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Seeing-Eye Computer Guides Blind
sushant_bhatia writes "Wired News has a story about seeing-eye computer guides for the blind. This is an interesting piece on efforts at Arizona State University and Wright State University to provide features for individuals who are blind. A very interesting project is called the iCare Reader, which allows any individual who is blind to read a normal library book through this product, which 'uses optical character-recognition software along with other software that compensates for different lighting conditions and orientations of the text.' Further details on this can be found at The Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing (Cubic)."
which allows any individual who is blind to read a normal library book through this product,
This is wrong for two reasons. First, this only helps blind people who can hear. Yes, that's most of them, but not 'any' individual.
Second, you are wrong that this allows a blind person to read a book. This allows a book to be read to a blind person. These are two different situations. Some Braille advocacy groups have participated in and helped publish studies showing that books on tape are processed differently that literature that is read. Those who read have better comprehension and retention of both the text, and provide better analysis of the subtext.
Being read to is not a substitute for being able to read. Teach a man to fish and all of that. Nifty technology, but the submitter and author of the linked article present it as something it isn't.
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
There's actually a really good explanation for this. It actually keeps costs down to have braille on the drive-though ATMs. If braille is on every ATM the only difference between a drive-through ATM and an ATM that you can walk to is where it's located. Since only one model is needed to do everything, costs go down. It really is that simple.
Two things
1) Pedestrians are not allowed to use the drive through cash machine, blind or otherwise, for safty reasons. If you were blind would you want to wander where the cars go? Know of any fast food places that take orders for fast food without a car? Would your drive up teller do business with a pedestrian?
2) I've noticed that while they have put brail on drive up cash machines... none of the ones *I* know about have any sorta voice ability. As in a blind man can use one, know where the buttons are, but isn't going to know the first menu is 3rd button for english, 5th for spanish. Let alone the menu after you hit withdraw is asking for the hot buttons for the ammount of cash, or the last right one for other ammount, is this correct, do you want a rescript.
I have walked a few blind people through the process, well until the bank manager yelled at us for being pedestrians in the drive through lane. Each of the people I helped decided just to use the debit at the local supermarket. Far less dangerious.
I'm all for brail being standard on these machines. I'm all for rectroactivly putting brail stickers on the machines. However expeding blind people to just use the drive through lane is a touch silly!
There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
I must say I actualy only been in the computerfield cause I think its fun geek stuff..
But..
When getting real about all this, this is the best news I ever heard. This is precisely what computers should be used for. And it happens cause you and me are so stupid that we buy those silly computer and webcams we do not need, for alot more money then they worth. If you and me wouldnt be so dumb, they wouldnt become mainstream, and if they didnt this stuff wouldnt be invented.
This is the greatest computer use I heard for a long time. I realy hope it works well.
The other thing is really obvious... Just becuase it is a drive up ATM, it doesn't mean that the driver is the one using the ATM. I've had my friend drive to my bank while I was in the back seat and went ahead and used the drive through ATM from there.
A blind person could do the same if someone drove them there. It allows them to use the machine without assistance.
I think your reading comprehension skills are taking a hit at this late hour. You should go to bed.