Wow--I want one! Oooo--I'm so envious... Ken Downey President DreamTechInteractive!
And, Coming soon, Blind Comfort! The pleasant way to get a massage--no staring, just caring. ----- Original Message ----- From: "ari" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 12:47 PM Subject: [Audyssey] Fw: [Blind] Fw: Israel-made devices get blind into gaming action > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "J volschenk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "National Accessibility Portal mailing list with topics > focusedonaccessibility for users with visual disabilities." > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 5:17 PM > Subject: [Blind] Fw: Israel-made devices get blind into gaming action > > >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Ricky Lomey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <undisclosed-recipients:> >> Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 11:31 AM >> Subject: Fw: Israel-made devices get blind into gaming action >> >> >> > >> > > Friday January 30, 2004 >> > >> > Israel-made devices get blind into gaming action >> > >> > by michele chabin >> > correspondent >> > >> > jerusalem | Two children sit in front of a monitor and >> enthusiastically >> > play a computer game called Hidden Bombs. Each player imagines himself > on >> a >> > ship being tossed by high seas, surrounded by mines. To survive, the >> players >> > must locate the mines as quickly as possible. If they make the wrong > move, >> > they are told, the mines will detonate. >> > Hidden Bombs is just like any computer game, but with a crucial >> difference: >> > It is user-friendly for both blind and sighted people. The computer > game, >> > which is part of a series of educational software programs developed by >> the >> > Israeli company Virtouch, provides a wealth of tactile and audio clues >> that >> > level the playing field for blind competitors. >> > The Jerusalem-based company specializes in educational hardware and >> software >> > for the blind and visually challenged. The mouse it invented, called >> > the >> > VTPlayer, utilizes an embedded tactile display that helps users "read" >> > information on the screen through their fingertips. In the October >> > issue >> of >> > Braille Forum, Arie Gamliel, one of the VTPlayer's blind testers, wrote >> that >> > the VRPlayer "looks almost exactly like the average computer mouse. It > has >> > two tactile displays on top, each consisting of 16 vibrating pins. >> > There >> are >> > four controls or buttons, two on each side. It includes all of the >> functions >> > of a regular Windows mouse in addition to its unique capabilities as a >> > tactical, immersive, multimedia device." >> > In his review, Gamliel, a Jerusalemite who lost his sight shortly after >> > birth, said that the device "is easy to install" on any computer. "You >> plug >> > it into a USB port, install the software and away you go. All of the > games >> > are designed from the ground up to serve a cognitive role." >> > In playing them, he said, "the child gains skills in terms of >> understanding >> > spatial relationships, tactile differentiation, a sense of relative >> > direction, comprehension of braille symbols, developing a mental > 'picture' >> > of complexity and so on." >> > Gamliel said that schools and educational facilities serving blind kids >> > "should seriously consider" purchasing the product, despite its $695 > price >> > tag. "That's much less than many common Playstations on the market," he >> > noted. >> > While Virtouch is of course a business, Arnold Roth, Virtouch's CEO, >> insists >> > that those involved in the venture have a mission above and beyond the >> > bottom line. >> > "I feel a real affinity for the products," says Roth, the father of a >> blind >> > child as well as several sighted children. "This company was founded to >> help >> > meet the needs of blind children, and we've expanded our scope to blind >> > adults as well." >> > Founded in the mid-'90s, Virtouch is the brainchild of Roman Gouzman, a >> > cognitive psychologist from the former Soviet Union. Gouzman assembled >> > a >> > team of software and hardware developers and actively sought input from >> the >> > blind, including many children. Roth says that "there is a high degree > of >> > loneliness and separation in the lives of many blind people. Our goal >> > is >> to >> > build cultural bridges" between blind and sighted children, between >> siblings >> > or schoolmates. I frankly don't know of any other solution that allows >> [the >> > blind] to be both educated and socially connected at the same time." >> > Virtouch also offers several programs to help a child learn braille, as >> well >> > as tactile maps of the United States and Europe. >> > "Many think that braille for the blind is like motherhood and apple > pie," >> > Roth says. "In fact, it's losing ground in the U.S. There is too much > easy >> > availability of audio, on the radio and via the Internet. We're in > danger >> of >> > producing a generation of illiterate blind people." >> > One entry in Virtouch's Braille Adventure Series enables players to >> "visit" >> > >> > >> > an amusement park where they must pick the correct braille symbols from > a >> > moving conveyor belt. >> > Each Braille Adventure game includes a teacher mode, which allows the >> > instructor to modify the games features to match an individual >> > student's >> > progress. >> > A soon-to-be released title called Crazy Biker is a simulation game in >> which >> > the player assumes the role of a motorcycle rider who needs to react to >> > threats and opportunities. As you explore the tactile map of the United >> > States, the pins of the mouse suddenly jump up when you touch a border. >> When >> > the mouse hits the ocean, the pins feel like little waves, rising and >> > falling. As you move to different parts of the map, the audio announces >> the >> > names of the states, allowing the user to integrate both audio and > tactile >> > clues. >> > "You feel and focus on the tactile feeling," says Gouzman. "Second, you >> > verbalize your intuitive hypothesis as to which direction you're going. >> > Third, you actively interact with the computer," something a blind > person >> > does not do when using a puzzle map, for example. Roth calls it "sadly >> > ironic" that, while numerous schools and other places serving blind >> children >> > have purchased the VTPlayer, the schools in Israel have not. >> > "Israeli government support for the blind is far behind what it is in >> other >> > countries," Roth says. "The Ministry of Education says it doesn't have > the >> > budget." >> > <br /> >> > Information on Virtouch products: <a >> > href="http://www.virtouch.com";>www.virtouch.com</a>. >> > <br /> >> > This article was first published in the New York Jewish Week. >> > >> > Copyright J, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California >> > >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Blind mailing list >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> http://lists.napsa.org.za/mailman/listinfo/blind >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.407 / Virus Database: 268.12.9/457 - Release Date: >> 2006/09/26 >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Gamers mailing list .. [email protected] > To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can > visit > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make > any subscription changes via the web. > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.8/455 - Release Date: 9/22/2006 > > _______________________________________________ Gamers mailing list .. [email protected] To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can visit http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make any subscription changes via the web.
