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Casablanca - Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab have developed a device that is able to scan and read a text on a screen or a page, mainly to assist blind people.
The so-called “FingerReader” is a device that contains a small camera and can be worn on an index finger. It reads aloud the given text through a synthesized voice.
Its goal is to read print materials as well as onscreen text to the blind, but it still has certain issues with touchscreens since text is moved around and therefore cannot be as accurate.
Furthermore, the main job of FingerReader, a prototype produced by a 3D printer, is to read texts such as menu cards, books and so on in real time. It can also be used to learn a new language, since it offers options such as translation and pronunciation. All of these features will give blind people more access to printed materials and better learning and productivity in their daily lives.
Certainly, this invention does not replace Braille, a writing system used by visually impaired people, but it would enable blind people to gain a wider access to a vast number of books, newspapers, magazines and so forth that are not yet available in Braille.
But, even though the FingerReader has undergone three long years of experimentation through code software and group feedback, it still needs some fine-tuning before it will be ready for sale.
