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GOOD NEWS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Assistive technology for the blind and visually impaired

It has been estimated that there are around 625,000 to 900,000 blind people in the United States. The 20 percent of them who are completely blind are the main targets for reading machines.

The blind deserve to have a quality existence just like anyone else. They need devices for their homes and offices. With the help of assistive technology the visually impaired have not been ignored in this age of movable technology. There is a clever little device that can function on voice instructions, take remarks as well as read them. Such useful devices store the text for supplementary use as well. Such equipment is predicted to be more commonly used as a result of American regulations. It is expected that most managers of 25 or more employees will be required to make special accommodations for the disabilities of employees, which may require purchasing of large quantity of these devices by companies as well as by individuals.

Gone are the days when the blind and visually impaired felt hopeless and did not participate in day to day regular activities. Thanks to technological advancement, reading machines and computers for the blind are available.

Modern science and technology have developed many new and great aids for blind people. With extraordinary input and output devices and programs, computers facilitate blind people to more efficiently utilize the devices that would otherwise be unreachable to them.

Computers for the blind can assist such community enjoy new opportunities for instruction, employment, social communication, and leisure. Also, reading machines for blind populace are now reaching more persons who need them as both costs and sizes continues to minimize. These machines, which bring into play the voice synthesizers, home computers and other tools, facilitate the visually impaired build up a greater self-determination by translating transcript into speech. For instance, the SpeakEasy device is a modern aid for the blind and visually impaired. It delivers simple and spontaneous right of entry to information. Planned specifically for the blind and visually impaired, the SpeakEasy facilitates its users to understand typed papers, news, e-mail, audio books, information bank, phrase book, climate predictions, and much more. The system is supplied with a built in e-mail account, several news newspaper sources, and radio demonstrations. Information is instantaneously read out in high volume to the user.

In addition to making portable devices efforts have been put to help those who already have a personal computer, which can be transformed into a desktop reading arrangement that makes humanlike voices. Such computers have the ability of storing text for later repossession. Because these arrangements do not consist of a computer, the cost is usually lesser than for detached systems.

Therefore, now is the time for the blinds to stand up and show their creativity, effectiveness and grace. With the help of computers and other devices, they can contribute hugely to a business organization or an educational institute.