What’s the Problem?
Vision impairment is defined as having 20/40 or worse vision in the better eye even with eyeglasses. Even people with the slightest vision impairment can experience challenges in their daily activities such as being able to obtain a driver’s license.
Approximately 78,000 Canadians are estimated to develop vision impairment within the next year, in addition to the already staggering statistic of 600,000 Canadians already living with vision impairment. This is significantly higher than a common age-related side affect - Alzheimer’s, at an estimated 300,000 cases amongst Canadians.
These numbers are even more staggering in the US and around the world, and are expected to triple in the next 25 years.
You Don’t Have to Wear Shades
You know the adage – an ounce of prevention…Well, this is somewhat true so don’t be too alarmed. The CNIB’s website has lots of information and prevention management strategies to help keep the future looking brighter. However, for those individual’s already dealing with vision impairment, a new way of seeing has been developed.
In January of this year, Nokia announced kReader Mobile as the American winner of the “Calling All Innovators” competition.
The kReader Mobile software from knfb Reading Technology Inc. (www.KNFBReader.com) makes it possible for an individual to access everyday printed material on their mobile phone. By simply snapping a picture of any printed material - such as a book, restaurant menu, receipt, handout at a meeting, or even a dollar bill - the mobile phone’s text-to-speech functionality will read the material out loud to the user. The mobile’s software can also convert the image to editable text that can be translated into 16 different languages, emailed, or be put into a search engine.
In the Spotlight
As the America’s regional award winner for “Calling All Innovators” this comes with worldwide recognition for Nokia and for CEO of knfb Reading Technology Inc., Ray Kurzweil. As a thirty-year innovator in assistive technology and inventor of the first print-to-speech machine, it is a life’s vision coming true.
“We have been very gratified to be able to help thousands of blind and reading impaired individuals to read all of the print in the world around them from their cell phone,” says Kurzweil. “And we are excited by this recognition from the leading cell phone company as we hope to bring our ‘snap and translate’ and ‘snap and search’ capabilities to every cell phone user.”
Further citations come from Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind.
"No other device in the history of technology has provided such portability and quick access to print materials. The NFB promotes equal opportunity for the blind, and this Reader will make blind people dramatically more independent. The result will be better performance at work, at school, at home, and everywhere else we go. This Reader will substantially improve the quality of life for the growing number of blind people and people who are losing vision, including seniors."
The Fine Print
The knfb Mobile Reader, using the Nokia N82 cell phone running the Symbian operating system with its integrated high-resolution camera, is the first truly pocket-sized reader.
Knfb’s Mobile Reader products are easily activated and ready to use with the touch of a single button. With the screen reader active, the user can then access all other functions of the cell phone including making and receiving phone calls, personal information management, GPS programs, field of view analysis, voice recording, music playing and more.
The Nokia phone itself costs about $500 or so. However, the software itself costs a whopping $1,595!