[Reader-users] KNFB Reader and Digital Displays

Mon Nov 20 21:54:10 CST 2006

Hello Mark and listers,

    Thanks for the feedback on this matter. Another possible approach would
be accessing digital read-outs of devices of this kind via a program such as
HAL from Home Automated Living that is designed to permit medical and other
laboratory equipment to be controlled and their read-outs accessed via a PC
or the telephone. Better still would be for the information to be entered
directly in to a dog's record for example. This would make for more
sufficient use of the employee's time as well as freeing her from bringing
technology of this kind in to the kennel environment where one's hands are
bound to get dirty if you know what I mean. Sophisticated adaptive
technology and environments such as a dog kennel don't exactly mix. This is
an area to be further investigated as we strive to encourage blind youth and
adults to enter STEM careers where access to laboratory and medical
equipment and the information they produce must be accessed by the blind
employee via the Kurzweil NFB Reader or a more practical means.

Peter Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "MARK FELIZ" <felizfamily5 at msn.com>
To: <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] KNFB Reader and Digital Displays

Hello Mr. Donahue:

A short time ago I heard Dr. Maurer report that, in fact, the K-NFB Reader
could read certain LED displays. This is not a consistent application of the
Reader however. It seems that it would be more cost effective for your
friend to acquire a digital scale with voice output. I know they exist for
people scales; I would venture to guess the same is true for animal scales.

I do believe that it won't be long before the K-NFB Reader will be able to
read many more types of print media.

Mark Feliz

>From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
>Reply-To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users
>list<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users
>list"<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>CC: Leisa Sekhon <lsekhon at guidedogs.com>
>Subject: [Reader-users] KNFB Reader and Digital Displays
>Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:51:49 -0600
>
>Hello Jim and listers,
>
>     In your message to Kevin you mentioned that new features are being
>added
>to the reader to permit it to read more forms of printed text. Does This
>include the digital read-outs of digital displays such as LCD devices? One
>useful application would be the ability to read the information displayed
>on
>your stereo or home theater system's digital display. This issue came up
>during a discussion with a blind Canine Welfare Technician at guide dogs
>for
>the blind. One of her duties involves weighing dogs and puppies under her
>care. While she's able to place the dog on the scale which displays the
>weight via a digital display she is unable to read the display. Right now a
>sighted kennel person reads the weight for her to record in the dog's
>record. I suggested to her trying the KNFB reader to see if it could read
>the scale read-out. I suggested that if she can get access to a KNFB reader
>she should try reading the scale's display and look at other possible uses
>for the reader on her job making the case for GDB or her state's vocational
>rehabilitation agency to purchase the reader for her. I'd be interested to
>hear what kind of successes folks have had with the reader reading
>information on digital displays and will pass these on to Leisa. Talk to
>you
>later.
>
>Peter Donahue
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Gashel, James" <JGashel at NFB.ORG>
>To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list"
><reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>Cc: <jgashel at NFB.ORG>
>Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 7:53 AM
>Subject: Re: [Reader-users] knfb reader hardware
>
>
>Hi Kevin and all:
>
>Thank you for your comments and suggestions about expanding
>functionality of the Reader.  Although the camera and PDA we use in the
>Reader are separate, off the shelf components, each of these components
>was chosen because of its unique qualities to perform the functions of
>this particular product.  They were not chosen because of their
>excellent qualities as either a digital camera or a PDA or for any other
>reason whatsoever.  The goal we set out to achieve from the very
>beginning was to create a reading device and develop it to perform as
>many reading functions as possible.
>
>As you probably know, we conducted an extensive beta test prior to
>releasing the Reader for sale.  The question of enabling certain PDA
>functions was definitely discussed by participants across the country.
>Nothing is cast in stone on this, but the prevailing view has been that
>we should remain true to the original mission of creating and developing
>the reading machine, rather than devoting development effort to expand
>functionality of this device to do things already achievable by other
>technology.
>
>While it is certainly true that we are using a digital camera as part of
>the Reader, we are not using the camera to perform the typical function
>of taking pictures of objects.  In fact, we are using the camera in its
>remote mode and not in its normal picture taking mode.  Likewise, we are
>only using the PDA to perform the function of a computer needed to run
>the software for the Reader.  We are not using the PDA as a PDA.  Your
>comments about a combination product are helpful, but this explains our
>current thinking.
>
>Also, we are sensitive to the concerns of some that this product needs
>to be as simple and straight forward as it possibly can be.  Adding new
>features and functionality is definitely desireable, but this will also
>add more complexity.  For example, we are presently working on changes
>to add new features, but these are aimed at reading different kinds of
>printed things which the Reader does not now read.  This responds to the
>prevailing demand and our mission to continue to develop this product as
>a reader first, rather than letting our focus drift into creating a
>multifunctional information device.
>
>Thanks, J. G.
>
>******************************************
>
>James Gashel
>Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives
>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>1800 Johnson Street
>Baltimore, Maryland  21230
>Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2227
>Fax:  (410) 685-5653
>Email:  jgashel at nfb.org
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org
>[mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Jones
>Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:13 PM
>To: reader-users at nfbnet.org
>Subject: [Reader-users] knfb reader hardware
>
>Someone wrote on this list they talked to tech support about what the
>reader was made of, wonder what they learned. Here's what I learned, and
>I have the newer version of the hardware. The camera is a canon
>powershot sd20. It sells for about $250 has auto focus but no zoom, 5
>mega-pixels.
>The pda for th ereader is the loox 560n from Fujitsu-siemens, a very
>nice pocket pc. The pcocessor runs at 624mhz which is the fastest
>processor for a pocket pc to date. The ppc also has built-in gps, too
>bad we can't use it. They picked this model because out of all the
>pocket pcs only those by Fujitsu have usb host, all the rest only have
>usb client. The other interesting thing is Fujitsu doesn't even sell any
>of their pocket pc line in north America, you can only buy them in
>Europe and Asia.
>   The ppc sells for about $700. I would love if the knfb reader could
>co-exist with a screen reader like mobile speak pocket, so you could
>both use the pda, and use th ereader even if that decision was made
>during a soft reset.
>Kevin
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