kReader is a text-to-speech combined camera and cell phone device that scans and reads printed materials aloud to blind, low vision, and individuals with reading disability like Dyslexia. kReader is in the format of a cell phone with text-to-speech conversion technology and is a portable, pocket size handheld device provides its users with instant real-time access to printed materials. The device is made by knfbReading Technology and Kurzweil Technologies both companies are leaders in creating assistive technology for disable individuals, “knfbReading Technology, Inc. is a joint venture between Kurzweil Technologies, headed by CEO Ray Kurzweil, a thirty-year innovator and pioneer in assistive technologies and the inventor of the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind; and the National Federation of the Blind, the largest, most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States.”
kReader is a major advancement in print access for individuals with low vision and learning disabilities like Dyslexia; it provides its users with freedom to access by providing immediate and accurate access to printed materials through speech. From their cell phone, users can have immediate access to real time printed materials sure as restaurant menus, Newspapers, textbooks, maps, and simple everyday printed materials that most people don’t think twice about. kReader is able to read in several different languages and is able to translate between languages all while reading aloud.
kReader is a great device for all blind, low vision and learning disable individuals but it is especially useful for disabled students of all academic levels, and background. This device allows students to be independent by allow them to independently gain real-time access to printed materials needed for learning. With these device students no longer have to wait for RFB&D materials to arrive in the mail or for printed materials to be scanned, converted, edited and emailed to them which can take weeks for school support offices to process. kReader evens makes class notes more accessible to students with kReader, students can just request to take a snap shoot at a classmate’s class notes and instantly have the notes read back to them.
Grade schools and colleges around the world are now using kReader to help students become more independent. Most school purchase several of the device and loan them out to students to use in the classroom, library, service learning or anywhere students thinks the device might assist them in gaining some independence. Many schools are seeing a decrease for note-taking request, and in office scanning and editing because of kReader.
kReader is a great technology to any disable individual who would like to have real-time access to printed materials without the help of other, it is a great device that can help blind, low vision and learning disabled individuals take back control of their lives.
Sources:
http://www.knfbreader.com/index.php
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I think this is a fantastic idea. When i first read this article I thought it was about a cell phone application that read aloud text messages. Although this does have its benefits, that service has been available on many cell phones for quite some time. After reading this article in its entierity I learned it was about a product much more useful than that. I cannot image going through day to day challenges without the use of my vision. Even going to class would drastically different and far more challenging. I can only assume this product is a life saver, making constantly difficult tasks just a bit easier can make all the difference. This product appears to do just that.
ReplyDeleteI also think this is a great idea and I think it's amazing that there's a device that can now read for you. However, I do see some dangers to this. I can't help but wonder if people, specifically children, will become discouraged about learning how to read since they know that there is technology that can do it for them. Perhaps there should be some requirement in order to be able to obtain a kReader so that they are not readily available to just anyone that wants one. What I find hard to believe is that it can read back handwriting. I'm sure there are some limitations to this feature since some handwriting is even illegible to the human eye. However, if the kReader really can do this, I am throughly amazed!
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