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From: "Marett, Lucia (ACS)" <Lucia.Marett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 13:44:29 -0400
Technology - LookTel: The Future of Mobile Accessibility

LookTel is a company whose aim is to sell software than can be downloaded onto 
mobile devices, making them completely accessible to the visually impaired in 
ways that are truly incredible.

The software they've designed will be tethered with camera enabled smart phones 
and features artificial sight programs used to identify objects and landmarks. 
For example, by pointing the phone's camera at a can of peas, the phone will 
speak aloud to its user, "Peas." If you move the phone to the next can which 
happens to be corn, the phone will say, "Corn." Beyond that, you can actually 
create custom labels for the software to recognize. So if you have a Tupperware 
container of salad in your fridge, you can stick a unique label onto it and 
teach the phone that that label means salad. Whenever it sees that label, it 
will say, "Salad." It can also recognize every denomination of US currency.

Another feature is that the software will be able to recognize landmarks, 
namely street signs and storefronts, to help the user navigate. It even goes so 
far as allowing the user to access assistance if they need it. By using the GPS 
imbedded in most smart phones, the user could connect to someone else, transmit 
live video of where they are, and the other person could see what the phone 
sees, as well as their location on a map, and guide them to their intended 
destination. This feature gives added comfort to those who may be able to 
navigate most places with ease, but will require help from time to time.

The software also incorporates a text-to-speech feature, allowing the user to 
take a picture of any text and listen to the phone read it back to them. Beyond 
that, it makes touch screens entirely accessible by using a different operating 
system that gives spoken feedback and relies on easy to remember pattern 
placement of common phone functions.

This is a huge step forward in accessible mobile technology that can literally 
open up the world to people with visual impairment. The software is being 
released in spring of this year as a beta test, and will most likely be 
available for purchase late this year. It will be compatible with every major 
US cell phone carrier.

To read more about the LookTel software, go to http://www.looktel.com/

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[infoshare] Hey guys! Dig this article!

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