Professor's device to empower the visually-challenged TNN | Mar 19, 2012, 01.59AM IST
AHMEDABAD: Their inability to see had been limiting the visually-impaired people from foraying into the world of chemistry. Central University of Gujarat at Gandhinagar, however, unfolds new horizons for these differently-abled people, by inventing a device that mimics chemical properties in sounds. The device called 'Visionmeter' has been invented by a professor at the School of Chemical Sciences at Central University, Man Singh. When a certain chemical is poured into a jar that is provided with the device, a tiny pump sucks up an assigned amount of the liquid and fills it into a testing tube. Until the filling process is completed, the device keeps emitting a high pitch sound. Singh said that the time taken for filling up the same amount of liquid varies according to the properties of the liquid. The visually-challenged people can note down the duration of the sound and analyze the properties of different samples of liquids. Singh said, "If the user wants to test the purity of water, he can note down the duration of the sound for the purest sample of water. After that, he can repeat the testing process for the next liquid. If the duration sound in the next test is longer, that means the second sample has impurities in it. It is based on the understanding that liquids with impurities are more viscous and take longer time to flow through a pump. This is called 'viscous flow time'." The device can also access other parameters like pH value, optical density, and conductance and so on. The device uses various sensors and other means like laser beams to measure these properties. "The device could be used by the visually challenged to study chemistry as well as get employment in laboratories," said Singh. It was in the mid 80s when Singh, who was a research student in chemistry, saw a group of visually-impaired children walking by the road and almost got run by a bus. "That day I promised to use my knowledge to help the visually-impaired people," said Singh. Vice-chancellor at the Central University of Gujarat, R K Kale, said, "The device is aimed to empower the visually- challenged persons. Its price, however, is very high at the moment. We are looking for subsidies and other means to make it available at cheaper prices so that it can reach to the masses." The device cost around Rs10 Lakhs per piece at the moment. A Vadodara based company called Analab is manufacturing the device at the moment. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Professors-device-to-empower-the-visually-challenged/articleshow/12321907.cms Vikas Kapoor, MSN Id: [email protected], Yahoo&Skype Id: dl_vikas, Mobile: (+91) 9891098137. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
