Named the ‘FingerReader’,
the 3D-printed device is equipped with a tiny camera that can scan text, and a
synthesised voice will read the words aloud. The device is worn around the
user’s finger like a ring, and can be used to read items such as books,
restaurant menus, formal documents, maps, and anything on a computer screen.
An audio reading device to give the vision impaired cheap and easy access to printed words is being developed by scientists in the US.
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Image: AP Photo Stephan Savoia
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Developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) in the US ,
the device allows users to simply point their finger at the text they want to
read. According to Rodrique Ngowi at Phys.org, the
FingerReader has special software installed that tracks the user’s finger
movements, identifies the written words and processes the information. It also
has vibration motors that let the users know if their fingers are straying from
the written text.
Ngowi
at Phys.org spoke to Jerry Berrier, a man who was born blind and now
works for a government program in the US that distributes technology to help
low-income people who have lost their sight and hearing. Berrier said that he hadn't come across any other devices like this that could read printed words in
real time. "Everywhere we go, for folks who are sighted, there are things
that inform us about the products that we are about to interact with. I wanna
be able to interact with those same products, regardless of how I have to do
it,” said Berrier.
According to a member of the team, Roy Shilkrot from the MIT
Media Lab, the FingerReader would not replace Braille, but would be available
for all the reading materials the visually impaired will encounter in their
daily lives that aren’t available in Braille.
The team is now working to get the device through testing so
it’s ready for market, and they’re hoping to also get it working on smartphones.
Via : sciencealert
Source : Phys.org
