FreeLists / ossrp-control / [ossrp-control] Re: So, where do you want the project to go?

["Ed Harper" <goat@xxxxxx>]

Hi folks,   I suspect I might be a bit of an odd one out on the list at the
moment.   I'm a goat farmer on Cape Clear Island off the Cork coast of
Ireland.   I also, with a lamentable lack of knowledge, project manage two
linked websites, emara.com and .org, currently largely for the Cork islands
but with ambitions but no money for expansion to other islands and coastal
communities.   I'm self-employed as a farmer and kind of employed by the
co-op that owns the websites - kind of in that there's plenty of employment
but little remuneration - so affordable screen reader software is essential
to me.   Ireland has a pretty enlightened policy of assistance for the
"Employed" with assistance with costs of assistive technology, but its a
little mnore difficult for the self-employed.    The commercial a.t.
companies seem to assume that those needing their services are working for
large public and private sector employers who will find the resources to pay
for these necessities.

Sorry that was a long introduction and my first point.

There is a UK company releasing a device called the pan opticus later this
year which may well fit many of the requirements of access to tv menus.
There is also a rumour that Sky tv are considering incorporating speech
features into their standard boxes.

Re-braille displays, and for that matter hard copy production, which may be
beyond the remit of this project, The ability to read and write in a code
which is susceptible to being produced in hard copy is very necessary to
many in the vision impaired community.   I used to teach and notes which
could be handled were both necessary, and possibly superior even to notes
which had to be visually looked at by the rest of the teaching staff.


Good luck with the work.


Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: ossrp-control-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ossrp-control-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Rick Roderick
Sent: 23 April 2005 21:06
To: ossrp-control@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ossrp-control] Re: So, where do you want the project to go?


Hi everyone,

I don't know if this is on-topic or not, but I would like to see some kind
of an interface that would allow one to access the on-screen menus on a TV.
I would also like to see some kind of technology to make it possible to use
the checkout kiosks at grocery stores or the bordering pass kiosks at
airports.  So many devices are becoming computerized but most R&D deals with
desktops and developing PDA's.  However, other needs are out there, and this
kind of research would benefit those people who may ormay not have
computers.