Theo Holroyd loves nothing more than coding. But being blind stopped him until he got his hands on some new technology. Innovative pods hook together to trigger commands and create computer programs.
Students develop Device that Converts Text to Braille in Real Time
Two students from MVJ College of Engineering have developed a device called ‘bBook’ that converts text into braille in real time. Once a person with a visual impairment places the device over the text, it uses the six pins on its surface to convert the text.
Electronic Eye Mask Wants to Reverse the Effects of Excessive Screen Time
At this year’s CES, there was a variety of tech options designed to offset your electronic addiction, so can new tech devices save us from our tech addictions?
This AI Program Can Diagnose Blindness
Dr Ramasamy Kim, head of retina services at an eye hospital in southern India, and his team at the Aravind eye hospital in Madurai have examined about 15,000 images from across the country showing the interior surface of the eyeball, known as the fundus.
Russian Military Smart Glasses Helps Students
The producers of Russia’s state-of-the-art Ratnik infantry gear have released a civilian version of its combat smart glasses just for students.
“In fact, it’s a personal monitor, which can be used by both students and their teachers to display the needed data,” those behind the military eyewear said as they unveiled the gadget at an expo in Moscow.
New Line of Inclusive Cooking Utensils Include Braille
A new line of inclusive Veggie shaped cooking utensils, including a carrot spoon, celery spatula and eggplant whisk also incorporate braille to empower the blind and visually impaired to quickly identify each kitchen tool.
Google Assistant’s Interpreter Mode Now Translates 26 Languages on Your Smart Speaker
Last month at CES19 Google demonstrated a new interpreter function of the Google Assistant that lets you speak one language to the device and have it translate what you said into another. Now Google’s support page has revealed that the interpreter function is rolling out to Google Home and smart display devices, as reported by Android Police.
Google Launches Live Transcribe App for the Hearing-Impaired
The Android Accessibility team announced the Live Transcribe app for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. The app is currently being tested on the Play Store and will be pushed to all Pixel 3 users in the next update.
Sound Amplifier App Now Available for the Hearing-Impaired on Android
First mentioned at Google I/O 2018, Sound Amplifier works like a hearing aid, boosting the volume of conversations happening around you. In situations with a lot of ambient noise, the app can help you focus on quiet sounds happening near you, like someone’s voice. The level of amplification is adjustable through sliders, and the feature can be enabled through the accessibility menu on your phone.
Federation of the Blind Warns of Donation Scams
The Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB) is cautioning the public after nationwide reports of alleged grocery store scams involving people posing as non-profit officials to collect donations.