Well, my desperate hope is that this emerging technology can be integrated into current devices, like Apple's iTouch line or other tablets and phones. At the very least, though, it could be made into a custom package from an assistive tech company like hw. Imagine a braillenote with just this e-sense display on top and a touch screen below (no graphics, just the ability to feel gestures). Display all braille, show a keyboard, show graphs, maps, and so much more... even switch from qwerty to braille input! So much is possible! I did ask hw if they were looking into this, and all they said was that they were "looking into this exciting technology". I also emailed Apple about it and just got their standard response.
On 4/4/11, David Meador <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 > >>> ___ >>> Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >>> If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >>> copy to the list as well. > >>> To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>> [email protected] >>> To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>> http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > >>-- >>Have a great day, >>Alex (msg sent from GMail website) >>[email protected]; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap > >>___ >>Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >>If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >>copy to the list as well. > >>To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>[email protected] >>To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > -- Have a great day, Alex (msg sent from GMail website) [email protected]; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. 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