|
Trending Topics
|
Could a New Smart Cam for the Blind Also Help Dyslexic People?
(Washington Post) Ruth Eglash - OrCam, a Jerusalem high-tech company, was set up five years ago by the same folks who brought us the accident avoidance system Mobileye, that little camera that sits on your vehicle to stop it - or us - from colliding with a foreign object. The company has been developing a device to enhance the quality of life for the blind and visually impaired called MyEye. A smart camera connected to a tiny computer that attaches to a pair of glasses can be programmed to identify places, people and products. And, more important, it reads text. As well as helping those with vision disabilities, MyEye could also assist dyslexic children keep pace with their classmates. After pointing to text, the camera scanned it and read it back in a computer-generated voice - choose from Kendra or Brian. OrCam is being marketed in the U.S., Canada and Britain. The company has already reached a deal with the California Department of Rehabilitation, which will supply MyEye to qualifying blind and visually impaired state residents.