[gui-talk] Fwd: firm to show off device at WhiteHouse

[Steve Pattison]

 From:    Susan Thompson susan at sthompson.net
 To:      VIP-L vip-l at freelists.org

WL firm to show off device at White House
Creation lets blind 'see' scientific data By MAX SHOWALTER • 
mshowalter at jconline.com • September 26, 2010
>>
Last week, Purdue University President France Córdova was at the 
White House for a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden.
This week, representatives from Independence Science LLC, a Purdue 
Research Park company from West Lafayette, will be in the same 
building.
"I've never been in the White House before. It's quite an honor," 
said Independence Science founder and president Cary Supalo.
Supalo and Mick Isaacson, the company's director of research and 
development, will demonstrate the Talking LabQuest, a device that 
analyzes and collects data and uses a text-to-speech software 
component that makes the information displayed on its screen audible.
"It's like they designed it for me," said Supalo, a blind chemist who 
wants his startup company to produce and market educational products 
that can be sold to schools for use by blind and low-vision students.
"My No. 1 goal is to make the Barack Obama administration aware of 
what we're doing and how people can become scientists and STEM 
(science, technology, engineering and
math)
educated. If they'd give
us contacts -- it would be nice to have a White House connection."
On Monday, representatives of Independence Science will be meeting 
with Kareem Dale, associate director of the White House Office of 
Public Engagement and special assistant to the president for 
disability policy, and Jessie DeAro, senior policy analyst in the 
Office of Science and Technology.
"I think it's an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate what 
we've been developing -- the technologies -- and how to promote the 
mission of Independence Science,"
said Isaacson. "This is a
great opportunity ... to increase awareness of what we're doing. 
People are not aware of the problem."
Using a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, 
Independence Science has collaborated with Vernier Software & 
Technology and the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue to 
create Talking LabQuest.
The device can collect and store scientific data such as acceleration 
and pH level and provide a more hands-on STEM education.
"It eliminates the need for a personal computer. It has a speaker and 
headphone jack," Supalo said.
"I said, 'Let's make the LabQuest have a text-to-speech capability.'
"It's liberating for under-represented blind people. They can go out 
and be with their fellow students. The products Independence Science 
is designing are cutting edge.
We want to stimulate job
growth in central Indiana and keep some Purdue students here."
>>
ARTICLE SOURCE
>>
http://www.jconline.com/article/20100926/BUSINESS/9260343

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