October 28, 2007, 09:10:19 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

On YouTube you can now view a demonstration of the professional screen magnifier Zoomtext. This kind of video product demonstrations can highly help people understand what a screen magnifier is and how it works. If you find a video or audio presentation of any assistive technology product for the visually impaired on the Internet, please let me know.

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MP3 Player IPod Nano 4th Generation, Now Supports Spoken Menus

September 19, 2008, 05:45:19 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

The Ipod Nano 4th generation from Apple, is now accessible for the visually impaired. It now supports spoken menus and the ability to enlarge the font size.

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Lenses and Lasers: A look at the newest technology in eye care

March 03, 2005, 07:23:17 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Imagine a world without the technology of corrective lenses or surgery for people with vision problems. Its a thought that many of the 135 million American adults who wear prescription lenses, a number compiled by the eye care advocacy group Vision Council of America, do not want to contemplate.

It would affect me socially, academically and mentally, said senior Julie Park.
Everything is blurry without my contacts, and if I didnt have

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Evaluation of VoiceOver, the Macintosh Screen Reader by AccessWorld

December 17, 2008, 07:28:22 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

In early 2005, Apple introduced VoiceOver, a screen reader that is built into the Macintosh operating system. The latest release of this accessibility tool, included with Apples Mac OS X 10.5, nicknamed Leopard, features refreshable braille support, vastly improved navigation commands, and an extensive help system.

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Presentation of Dolphin Screen Reader and Screen Magnifier Software Version 10 on Internet

October 29, 2008, 02:13:07 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

During the Accessible Worlds Tek Talk online event this week, attention was focused upon how the latest update of Dolphins screen reading, screen magnification and reading and writing tools opens the world of information to those with vision loss.

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The Phone Monocle is Not Just for Cell Phones Anymore

February 13, 2006, 07:13:21 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Cell phones, home phones, Ipods, GPS and now insulin pumps. The Phone Monocle, Cell Phone Magnifier, moves into the medical device community.

Magnifics Inc. created The Phone Monocle in 2003. They designed it for magnification of cell phones and home phone display screens. The Phone Monocle was designed by two entrepreneurs, an ophthalmic surgical tech and an electrical contractor to enable persons over 40, post Lasik, seniors and vision impaired to improve the clarity and magnify their cell phone screens.

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New SAPPHIRE™ Portable Video Magnifier

September 25, 2008, 08:16:46 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Freedom Scientific today announced the new SAPPHIRE™ portable video magnifier. This new product offers features for on-the-go low vision users and is an companion to the companys current line of desktop video magnifiers, distance viewing solutions, and screen magnification software.

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A project to develop a wireless travel aid for the blind reveals the need for open, accessible databases. The mobile Internet depends on it.

January 11, 2005, 06:19:52 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Five thousand years ago, blind people used canes to get around. Today, they still do. And for good reason -- not only do they enable their users to feel obstacles, they also work as echolocation devices to help users "see" curbs, walls, and so on.

But a cane isn't much use to a blind person who has to deal with public transportation systems. Visually impaired people face many challenges getting from point A to point B in chaotic urban environments: trip planning, finding a bus stop or train station, finding the entrance to a station, getting around inside a station, finding the right place to wait for a train or bus to arrive, knowing which train or bus to board, finding the entrance to the vehicle, buying a ticket, finding a seat, getting off at the right stop and so on.

Is it possible to develop a system to help blind people use public transportation? That's a question Noppa hopes to answer. Noppa is an Electronic Travel Aid (ETA) being developed at Finland's Technical Research Centre (VTT), a government-owned organization that conducts applied research closely related to industry. With the three-year Noppa project coming to a close in December, I contacted Ari Virtanen, the VTT scientist who is heading up the project, to find out what's been learned so far.

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How Accessible is the Apple iPhone 3GS Smartphone for Visually Impaired?

August 24, 2009, 05:19:19 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

The Apple iPhone, seemed to be one of the most inaccessible smartphones, because of its TouchScreen.
But the latest iPhone model 3GS, is the first smartphone with a screen reader called VoiceOver.
In his blog Mark Taylor reviewed the Apple iPhone 3GS with regard to user accessibility for the blind and low vision.

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Dolphin Computer Access Release Hindi Supernova, the Worlds First and Only Combined Hindi Screen Reader and Screen Magnifier

December 16, 2008, 01:43:23 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Dolphin Computer Access today announced the release of the Worlds first and only combined Hindi screen reader and screen magnifier, with integrated Braille display support. The Hindi edition of Supernova has been developed by Dolphin Computer Access in partnership with Mumbai based disability experts BarrierBreak International. It is immediately available on portable USB pen edition, on CD, or to download as a 30-day trial.

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Google Starts Accessible View Experiment

November 06, 2008, 07:20:41 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Google has started an experiment to improve access to Google search by visually impaired. By only using the keyboard you can navigate through search results. Google also added a magnification lens that highlights the users selected search result.

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iZoom 1.1 Free Professional Screen Magnifier Released

March 30, 2005, 03:20:22 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Issist recently announced the availability of iZoom 1.1, featuring
several enhancements over iZoom 1.0 Beta released on 28th February,
2005. After an immensely positive response to the Beta, iZoom 1.1
features several enhancements based upon user feedback.

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TALKS and ZOOMS 4.0 for Series 60 Now Available from Nuance Mobile

June 25, 2009, 08:19:06 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

With Nuance TALKS and ZOOMS, blind and visually impaired users are able to take advantage of the many features found on todays popular mobile phones, including contact directories, caller ID, text messaging, help files, access to Web browsers, and other screen content. And TALKS and ZOOMS 4.0 enables consumers to choose the TTS software they want to use to power all updated features, including Nuance trusted Vocalizer Mobile and ETI-Eloquence.

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Electronic Video Magnifier can improve the quality of life for the visually impaired

April 26, 2006, 01:48:36 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Independent living aids, (ila) Inc., one of the countrys primary mail-order suppliers of aids for the visually impaired and blind, has announced the addition of a unique pocket sized electronic video magnifier to its comprehensive inventory of products. The PVO Electronic Portable Color Magnifier has some outstanding features capable of greatly improving the quality of life for anyone who has the need to use it.

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Visually Impaired Climber Thomas Weber Died on Mount Everest

May 30, 2006, 04:07:05 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Thomas Weber died on the worlds tallest mountain a few hours after blindness forced him to abandon his summit attempt.

Weber suffered from a medical condition that caused his sight to deteriorate at high altitude and according to reports he was just 50 metres from the summit when he had to turn back.

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Disabled users will be in Windows Seventh heaven

November 12, 2009, 02:34:34 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

The release of Windows 7 has been widely welcomed as a big step forward from Vista. But the benefits extend beyond obvious improvements, as it greatly enhances accessibility for disabled users.

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MU Develops Device To Help Visually Impaired Read Small Digital Screens

June 26, 2008, 06:38:15 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Faculty and students at Marshall University are working to help the people who have trouble seeing the small digital screens found on everything from cell phones to microwaves. A device developed by university physicist Thomas Wilson and engineered by faculty and students is designed to measure the contrast of digital displays. It was unveiled Wednesday morning at the American Foundation for the Blind Technology and Employment Center in Huntington.

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Dolphin Releases Version 10 of Lunar, Lunarplus, Hal and Supernova

October 28, 2008, 09:20:00 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Dolphin has released version 10 of Lunar (screen magnifier), Lunarplus (screen magnifier with speech support), Hal (Screen reader with speech and braille support) and Supernova (Screen reader with screen magnifier, braille and speech).

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Dolphin Computer Access Announce Their Acquisition of Software Express Distribution

November 16, 2008, 10:55:06 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Dolphin Computer Access Limited, the UK software company responsible for delivering independence to vision and print impaired people, announced its acquisition of Software Express Distribution Limited.

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Interviews with CSUN Exhibitors

March 20, 2008, 02:26:35 PM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Interviews with CSUN Exhibitors Brian takes a walk around the CSUN exhibition hall and interviews a number of company representatives manufacturing interesting products.

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