What I understood from the demonstration is that you have to collect the
required audio file beforehand. Suppose, you are going to Delhi. You then
download the audio tips from the net and load it on to the marker reader.
When you visit a public place in Delhi, you use the reader to read the
markers at strategic locations. If you miss the exact locations, I don't
know how it helps.
I think, such attempts might find out some better solution. It is very
useful for learning foreign words. Suppose, you are reading a dictionary. If
the dictionary is audio-labelled, you can hear the pronunciation of the word
using the marker reader.
With best regards,
Amiyo Biswas.
Cell: 9433464329
----- Original Message -----
From: "BHAWANI SHANKAR VERMA" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 7:45 AM
Subject: Re: [AI] Audio markers that read out to visually impaired
my question is: how can a blind person reach to the marker and touch it with
the said pan independently? suppose, i wish to go to the railway reservation
counter no.1 already 30 people are queued their on the counter, is it
possible for me to touch the marker fixed at the counter? i am not opposing
the development, i just want clerification.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Amiyo Biswas" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 9:04 PM
Subject: Re: [AI] Audio markers that read out to visually impaired
Hello,
I saw a demonstration of the marker reader when Professor Trivedi came to
Blind Persons' Association in Kolkata. He was then experimenting the system
on books. The idea is to put invisible markers on each line of a book. An
audio recording of the book will be loaded in the marker reader. The reader
is like a pen, slightly thicker. When you the pen touches the marker, it
reads aloud the line from its recording. It is used in China for teaching
foreign languages, professor Trivedi told me. He was then thinking of using
it for making public places accesible. the idea will be very useful for this
purpose. We just have to carry an audio marker reader to read pre-designed
signs at important locations.
Best regards,
Amiyo Biswas
Cell: 91-9433464329
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shiv" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 6:41 PM
Subject: [AI] Audio markers that read out to visually impaired
Mumbai, December 12, 2010
First Published: 01:24 IST(12/12/2010)
Last Updated: 01:25 IST(12/12/2010)
Audio markers that read out to visually impaired
It could change the way visually impaired move around their homes and in the
city.
The Industrial Design Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
(IIT-B) has designed audio markers, a system of standardised plates with an
audio code identification, which can be easily be fitted anywhere. On
placing an audio pen over these markers, the visually impaired can hear the
preset audio information.
"All environments must be barrier free. We need to evolve a standardised
system that will ensure all public places are accessible," said Professor
Kirti Trivedi, who has designed the audio markers. "These markers would
bring a great sense of independence to the visually impaired."
The markers can be fixed on CD cases and medicine bottles as well as on
house doors and office cubicles.
Having made the prototype in one month, Trivedi proposed his design as a
system for urban navigation in Vienna at Space X - an exchange forum on
information design for the visually impaired in October.
At present, though there are similar markers available abroad, in countries
like Japan, they are very expensive and their cost runs into hundreds of
dollars. Pegging his design as an affordable solution and hence easily
diffusible, Trivedi said these audio marker labels would cost around Rs10,
while the one-time investment on the audio pen will be around $15 (approx
Rs700).
Essentially, these labels are installed with an invisible code. When the MP3
audio pen equipped with an optical reader is placed on the code, the
visually impaired person can hear the audio message. For instance, at a bus
stop the label would have a bus number as the code and as the pen is placed
on the label the person would hear the bus route.
Likewise, the audio marker when placed near a monument will read out its
history. With the aim to make existing buildings user-friendly for the
visually impaired, the audio markers can be fixed as house numbers as well
as at railways stations, airports and in offices.
These labels could also be fixed on spines of Braille books. So rather than
moving his fingers through every book title in Braille, the visually
impaired person will just have to place the pen on the labels and listen to
the book.
"In order to build a more accessible environment, both at home and
externally, such a concept is definitely needed," said Sam Taraporevala,
director, Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged. "But what is
essential is that it should have a cost advantage over its readily available
counterparts, both in terms of the hand-held device and labels in order to
make it viable."
Having designed these markers, Trivedi's next step is to conduct a pilot
test to check its effectiveness. "To design a comprehensive system, we need
a dedicated web-based support system and a portal where upgrades and
downloads for different cities can be obtained," said Trivedi.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/637375.aspx
© Copyright 2010 Hindustan Times
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