[accessibleimage] Re: ViewPlus Introduces Emprint

Hi Judi,

Thank you for posting the article. It gives a lot of good information. I
think this product has a great deal of potential. I only have one
problem with the article. It gives the impression that one can just take
a Word document with text and graphics and emboss it, which is true. The
problem is that they don't mention anything about how one can properly
format a braille document from within Word. They also don't mention the
fact that a visual graphic will often be incomprehensible when produced
tactually. I wish that they would talk about the need for proper braille
formatting and the need to consider how effective the graphic will be
and what one can do to improve its readability. I've seen too many
situations where a well intentioned school administrator sees something
like this and thinks that it will solve all their problems for the
students in their school who are blind or visually impaired. A tool like
the Emprint is just one tool in the low-tech and high-tech tool box for
these students and their service providers.

Much work has been done by Lucia Hasty and others to give us guidelines
and great information about the production of tactile graphics. The
ViewPlus embossers have been a big help, but they are just one of the
final production tools available to producers of tactile graphics. The
real issue is in the creation of the tactile and making sure that it
communicates the important information contained in the original
graphic.

That's just my .02 worth and I'm sure others will have various opinions,
but I think it's great to have this type of discussion on the list.  In
fact, I'm going to copy this to the AER list because I think its members
may also find this to be a useful discussion.
Ike

Ike Presley, Chair
AER Division  5 - Information and Technology

-----Original Message-----
From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Judi
Piscitello
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 8:47 AM
To: Alan.Blackburn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: ViewPlus Introduces Emprint

Hi Folks,
The article below states: "Tactile graphics, like maps and bar charts,
are printed with raised lines and color ink.  The height of raised lines
and objects is determined by their visual equivalent: the darker the
color or shade, the higher the relief in that area."
- Judi


Emprint Color Embossing
ViewPlus Introduces Emprint (TM) - New Braille Printer with Color HP
Inkjet
Tuesday May 16, 8:25 am ET

CORVALLIS, Ore., May 16 /PR Newswire/ -- ViewPlus Technologies today
announced the release of Emprint (TM), the world's first Braille printer
that embosses Braille with the equivalent color ink. The ability to
print Braille and ink in a single-pass will allow people with visual
impairments and sighted people to communicate more effectively in the
classroom and workplace.

As more Braille readers join the mainstream, the need for communication
between sighted and blind people grows. Emprint (TM) allows Braille
documents to be shared amongst sighted colleagues and teachers by
printing the corresponding ink characters above or beside the Braille.

Anything that is seen on a computer screen is printed quickly in Braille
and color ink, together or separately. People who are blind can print 
Braille for their personal use and an ink version for their sighted
colleagues. Using a single printer saves them valuable workspace and
money.

"With our limited resources and space, a printer that doubles as both a
Braille printer and typical ink printer is the perfect solution," states

Jerry Kuns, a technology coordinator at the California School for the
Blind. "More than anything I like the fact that Emprint (TM) creates
raised, color graphics usable by all our students."

People with low-vision and others who may not read Braille can also use
the tactile and ink features for better comprehension of spatial
material. Adding color to a raised image makes materials, like tactile
maps or diagrams, more engaging for low-vision and learning disabled
students. Studies have shown that a combined tactile and visual/color
interface makes a stronger connection with the brain than vision alone,
improving the learning process.

Emprint(TM) uses the familiar interface of Microsoft Office to create
Braille and ink documents that can be printed in a single pass. Braille
text can be printed in a wide variety of languages. Ink text can be
printed in any size, color or font the user chooses. Tactile graphics,
like maps and bar charts, are printed with raised lines and color ink.
The height of raised lines and objects is determined by their visual
equivalent: the darker the color or shade, the higher the relief in that
area.

The ink cartridges and paper used in the printer can be found at any
local office supply store. The types of paper can range from normal copy
paper to traditional-weight Braille paper. Emprint(TM) retails for 
US$5995 and includes: printer, ink and Braille translation software. For
more information or to purchase, contact your local ViewPlus distributor
or contact ViewPlus directly by email, sales@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
<mailto:sales@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, or call 541.754.4002.

ViewPlus Technologies, Inc. is a private firm that develops and
manufactures hardware and software for people with sensory disabilities,
including people who are blind, low-vision and learning disabled. For
more information please visit the ViewPlus website,
http://www.viewplus.com, email info@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
<mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, or call 541.754.4002. ViewPlus worked with 
Hewlett-Packard Specialty Printing Systems to incorporate color HP
Inkjet into their Tiger(r) Braille printer line. This is the second
venture into Braille and ink by ViewPlus that uses HP Inkjet cartridges
inside.

     For more information, contact:

     Cari Stieglitz
     541.760.4668
     info@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
 http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060516/phtu018.html?.v=57  





>>> Alan.Blackburn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 05/17/06 7:34 PM >>>
G'day all,
Remember also that not all blind people are totally blind. I could see a
great advantage for anyone with residual or deteriorating vision in
having both touch and sight cues from a tactile image.
Alan 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dan Comden
Sent: Thursday, 18 May 2006 5:05 AM
To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: ViewPlus Introduces Emprint


I was able to view a protoype of this technology at the conference in 
Birmingham last December.

Being able to easily combine print images and tactile output in a single

document will significantly increase the collaboration possibilities 
between blind and sighted people. It's not that the Braille is colored
-- 
it's the graphics that can be integrated with the Braille that's a cool 
idea, along with the variable height capability of the ViewPlus
products.

-*- Dan Comden                   danc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
     Access Technology Lab
http://www.washington.edu/computing/atl/ 
     University of Washington

On Wed, 17 May 2006, Ike Presley wrote:

> I think the idea is that you can get print and braille on the same
page
> and that it can display graphics in color. I don't think they intend
for
> it to print braille in color. I could be wrong, but that was the
> impression I got when I saw it at CSUN a couple of months ago.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JOHN
PANARESE
> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:44 PM
> To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: ViewPlus Introduces Emprint
>
>      I'm sorry folks, but this is something I simply do not get from
> a blind person's perspective.  Color Braille.  I know that the point
> can be made from the standpoint of educators, but based on the
> overall quality of
> Braille I have experienced from the variety of embossers, I'd
> always    have and will recommend the Index or Enabling product lines
> for Braille production.
>
> Take Care
>

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