Book Time shrugs off e-readers, turns paper pages for you
By Darren Murph 
posted April 13th 2009 5:39AM
posted April 13th 2009 5:39AM
[Via NewLaunches]
posted April 13th 2009 5:39AM
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It looks to me from that picture that it can be airtube operated, for paralysed people. Seems to have the same attachment that you get on those voice synths where you blow into the tube to make selections, or in this case turn the pages.
yup. the clue is also in the choice of reading matter: a hospital/home medical bed catalogue. I am guessing from the same company that made this page turner..
Only problem is, how do you load said catalog into the machine? Looks like it would require some dexterity.
Good catch, Chay. These tubes can actually be sucked on, blown into, and sometimes take blowing or sucking patterns like Morse code. I wonder if this system is cheaper to manufacture than a voice response system. Probably more responsive at least and more accurate. Also better for people that not only can't use their hands but perhaps have troubled speech.
Actually it's a breathalyzer, you need to have a BAC of less than .13 for the machine to turn the page for you to read, and yeah, that is more drunk than most/all driving laws.
wonder whats the cost for such a useless invetntion
an how did this piece of crap win robot of the year.
Asimo is way better!
Down with paralyzed people!
If you think this is useless, I suggest you try broking your spine and not being able to move anything from the neck down...
@ Premek
At your behest, I have just broken my own spine and all I can think about is how much I want an eBook reader that I can control with an airtube.
But, I jest, so listen... while bringing a product to market to help paralytic persons function more proficiently is good and all, this pretty much fails on account of the blossoming eBook industry and... wait for it... how is a paralyzed person supposed to change the book? I don't know about you, but if I have a nice pair of PJs on and a cup of hot cocoa, I can pretty much burn through a saucy novel in a few hours and I get up searching for the next saga in the Discworld series. Were I confined to a bed with no possible way of finding my own entertainment, I would certainly want to just load the next book up when I'm ready.
A device like this is essentially an over-engineered Rube Goldberg Machine when more viable, serious alternatives are possible.
You as a presumably able bodied person might call this "useless" and a "piece of crap", but for people who don't have the use of a limb to turn pages on a book it isn't.
perfect for those lying in hospitals with no operational hands.
so this may be useful for my niece.
Best wishes to your niece, lpppppl .
I don't think it's compatible with all books.
Yeah, especially since it was invented in Japan for use with Japanese books - you know, reading from right to left and flipping pages the wrong way for us westerners (unless you like reading the ending of a book first)
Really? You think it isn't capable of...I don't know...TURNING PAGES THE OTHER WAY?
I meant it doesn't seem to have a good mechanism for separating pages. This is a glossy magazine, other books might not be so easy for it.
Actually, I can think of a reason any able-bodied person would love to own this: strap on a timed camera and you have an automated personal book scanner.
If there are legal troubles with the Kindle empowering people to turn their e-books into audio books, imagine if a device permitted us to turn our own paper books into e-books. Effortlessly and cheaply.
You'd probably have to hire a hobo to blow on the tube though. I suppose you could train the cat, but that might prove unreliable. (Unless you're camera has a blow-into-tube attachment, or you have, like, Engineering +3.)
This is pretty much a copy of the FLIP page turner. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE2VCb4Wcn8
The problem with these things is that they sometimes turn more than one page at a time. You're reading page 5, activate it (through a sip and puff control or button) expecting to go to page 6, end up on page 14. To get back to page 6, you have to go through pages 12, 10, 8, and 6 without any multi-page turns. It greatly disrupts the reading process.
Give me a .pdf instead and I'll be happy.
Yeah, I understand the usefulness of this device for the immobilized, but wouldn't the effort be just as well spent on getting permission to and then actually digitizing the vast library of material alread published? I am still not seeing all boks coming out on digital... why not?
On the other hand, I am grateful that there are individuals and companies involved in and concerned about the care and experience of the disabled.
I think this is the most useless invention for a healthy person ever invented.
Did you even bother reading any of the above posts before you offered up your witless opinion? As has been commented on, it's not intended for able bodied people. I've worked with quads and people with other disabilities for over twenty years and something like this would have been a Godsend to many of them, but having said that, this device is pretty much obsolete coming out of the gate.
Ric Kaysen: troll of the year award.
since when did turning pages become a huge burden?
"Your", not "you're".
Is the tube for a breathalyzer? Because you'd have to be pretty drunk to need one of these.
Hey Guys/Gals,
I was injured 5yrs ago @ the age of 18. I love reading but hardly any of the books I want are in PDF and I find it really hard to concentrate and listen to an Audiobook.
Something like this would be amazing for me as I could read any book. Also, I had an extremely hard studying in University because I couldn't turn pages. This would make things so much easier. There is a machine already but it is crappy and costs $5000+ USD.
How does an Amazon Kindle's buttons work? Could I get a switch soldered to the Previous & Next button?
If anyone knows or has one please respond!
Thanks so much,
Brad
Also, for those people thinking this is useless and that you are above such a device - think again, please. I wouldn't mind one bit to have control over one book at a time.
For instance iWoz & Michael J. Fox's books are not available in PDF so I can't read them. Or I can't "listen" to my Engineering textbooks with diagrams & equations. So this is great but I doubt I'll be able to order one for awhile and it'll be expensive.
So once again, if you have a Kindle or any other solution, please Reply.
Brad
Careful Brad or acme will brand you a troll for making a serious post. Most geeks like him/her have no real world experience with disabilities other than their own limited cognition. Best of luck finding a way to modify an e reader for your purposes. I would think that any puff actuated switch could be made to work on any device with a physical button.
I'm hesitant to buy a Kindle though and find its buttons can't be modified or soldered to. Email me at bradcletter AT gmail DOT com
Brad,
I'd suggest you contact Amazon and describe your situation, and ask their technical department if the switches can be mounted as you describe. If they have any conscience, I bet they would offer to mod it for you. But give them a call and see if they have answers to your question.
Regards.
These remind me of the page turning thingy's pianists use sometimes for long "busy" pieces of music (i.e. they need both hands near the ends of the pages, so can't have one hand free to turn the page themselves). Perhaps you could look into some of those. I think they are usually activated by a foot pedal, so you (or someone you know) could easily modify it to be activated however you wish.