Kurzweil set to unveil portable reader for the blind

Even though we've seen a ton of products designed to aid the visually-impaired in their daily lives, technology still has a long way to go before disabled folks are able to enjoy a completely unrestricted lifestyle, which is why inventor/visionary Ray Kurzweil has spent the last quarter-century building devices that make reading easier for the blind. His latest invention, called the K-NFB, is basically a five megapixel digital camera attached to the back of a Windows Mobile 5.0-powered PDA, which is loaded with software that uses optical character recognition and text-to-speech technology to read aloud the words contained in user-captured photos. Once it's called into action, the $4,860 device supplies the operator with an initial "situation report" that attempts to describe whatever's in the camera's field of vision; if the report indicates that the desired text is within range, owners can then choose to snap a photo and listen to the resulting translation. Although the K-NFB is scheduled to be released soon by the UK's Sight & Sound, several technical issues -- most importantly, the software's difficulty in understanding inverted (white-on-black) text -- still have to be ironed out before it's available to the public.

[Thanks, Megan]

[LittleJoe @ Jun 21st 2006 1:25PM]

a blind person taking pictures...

now there's something you dont see everyday.

[Dirkus @ Jun 21st 2006 2:10PM]

Looks like that's a Canon SD20 digital camera on the back. Not a bad camera. Should prove very interesting should they call us... er... call Canon for support. ;)

Tech: "What do you see on the screen?"
Customer: "I dunno... lemme listen to it."
Tech: "..."

[chenry @ Jun 21st 2006 2:18PM]

"now there's something you dont see everyday."
or at all, if you're blind

aah, i'm bad.

[Long @ Jun 21st 2006 2:21PM]

Pretty steep for reading receipts and small items. If they could do this with reading newspapers and such.

I guess the biggest problem is user error when lining the camera up so that it captures the all of the image correctly. It would suck to capture a newspaper article and then find out you missed a section due to cropping error.

Also how would you find the remaining article if it was like continued to section C3... I guess the device could do a multishot and pray that they got the article they wanted.

[Lee Gibson @ Jun 21st 2006 2:24PM]

Um, if you want to read a newspaper, it seems like going to the paper's web site would be a little easier than trying to photograph it.

Call me crazy.

[Long @ Jun 21st 2006 5:15PM]

"Um, if you want to read a newspaper, it seems like going to the paper's web site would be a little easier than trying to photograph it."

Did you read the article? The whole idea about this device is to take a picture and it will read the words out to you. So far they have the device reading menus and receipts and such, but the goal should be something like taking a picture of a newspaper or magazine and being able to listen to it.

[Timmy!!! @ Jun 21st 2006 6:10PM]

@ Lee.....

youre crazy if you think that a blind person can read the screen of his or her computer any better than he or she could read the actual newspaper.....

[rutsy5 @ Jun 21st 2006 6:17PM]

well how do you go to a website if you are blind? indeed, you are crazy :P

[Dirkus @ Jun 21st 2006 7:35PM]

Actually, I work with a blind guy that does e-mail support. No joke, not exaggerating, not being a troll, dead serious. He's been with the company for many years now, and gets lots of kudos letters from customers for quick and courteous responses. It's amazing how well text reader software works for him, even in rather ugly customized tech support email software.

[Me @ Jun 22nd 2006 7:54AM]

I work for Sight & Sound and it is pretty useful, if made a little cumbersome with the two seperate devices.

@Long, as far as i can remember, it has a preview mode which detects where the edges of the text are.

[Kimberli @ Jul 11th 2006 10:44AM]

It seems to me that unless you actually know the needs of the blind population, you have no place useing stereotypical views of the blind to comment on a revolutionary device for the blind. Educate yourself before you make flipant uneducated comments.

[Kevin Jones @ Sep 5th 2006 9:54PM]

I actually have the KNFB reader.
It's not perfect, but does surprised me now and then. The view finder mentioned isnt actually that useful as if it's too dark it doesnt use the flash so may be incorrect. It does scan well a lot of the time though, I have done a few menus but restoraunt menus aren't always the best for ocr some have picturesand varied colors of text etc. Have also read snail mail and other things. Currently trying to find a way to separate the pda and camera, i know the company doesn't even want users to think about that, but it's esential for using the reader with tripods or copy stands. Need a cable usb mini-b extender

[ivy m jones @ May 25th 2008 1:26AM]

I am on the threshold of complete blindness due to glaucoma. Is there a small portable device like the KINDLE that could be like for the blind....portable and audible???Please e-mail me...Thank you