[access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES (and In Touch 1st August) and everything
- From: "Ian Macrae" <ian.macrae@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 11:19:53 +0100
Hi Adrian,
I've had a note from Philipa at PVS about this but was previously
unaware of it. We might do it as something separate as it seems to me
that a direct comparison with KNFB would be an apples and oranges job
given that the latter is a complete and stand-alone unit for use on the
go. But thanks for the tip-off.
________________________________
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Adrian Higginbotham
Sent: 02 August 2006 11:14
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES (and In Touch 1st August) and
everything
Ian - if looking at portable ocr solutions will you also be reviewing
the new ocr module for the magnilink cctv range which as I understand
it as well as functioning as a starndard cctv for near or distance work
can also be used by a total for ocr of any doctype. the magnilink is a
usb camera with ocr onboard so by plugging it in to our laptop you can
have audio access to any printed material. no need for ocr software on
the pc, it's in the camera. I believe the price is not dissimilar to
the nfb reader but you have the processor power of your laptop and also
the added abilities to ocr work which is further away or use the cctv
functions too.
Adrian Higginbotham
Accessibility and inclusion adviser
British Educational Communications and Technology Agency - BECTA
Tel: Direct dial 024 7679 7333 - Internal extension #2287
Email: Adrian.Higginbotham@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.becta.org.uk/
BECTA, Millburn Hill Road, Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7JJ
________________________________
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Ian Macrae
Sent: 02 August 2006 09:26
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES (and In Touch 1st August) and
everything
Ray, the current plan is that next week there'll be an overview of PDA
options including a look at the new Nano, and the week after there'll be
a look at the KNFB reader with Mervin Robertson of S&S. What with that
and last night, what were people saying about In Touch not doing enough
techy stuff?
________________________________
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Ray's Home
Sent: 02 August 2006 09:07
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES (and In Touch 1st August) and
everything
Some interesting thoughts indeed re. incorporating the KNFB software on
a mobile phone platform, though we''ll have to waite a few years for
that.
I was expecting from yesterday's post we'd hear something last night
about KNFB but we didn't. May well be I got it wrong, and, come to
think of it, I'm not sure Ian actually said it would be featured last
night, but is it coming up next week? That is, BBC confidentiality and
all that permitting.
Still, the woman at the end of the prog talking about her mobile as a
replacement for a voice mate type gadget was interesting in itself. The
Mobile as genral purpose mobility/notetaking/reading aid?
If I may be allowed to drift a little here - as I do so often -
navigation and orientation to places of interest would seem to be the
way to go. Here in Birmingham though we have what I regard as a naff
experiment, and a waiste of a good deal of money too - on an experiment
of mounting speakers on poles or lampposts and a blinky waving a
fob-like device about for the speaker to announce the presence of a
shopping centre or whatever. Is this the way forward? (Not to be
confused with the guide dog command of the same name.)
Quite how professional and highly paid people get to indulge these whims
is quite beyond me. When a friend pointed out that the speaking of info
should be attached to the person, not the environment, he was roundly
ignored for his comment. The professional way seems to be to deaf out
the blind and do what ever daft, or maybe even sensible, thing enters
your mind.
From Ray
I can be contacted off-list at:
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Ian Macrae
Just had a look at the KNFB portable reader and it's very
impressive. However, a sighted colleague has raised an interesting
point. If we have phones which can talk and which have cameras on them,
how long will it be and what would it take before they can do the same
thing at a much smaller cost? Any thoughts?
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