Ok. a topic for others to join in and share their thinking as to
possible uses for a newly developing technology.
In response to Peter's question, Alex, you opened my mind with
your answer regarding Google's Android smart-phone technology and
its use with a burgenning form of new Technology impacting the
blind. I used mPower to locate on the web the HTTP URL
describing the Toshiba supported company called Sensing. Indeed
the use of haptics (whatever that means) plus ticsals sounds like
breakthrough technology for braille readers and non-readers and
even the general public. But the question not answered on the
site is, How? Alex, have you heard of any specific applications,
such as elimination of the braille keyboard as we know it? Or
perhaps easier use of the microwave, washing machine, tv and
other flat screen panels which currently are a pain for the
blind?
But get this. There seems to be other space-age uses on the way?
These are my own speculations. Perhaps I'm off base. But maybe
some of you can elaborate or speculate further. Here are my
thoughts.
Multi-use ticsals, ticsals and more ticsals? Just down the pike,
we may see Home use beach-ball size world globes for teaching by
tactal applications blind children and adults alike the actual
quote unquote "look" of this world of ours. Such a world globe
could likewise be made standard fare built in as a flat screen on
every blind student's desk. Literally, the entire top of the
desk could be used to tactically and verbally depict the five
continents, all oceans, the ever-changing middle East, and
perhaps the capability of zooming in on the specifics of any one
country for descriptions of geography, population, culture, and
climate? Science, mathmatics, composition, music, engineering,
even the arts could be more fully and dynamically taught much the
same way. What a boon for improving teacher student interaction
or capability for students as well as adults doing research
throughout a lifetime of learning.
Am I just dreaming here? Or are we about to enter a world of
ticsals, ticsals and more ticsals!
David
Beyond Vision
Nashville, TN 615-385-0784
www.davidmeador.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Alex Hall <[email protected]
To: peter greco <[email protected]
Date sent: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 07:45:42 -0400
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] explain android technology in simple
terms?
Android is an operating system designed by Google. It started
out as
being for smartphones only, but has now been expanded (as of 3.0)
to
include tablets as well. It is open-source, meaning that anyone
can
look at all the source code and create their own versions of it
if
they want to. This is what cell phone manufacturers do; they
write
custom modifications to Android to put on the phones they make.
The Orion has its own customized version of Android, one modified
for
braille input/output and other features (like working on the
hardware
used by the Orion). It is not a tablet at all; it is more like a
voice-only braille pda (18 cell display version is also
available). A
tablet refers to a device, usually with a screen size between 5
and 10
inches, that has a touch screen and normally has no keyboard.
Examples
include the iPad, Galaxy Tab, Playbook, and more. A braille
tablet is
currently impossible to produce, in the normal sense of the word
'tablet', because there would be little advantage to building in
a
display and keyboard; at that point, you basically have a larger
device that happens to have a touch screen, so you have removed
the
advantages of the tablet (light, portable, touch screen only).
This
all could change if and when the new haptics come out, from
http://www.senseg.com and others, and we have the ability for
touch
screens to display graphics and braille in real-time with no more
need
for expensive refreshable displays.
On 4/4/11, peter greco <[email protected]> wrote:
Can someone please explain android technology in simple terms
and
how it either does or doesn't relate to say the Apex?
It's been mentioned in context of what the Orion may be? It, the
Orion isn't a notetaker, but a braille tablet?
Any explanations would be great!
Peter
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Have a great day,
Alex (msg sent from GMail website)
[email protected]; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap
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