Blinding Ambition

Low Vision Aids in the local libraries

2010-04-18T12:53:00.000-04:00

This is a story about a library at the University of Louisiana. Offering low vision aids. Specifically something that is called a Monomouse magnifier. It looks like a mouse that hooks up to a TV. There is a camera in the flat side of the mouse that projects the image on to the TV. Its basically a CCTV built into a mouse like device. There are a few types, but they can zoom in as much as 24X.

I had the opportunity to try one of these at my local sight center. I really thought it was a great device. As compared to the Desktop Digital Magnifiers that are much more expensive and take up a lot of space. These are small, relatively cheap and very useful. I dont own one but I hope to get one soon.

I suggest taking a look at these if you have difficulty reading print.

Glasses Allow Blind Soldier to See with his tongue

2010-03-16T15:36:00.000-04:00

I actually read about this technology several years ago in a wired article called Mixed Feelings. The article is extremely interesting, so much so that i re-read it today. But if you don't feel like reading the entire thing here are the parts relevant to the above video / story. First it talks about why this works.

It turns out that the tricky bit isn't the sensing. The world is full of gadgets that detect things humans cannot. The hard part is processing the input. Neuroscientists don't know enough about how the brain interprets data. The science of plugging things directly into the brain — artificial retinas or cochlear implants — remains primitive.

So here's the solution: Figure out how to change the sensory data you want into something that the human brain is already wired to accept, like touch or sight. The brain, it turns out, is dramatically more flexible than anyone previously thought, as if we had unused sensory ports just waiting for the right plug-ins. Now it's time to build them.

Then it refers to an experiment that was the predecessor to the above device.

Paul Bach-y-Rita built his first "tactile display" in the 1960s. Inspired by the plasticity he saw in his father as the older man recovered from a stroke, Bach-y-Rita wanted to prove that the brain could assimilate disparate types of information. So he installed a 20-by-20 array of metal rods in the back of an old dentist chair. The ends of the rods were the pixels — people sitting in the chairs could identify, with great accuracy, "pictures" poked into their backs; they could, in effect, see the images with their sense of touch.

The mouthpiece was the next itteration.

Having long ago abandoned the vaguely Marathon Man like dentist chair, the team now uses a mouthpiece studded with 144 tiny electrodes. It's attached by ribbon cable to a pulse generator that induces electric current against the tongue. (As a sensing organ, the tongue has a lot going for it: nerves and touch receptors packed close together and bathed in a conducting liquid, saliva.)

Here is the most relevant part.

During a long brainstorm session, they wondered whether the tongue could actually augment sight for the visually impaired. I tried the prototype; in a white-walled office strewn with spare electronics parts, Wicab neuroscientist Aimee Arnoldussen hung a plastic box the size of a brick around my neck and gave me the mouthpiece. "Some people hold it still, and some keep it moving like a lollipop," she said. "It's up to you."

Arnoldussen handed me a pair of blacked-out glasses with a tiny camera attached to the bridge. The camera was cabled to a laptop that would relay images to the mouthpiece. The look was pretty geeky, but the folks at the lab were used to it.

She turned it on. Nothing happened.

"Those buttons on the box?" she said. "They're like the volume controls for the image. You want to turn it up as high as you're comfortable."

I cranked up the voltage of the electric shocks to my tongue. It didn't feel bad, actually — like licking the leads on a really weak 9-volt battery. Arnoldussen handed me a long white foam cylinder and spun my chair toward a large black rectangle painted on the wall. "Move the foam against the black to see how it feels," she said.

I could see it. Feel it. Whatever — I could tell where the foam was. With Arnold ussen behind me carrying the laptop, I walked around the Wicab offices. I managed to avoid most walls and desks, scanning my head from side to side slowly to give myself a wider field of view, like radar. Thinking back on it, I don't remember the feeling of the electrodes on my tongue at all during my walkabout. What I remember are pictures: high-contrast images of cubicle walls and office doors, as though I'd seen them with my eyes. Tyler's group hasn't done the brain imaging studies to figure out why this is so — they don't know whether my visual cortex was processing the information from my tongue or whether some other region was doing the work.

The thing that really interests me is this "Thinking back on it, I don't remember the feeling of the electrodes on my tongue at all during my walkabout. What I remember are pictures: high-contrast images of cubicle walls and office doors, as though I'd seen them with my eyes."

Click the title for the short BBC article that accompanies the video.

Windows 7 Accessibility features are more robust than previous viersions

2010-03-16T12:40:00.002-04:00

So I've been using Windows 7 for over a year now, and I really like it. One improvement is the accessibility options. Though there has always been a magnifier in windows, the one in windows 7 is very useful in my opinion. here is a video demo of the magnifieer.

I tend to use the Lens feature, so i can see the entire screen and zoom in on key information.

If there is any interest I may create a video or a walk through on how I navigate and work on a PC (something I do about 16 hours a day).

Advanced Cell Technologies CEO Interviewed on Bloomberg Radio

2010-03-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

I posted recently that ACT has gotten approval to start a phase I trial for treating Stargardts disease.

The CEO of ACT was interviewed on the radio on March 9th. He speaks about stem cell treatment in general, as well has the health care industry.

Click the Title of the article to listen to the interview

Iphone has great Accessability features

2010-03-12T13:16:00.002-05:00

I realize I'm probably late to the party but my wife accidentally turned on the zoom feature on her Iphone and it really impressed me. I'm not a huge fan of apple products but this feature alone makes me think i wouldn't mind having an Iphone.

Here is the feature demonstrated.

Here are some additional accessibility features offered on the Iphone

One thing that still bothers me is the font size in text messages. I really think this needs to be more customizable, but otherwise it seems like a very good device for those with low vision.

Advanced Cell Technologies granted orphan drug designation from FDA

2010-03-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

I have written earlier about Advanced Cell Technologies filing an IND (Investigational New Drug) application with the FDA. The application would allow them to start a phase 1 trial for using Embryonic Stem Cells to treat Stargardt's disease in 12 people.

This application was approved on March 2nd and the trial is now able to move forward. This could be a very promising treatment for those with Stargardt's Disease.

“We are pleased that the FDA has, for the first time, granted orphan drug status for the use of an embryonic stem cell derived therapy in treating an unmet medical need,” said Edmund Mickunas, Vice President Regulatory. “We believe that our terminally differentiated RPE cells represent a promising treatment for patients with SMD and expect to be in a position to accelerate clinical development and hopefully make RPE cellular therapy available to the majority of patients sooner.”

Here is a description of the treatment.

Degenerative diseases of the retina are among the most common causes of untreatable blindness in the world, and as many as ten million people in the United States have photoreceptor degenerative disease. While most of these patients have Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a smaller number have Stargardt’s, an Orphan disease and to date an untreatable form of juvenile macular degeneration leading to blindness in a much younger group of patients than are affected by AMD. ACT’s treatment for eye disease uses stem cells to re-create a type of cell in the retina that supports the photoreceptors needed for vision. These cells, called retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), are often the first to die off in SMD and AMD, which in turn leads to loss of vision.

While there is currently no treatment for SMD, several years ago ACT and its collaborators discovered that human embryonic stem cells could be a source of RPE cells. Subsequent studies found that the cells could restore vision in animal models of macular degeneration. In a Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat model, implantation of RPE cells resulted in 100% improvement in visual performance over untreated controls, without any adverse effects. The cells survived for more than 220 days and sustained extensive photoreceptor rescue. Functional rescue was also achieved in the ‘Stargardt’s’ mouse with near-normal functional measurements recorded at more than 70 days.

Click the title for the full Press Release

Brian Mckeever to compete Sunday

2010-02-26T14:34:00.001-05:00

I've dedicated a few posts to Canadian Olympic cross country skier Brian Mckeever. He is 30 years old, has Stargardts disease, is legally blind, and is competing in both the Olympic and Paralympic games this winter. He will be the first athlete in history to do so.

He is competing in the Men's 50km Mass Start Classic, It starts Sunday February 28th at 9:30 AM PSD. If you are on the east cost set your DVR's.

Again we'll be cheering for him even though he's Canadian.

Update: (3/2/2010): Unfortunately according to Wikipedia Brian did not compete on Sunday.

however Canada's coach decided to replace him with a skier who did well at an earlier event at the 2010 games and thus he will not become the first athlete in the world to compete in the Winter Paralympics and Winter Olympics in the same year.

Simple steps to protect your eye sight

2010-02-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

This article speaks of a few basic steps to preserve your sight.

1. Get regular eye exams

2. Stay informed about eye diseases

3. Exercise Regularly

4. Wear sunglasses and protective eye wear

5. Avoid eye fatigue

6. Provide your eyes with critical nutrients

Click the title for the full article.

There is also an article that states eating a 'Mediterranean diet' protects eye health. The article states

A study from the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) found that people who consume at least 100 millilitres of olive oil a week are almost 50 per cent less likely to develop macular degeneration than those who eat less than 1 millilitre per week.

The study also found that people who eat other foods which are rich in omega-3 fatty-acids, such as fish and nuts, are 15 per cent less likely to develop macular degeneration.

February is AMD/Low Vision Awaremess month

2010-02-12T13:33:00.001-05:00

Sorry Its been a pretty slow news month.

Age-related Macular Degeneration, which impacts the vision of more than 2 million Americans 50 and older, is one of the leading causes of blindness. Yet many people aren’t even aware of the perils of this eye disease, which is why Prevent Blindness America has declared February AMD/Low Vision Month.

So tell a friend.

Reading glasses specifically for those with Low Vision

2010-02-01T13:06:00.000-05:00

I posted earlier about a Dr. Sonsino creating a set of portable reading glasses for those with low vision. He is back in the news and it sounds like the glasses are coming along nicely.

If you didnt read the previous post about these glasses here is a quick description from Dr. Sonsino.

He says, "The glasses combine three aspects. The first is magnificaion, the second is a little prism to allow the eyes to stay straight, instead of curving in, and the third is LED lighting."

The article describes briefely how the glasses help and who would have a need for them. They also have a website www.lowvisionreaders.com which says they are currently working on a prototype and best estimates are these will be released in summer of 2010.

Click the title for the full article

Google has a search engine specifically for those with Low Vision

2010-01-27T16:03:00.001-05:00

Did you know google had a search page for those with low vision? It is only in its preliminary stages but it could be helpful. It responds to hot keys, magnifies the results you have selected, and beeps when you change the focus on the page.

Give it a try

Google Accessible Web Search for the Visually Impaired

Should your eye doctor sell supplements?

2010-01-22T09:40:00.000-05:00

This article raises a good point. Doctors should not be in the position of selling you products. And supplements benefits are inconsistent at best. Here is an excerpt from the article.

There's something fishy about this, besides the fish oil, in my opinion. If a doctor wants to suggest that this product may help, show me the research and tell me that I can buy it in places besides your office. I later discovered that a similar formula with Lutein, Zeaxanthin and fish oil is available at Sam's Club for half the cost. I suspect it's available at any retailer that sells a lot of supplements and vitamins.

What do you thing? Click the title for the full article.

Brian Mckeever will compete and make history!

2010-01-21T14:41:00.000-05:00

I posted earlier that Brian Mckeever was attempting to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic games this winter. Well it is now official he has quallified to be a part of the Canadian Cross Country Olympic team. Brian is 30 years old and suffers from Stargardts disease. Here is an excerpt from the article.

The 30-year-old Canmore, Alta., resident will be selected to Canada's Olympic cross-country ski team on Friday, making him the first athlete to compete at both the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Mr. McKeever, who suffers from Stargardt's disease and is legally blind, stamped his double pass to Whistler by winning an able-bodied 50-kilometre Haywood NorAm race last month in Canmore. The race was one of four Olympic trials established by Cross Country Canada.

We'll be rooting for him, (even though he's Canadian).

Click the title for the full article.

Low vision aides show to have a drastic difference in reading speeds

2010-01-21T14:16:00.000-05:00

I know it sounds obvious but reading the numbers is interesting to me. Here is the short article.

Low vision aids can significantly improve reading speed and reading ability in patients with age-related macular degeneration, but better overall visual acuity still correlates with better reading ability.

According to a retrospective study of 530 patients with AMD who were provided either optical visual aids or closed-circuit TV systems as a low-vision aid, the added magnification of the system helped improved words read per minute.

For the entire group of patients, mean reading speed improved from 20 ± 33 words per minute (wpm) to 72 ± 35 wpm. However, among patients with a visual acuity less than 0.1, reading speed improved from 0.4 ± 3.8 wpm to 40 ± 13 wpm compared with 20 ± 28 wpm to 84 ± 30 wpm among patients with a visual acuity score of 0.1 or better.

Still, in the study, low vision aids had a marked impact on reading ability: Only 16% of patients were able to read before receiving a low vision aid compared with 94% after.

Click the title for full story

Macular Degeneration Cause discovered on a molecular level

2010-01-06T15:39:00.000-05:00

Researchers at University College London have discovered the chemical proccess that causes Macualr Degeneration. They state it is caused by the interaction of two protiens blood protein Factor H, and C-reactive protein. These proteins work together to clear out the debris of dead cells in the retina, but if the levels are not optimal or if someone has a genetically different form of Factor H then dead cells are not cleaned up properly and for a deposite called drusen. These deposits take the place of new cells and also restrict the bloodflow to neighboring cells causing them to die. At least that is how I understood it. here is the article in full.

Researchers at University College London say they have gleaned a key insight into the molecular beginnings of age-related macular degeneration, the No. 1 cause of vision loss in the elderly, by determining how two key proteins interact to naturally prevent the onset of the condition.

In a paper to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the team reports for the first time how a common blood protein linked to the eye condition reins in another protein that, when produced in vastly increased amounts in the presence of inflammation or infection, can damage the eye.

"By starting to understand these interactions in greater detail, we can begin to devise methods that will ultimately prevent the development of blindness in the elderly," said Zuby Okemefuna, the lead author of the paper to be published Jan. 8.

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is painless but affects the macula, the part of the retina that allows one to see fine detail. One form of the debilitating condition, known as "wet" AMD, occurs when abnormal and fragile blood vessels grow under the macula, leaking blood and fluid and displacing and damaging the macula itself. The second form, "dry" AMD, occurs when light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down.

It is believed that both forms start on a common molecular route and then deviate into dry or wet AMD, explained the research leader, Steve Perkins.

"The earliest hallmark of AMD is the appearance of protein, lipid and zinc deposits under the retinal pigment epithelial cells," he said, adding that the yellowish deposits, usually discovered by an ophthalmologist, are commonly known as "drusen."

The researchers studied two proteins involved in drusen formation -- blood protein Factor H and a second blood protein known as C-reactive protein -- and showed that Factor H binds to C-reactive protein when C-reactive protein is present in large amounts, as in the case of infection, to reduce the potentially damaging effects of an overactive immune system.

"In the eye, during the normal processes of aging, cells will die naturally for all sorts of reasons," Okemefuna said. "The blood supply to the eye will bring C-reactive protein with it, and a low level of C-reactive protein activity will enable the normal processes of clearance of dead cells at the retina through mild inflammation. In conditions of high inflammation, the levels of C-reactive protein in the retina will increase dramatically."

Uncontrolled C-reactive protein activity causes damage to the retina, which is followed by more inflammation and then even more damage to the retina, and so forth.

"It's the debris of broken up retinal cells, some of which is caused by this cycle, that is deposited as drusen," Okemefuna said.

The team also found that a genetically different form of Factor H does not bind to the C-reactive protein quite as well as the normal one, making people who carry the modified protein more vulnerable to an immune system attack in the eye and, thus, drusen buildup.

"In normal individuals, further damage to the retina by prolonged exposure to high levels of C-reactive protein is prevented by Factor H. C-reactive protein also prevents Factor H from clumping together and initiating the processes that lead to drusen formation," Perkins said. "Both these 'good' activities of Factor H are much reduced in the genetically different form of Factor H."

While there is no known cure for AMD, existing therapies aim to treat the symptoms and delay progression.

"It is interesting how the interaction of these two blood proteins protects the eye during crisis," Perkins said. "The two proteins also can be involved in a rare and often fatal cause of kidney failure in children. We now are better positioned to begin to work out preventative strategies for these diseases."

Ruodan Nan, Ami Miller and Jayesh Gor also were co-authors on the study, which was funded over the past three years by University College London, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Mercer Fund of the Fight for Sight Charity and the Henry Smith Charity.

Click the title to read the full article.

Happy Holidays - Brian McKeeve attempts to compete on both Olympic and Paralympic games this winter

2009-12-25T11:12:00.001-05:00

For the holidays I thought I'd post this. Its an brief article explaining Brian McKeever, a Canadian cross country skier with Stargardt's disease. He is legally blind and attempting to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic games this winter. Here is the article in full.

Brian McKeever of Canmore, Alta., moved closer Tuesday to becoming the first ever winter athlete to compete in an Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The 30-year-old, legally blind cross-country skier dominated the 50km Haywood NorAm individual-start classic race in his hometown, part of a series of races Cross Country Canada is using to determine its final Olympic spots that will be announced in January. McKeever suffers from Stargardt's disease, which has left him only with 10 per cent of his vision, all peripheral. In 2007, he finished 21st in a 15km skate-ski race at the able-bodied world championships. "That is all I had [Tuesday] and I hope it is enough to convince the selection committee that I deserve a spot on the Olympic team," he said in a release. "I feel satisfaction right now."
Five summer-sport athletes have competed in both the Paralympics and Olympics.

Eat your Friuts and Vegetables.

2009-12-18T12:51:00.001-05:00

A study has been published in the Journal of Food Science stating that nutrients in Green leafy vegetables and colored fruits and vegies can greatly aid vision. Here is an excerpt from the article.

To reach the conclusion, authors from the University of Georgia compiled the results of multiple studies on the effects of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin on visual performance. These carotenoids play an important role in human vision, including a positive impact on the retina.

After reviewing the various studies, the authors concluded that macular pigments, such as lutein and zeaxanthin do have an effect on visual performance. Lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce disability and discomfort from glare, enhance contrast, and reduce photostress recovery times. They can also reduce glare from light absorption and increase the visual range.

The article also states getting a healthy amound of lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration and cataracts.

I posted in a previous article one mans claims of the benefits of lutein.

Click the title for the full article.

Phase II trial for Wet Age related Macular Degeneration (In Europe)

2009-12-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

A company called ThromboGenics is holding a phase II trail for treating West AMD with microplasmin.

Here is a description of what the drug does.

It was recently discovered that one-third of patients with AMD have focal vitreomacular adhesion, a condition in which the vitreous gel in the center of the eye has an abnormally strong adhesion to the retina at the back of the eye. The same adhesion occurs in patients with wet AMD. Microplasmin is designed to treat vitreomacular adhesion by separating the vitreous gel from the retina, potentially preventing the progression of wet AMD.

The MIVI5 (Microplasmin for IntraVitreous Injection) trial will enroll approximately 100 patients across up to 20 European medical centers. The goal is the non-surgical resolution of vitreomacular adhesion. Safety and efficacy will also be evaluated during a one-year follow-up period.

Click the Title for the full article

Marigolds may be cure for Dry age related macular degeneration?

2009-12-11T12:46:00.001-05:00

This retired british Optician (Harry Marsland) claims he cured his dry age related macular degeneration by taking MACUSHIELD a supplementt that

contains lutein, found in spinach, and zeaxanthin, the yellow pigment found in corn – both of which are used in other treatments. It also contains meso-zeaxanthin, derived from marigolds, which was a nutrient Mr Marsland had not tried before.

I am skeptical but curious. I also dont know how beneficial it is to non age related MD. I would suggest contacting your retina specialist before trying it. It can be purchassed via the link below.

Click the title for the full article.

New features coming to the Kindle for the visually impaired.

2009-12-09T14:10:00.000-05:00

Amazon has announced that they are working on a new set of features for the Kindle that should come avialable in the Summer of 2010. I wrote earlier that the Kindle DX is helpful for those who have low vision with adjustable fonts and text-to-speech. The next set of features will expand these technologies adding a extra large font size, and also audible menus. This will make the device more valuable to those with severe low vision or complete blindness.

Click the title for the press release.

Microsoft Mouse for those with Low Vision

2009-12-04T14:39:00.000-05:00

This is an older video that I ran across a few weeks ago, but I thought it would be beneficial for those who didn't know this existed.

Its a Microsoft mouse with a zoom feature built it. I use something similar with just keyboard hotkeys, but this might go on my christmas list.

This is Microsoft's site detailing all its products that have zoom features.

Art by the legally blind

2009-12-01T15:09:00.001-05:00

The New York Times has a 10 slide gallery spotlighting Art and Photographes from the legally blind.

Click the title to see the slides.

Embryonic Stem Cell treatment for Stargardt 's starting soon

2009-11-19T15:07:00.002-05:00

A company call Advanced Cell Technology based in Massachusetts has applied for an IND (investigational new drug) application with the FDA. This application would allow them to start a phase 1 trial for using Embryonic Stem Cells to treat Stargardt 's disease in 12 people.

This would be only the 2nd time the FDA approves the use of Embryotnic Stem Cells for treatment. The 1st was for the treatment of paraplegics but that study has been on hold since January.

ACT has had promising results with curing macular problems in rats and in other animal trials. This would be a milestone for medicine in general opening up a new field called Regenerative Medicine.

Here is ACT's press release in its entirety.

WORCESTER, Mass., Sept 22 (BUSINESS WIRE)—Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB:ACTC.PK–News) provided an update on pre-clinical activities in preparation of its first IND filing with the Food and Drug Administration for its retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell program for the treatment of various eye diseases. In the next few weeks, the Company will be completing the preclinical work necessary for filing the IND. To date, no adverse events have occurred in testing. The results will be part of the submission which Advanced Cell expects to submit to the FDA prior to the end of the year.

“We are very pleased with the long-term safety and efficacy data,” said Dr. Robert Lanza, ACT’s Chief Scientific Officer. “We have carried out pre-clinical studies using these cells in multiple animal models, and to-date have not seen any teratoma formation or untoward pathological reactions. We are optimistic that human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) will serve as a potentially safe and inexhaustible source of RPE for the treatment of a range of macular degenerative diseases.”

“We are pleased with the progress we have made in preparation for the FDA submission,” said William M. Caldwell IV, Advanced Cell’s Chairman and CEO. “In the retina, compromised RPE function can lead to deteriorated vision and photoreceptor loss in both age-related macular degeneration and other forms of degenerative eye disease. We look forward to further studying the role that our RPE cells can play in providing a potential solution to this problem.”

This is very exciting and we'll have to keep an eye on this company and this trail.

Click the title for full article

Update: The application has been approved!

Intel Reader reads books to those with low vision.

2009-11-16T12:19:00.003-05:00

This is a 5 megapixel digital camera with built in text to speech functionality. So you just take a picture of a page of text and the device will read all the words to you. It seems very impressive but at $1,499.00 it carries a steep price.

Here is a video demonstrating the device.

Here is Intels promo video that also shows a portable capture station for capturing large amounts of pages like books or magazines.

Here is the Press Release

Ready, Set, Read: Intel® Reader Transforms Printed Text to Spoken Word
Intel Launches Mobile Handheld Device for People with Reading-Based Disabilities, such as Dyslexia or Low-Vision, or for Those Who are Blind

* The new Intel Reader, a mobile handheld device, increases independence for people with reading-based disabilities.
* The size of a paperback book, the Intel Reader converts printed text to digital text and then reads it aloud to the user.
* The Intel Reader can help the estimated 55 million people in the U.S. who have specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia or vision problems.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 10, 2009 – Intel Corporation today announced the Intel® Reader, a mobile handheld device designed to increase independence for people who have trouble reading standard print. The Intel Reader can assist the estimated 55 million people in the U.S. who have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities, or have vision problems such as low-vision or blindness, which makes reading printed words difficult or impossible.

The Intel Reader, about the size of a paperback book, converts printed text to digital text, and then reads it aloud to the user. Its unique design combines a high-resolution camera with the power of an Intel® Atom™ processor, allowing users to point, shoot and listen to printed text. The Intel Reader will be available in the United States through select resellers, including CTL, Don Johnston Incorporated, GTSI, Howard Technology Solutions and HumanWare.

When the Intel Reader is used together with the Intel® Portable Capture Station, large amounts of text, such as a chapter or an entire book, can be easily captured for reading later. Users will have convenient and flexible access to a variety of printed materials, helping to not only increase their freedom, but improve their productivity and efficiency at school, work and home. The Intel Reader has been endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association as an important advance in assistive technology. Additionally, Intel is working with the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs, the Council for Exceptional Children, Lighthouse International, the National Center for Learning Disabilities and the National Federation of the Blind to help reach and address the needs of people who have difficulty reading print.

"The Intel Digital Health Group's expertise is in finding innovative technology solutions to improve quality of life," said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Health Group. "We are proud to offer the Intel Reader as a tool for people who have trouble reading standard print so they can more easily access the information many of us take for granted every day, such as reading a job offer letter or even the menu at a restaurant."

The original concept for the Intel Reader came from Ben Foss, a researcher at Intel who was identified in elementary school as one of the estimated 20 percent of people nationwide who have symptoms of dyslexia. Throughout high school, college and graduate school, he had to depend on others to read to him or work through the slow process of getting words off of a page himself. As an adult, much of the content he wanted, from professional journals to pleasure reading, just wasn't available in audio form.

"As someone who is part of this dyslexic community, I am thrilled to be able to help level the playing field for people who, like me, do not have easy access to the printed word," Foss said. "Feelings of loneliness are often the experience of not being able to read easily. We hope to open the doors for people in these communities. The Intel Reader is a tool that can help give people with dyslexia, low-vision, blindness or other reading-based disabilities access to the resources they need to participate and be successful in school, work and life.

Click the title for more information.

Those with low vision can use the Kindle DX to read

2009-10-29T14:50:00.002-04:00

ABC News chicago has a piece about Amazon Kindle DX being used by those with low vision. here's the video

The Kindle has text to speech functionality for the books but not the menu's or navigation. The Font can go as high as 18pt which from the looks of the video is a good size.

Click the Title for the full article.

Update: Amazon announces new features coming to Kindle for thos with low vision