display is a high investment it needs
to be used for about 7 years or longer. On the other side off-the-shelf
technology, like a mobile phone, is typically chan9ed once a year. So if a
mobile phone or other components are built into a Braille notetaker, the user
will soon end up with an out dated device, using standard interfaces to
off-the-shelf technology opens up new possibilities.
Bluetooth(r)
technology is the world leading standard for wireless connection. Most mobile
assistance like PDA5 and mobile phones offer Bluetooth(r) as wireless
interface. The latest screen reading solutions are providing access by speech
output and Braille to different platforms of mobile assistance. For Braille
access a Braille display with build in Braille keyboard is needed, equipped
with Bluetooth(r) technology.
Accessing
Mobile Phones for the Blind and visual Impaired
For mobile phones, the most popular solution to provide access for blind and
visual impaired is the Talks software from scansoft. The Talks software is
operating on symbian based mobile phones. Handy Tech offers with Talks &
Braille additional Braille access to this mobile phones. All needed is a
portable Braille system with built-in Bluetooth(r) interface which is available
for products like Braillino, Braille Wave and Braille Star.
The
different Braille devices are displaying the content of the mobile phone
display in Braille. Here a user can select computer Braille or grade 2.
Handy Tech
Braille systems also allow to enter text. The built-in Braille keyboard can be
used for writing text messages (SMS) and entering commands wireless. So it is
possible to keep the mobile phone in the pocket and control all its
functionality from the Braille system. A headset can be used for the audio
channel.
In
combination with a mobile phone, Talk&Braille offers:
* Caller ID detection
* use and modification of the phone book
* checkin9 provider and battery status
* Announcing keys
* SMS and E-Mail reading and writing
* Writing notes
* Using the scheduler
Universal
Access
Talks & Braille is a screen reader software for the symbian operating
system. Being able to use standard applications is a huge advantage of the
screen reader. One can benefit from the vast functionality of professional
software components. For a few dollars programs like a dictionary which can be
used with Talks & Braille without modification can be bought. Talks &
Braille is available in different languages such as German, English French,
Spanish and much more.
Bluetooth(r),
the Wireless Connection
Bluetooth(r) allows to use a mobile phone within a range of 10 meters without
annoying cables. This makes it possible to leave the mobile phone in the pocket
and write e-mails or text messages (sMs) everywhere and listen discreet to the
speech output with a headset which can also be used for making phone calls.
Speech
Output
The Eloquence speech output converts displayed text into natural sounding
speech. Speed, pitch and loudness can be adjusted. The built-in speaker of the
mobile phone or a headset can be used.
Braille
support
The Braille support allows Braille output as well as Braille entry on a Braille
system to control the mobile phone. This includes functions like:
* Grade two support
* selectable Braille tables
* Quick entry mode
* Cursorrouting
* Block marking functions
* Navigation functions
Talks
settings
Talks offers a lot of parameters that can be set individually for the users
need.
The settings for the speech output allow to adjust volume, speed, pitch and
much
more. With the Braille settings you can choose and activate grade 2, change the
Braille table, select 6 dot Braille and more.
Talks & Braille Phones
Various mobile phones ’running on symbian operating system, so-called series 60
phones, are working with Talks & Braille. These are for example Nokia 3230,
3650, 3660, 6260, 6600, 6630, 6670, 6680, 6681,7610, N-Gage, N-Gage QD, Siemens
sXl and Panasonic X700.
These
mobile phones are equipped with wireless Bluetooth used by Talk&Braille to
connect them to a Handy Tech Braille system.
As mobile
phones with organizer function, so-called series 80 phones are available. Nokia
Communicator 9300, 9500 and 9210i.
Accessing
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
Popular PDAS like the iPAQ from HP or the Pocket LOOX from Siemens are using
the windows Mobil for Pocket PC (windows cE) operating system. Two screen
reading solutions supporting Handy Tech Braille systems are shown at the CSUN.
One is Pocket HAL from Dolphin, the other is
Both screen
readers provide access for the blind and visual impaired to windows Mobil PDA5.
it is possible to use software applications via a windows based mobile PDA,
including Pocket word(r), Pocket Excel(r), Pocket Outlook(r) and Pocket
Internet Explorer(r).
To be able
to turn a PDA into a powerful tool for the blind users, we have to look at the
usability aspects. A standard PDA does neither have a Qwerty keyboard nor a
number pad like a mobile phone. So it is needed to connect an input device like
a keyboard or a Braille display with the PDA to make it accessible for a blind
user. Handy Tech has worked to improve the usability. Functions like automatic
pairing or re-pairin9 of the Bluetooth(r) interface or the automatic
reconnection, if the Braille display was outside the 10 m range and needs to be
reconnected, are helping to make of-the-shelf technology better usable.
Conclusion
Making off-the-shelf technology accessible opens new possibilities for blind
and visual impaired. Separating the assistive technology from the off-the-shelf
technology is needed since they have so different live spans. screen reading
solutions for mobile phones and PDA5 provide access in speech and Braille. The
usability aspect, like automatic start up, are important for the every day use.
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