BFreedom, Tactile Graphics and .
With a busy week behind me, I am looking forward to the weekend and an extra day’s holiday on Monday.
I was asked to sign a petition against Freedom Scientific, of JAWS Fame, taking legal action against The FreedomBox company. Well meant, but worrying. In the field of screenreaders, Freedom Scientific have patented the word Freedom as their trademark and must surely have the right to defend it when someone else in the same field chooses to use that word. So I did not sign alongside the other 150 blind screenreader users. It’s a great shame we can’t spend all our money and energy on meeting the needs of our clients. The rest is a distraction.
The subject of tactile graphics won’t go away. Over the years many gifted people have bent their minds and enthusiasms in the cause of creating meaningful raised maps and diagrammatic representations for those of us who can’t see. I come from a family of three visually impaired lads. I find tactile diagrams a struggle, almost an extra barrier to the learning, but my two brothers just love maps and diagrams and would, I am sure, be thrilled with the current developments taking place at the Royal National College here in the UK. I saw the device for myself while in Germany this week; but let the college promotion team sell the idea to you themselves: Maybe we have something to learn from this presentation.
Page Headline: T3 from RNC
T3 Talking Tactile Technology
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"Sensational"
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the T3...
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
T3 - A touch sensitive, multi sensory device which provides instant audio feedback from tactile images. This combination of sound and touch transforms the way in which people who are visually impaired can access graphical information.
Operation is simplicity itself. The T3 is connected to a standard PC or laptop computer via a USB connection and the self-installing programme CD is inserted. To activate the system all that is needed is a T3 tactile diagram overlay to be placed on the surface of the device and touched by the operators finger.
Depending on the CD programme content, the operator now has access to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject. When a user presses on various parts of the tactile diagram they hear appropriate descriptive audio feedback.
T3 is successfully being used across a range of sectors including:
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what T3 users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, it allows the person to access written resources with senses other than vision i.e. by touch and sound"
"At last, a piece of equipment that puts the user in charge"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"If only it had of been around years ago - learning would have been so much easier"
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous, unimaginable really"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward"
The T3 is brought to you by the Royal National College for the Blind, the UK's leading college of further education and training for people who are blind or partially sighted, a Beacon college and described by Ofsted as "Outstanding".
The T3 is the European version of the Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT) owned by Touch Graphics, New York. Initial development work was undertaken with support from Anglia Ruskin University.
Photo of Student using T3.
RNC are the leading creators of tactiles for the T3.
Complete T3 kit, hardware, software and tactiles.
© RNCB 2005 The cost is £600.
Now for my view: A lot of work is required to prepare materials. But it’s a great invention and the T3 will stimulate many imaginations. For more information, go to http://www.rncb.ac.uk/t3/index.html.
So maybe this is how we should be promoting Thunder and the free screenreader option:
Thunder – Free Talking software for Blind People.
Thunder – Financial Freedom, no need to pay.
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for blind and visually impaired people.
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years.”
"Sensational" “The modern Braille”.
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the computer revolution to all blind people.
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
Thunder software converts a modern computer into a talking computer within minutes. It’s a standard internet download from anywhere in the world. Thunder gives blind an visually impaired people access to the web, the privacy of email, the empowerment of mainstream information and equal opportunity to jobs, learning leisure.
Operation is simplicity itself. The software automatically installs and all that is required is for the operator to learn a few standard keystrokes and procedures. The user can then listen to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject.: Since its launch in August 2006, Thunder is already being used by over 14,000 individuals across a range of sectors including
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what Thunder users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, It has changed my life. My literacy has been restored.”
"At last, "I can use the computer again like I did at work; and I don’t have to pay £700 I have not got.”
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years."
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous,"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward" Instead of the mouse, just a few keystrokes to learn.”
“Talking software has been around for years but so expensive and only the few could afford it. Now everyone can join in the computer revolution.”
“It’s the modern Braille. Louis Braille himself would have been thrilled.”
Thunder software was invented by Sensory software Ltd, an innovative company based in Stockport UK. The free version of Thunder is distributed by screenreder.net, a Community Interest Company in Peterborough UK. We believe that the benefits of the freedom scientific are denied to the mass of blind people simply because they don’t have the freedom financial.
The free version of Thunder is for home use, non-commercial use, and a licensed version can be purchased for use by organisations.
Thunder Download from www.screenreader.net .
Why not try Thunder first? It might be all you need.
When we first began work on a low cost screenreader some five years ago, I sought the advice of a senior Manager at the Royal National Institute for the Blind here in Peterborough. It has taken me these five years to get the message. He said: “It depends how its marketed”.
Sunday, 27 May 2007
Monday, 7 May 2007
A Great Week for Thunder
Even when you are giving something valuable away for free, it still needs to be marketed in the sense that, if no one knows about what Thunder is, then no one will go and download it. So Margaret and I have been meeting with influential people and having no difficulty in getting them on our side.
We now have a Royal Patron: HRH The Duke of York. There is a long tradition of members of the Royal Family giving time and energy to support worthy causes and we are delighted and grateful that screenreader.net has been recognised and given the seal of approval.
We spent a very happy hour at The House of Commons with David Blunkett, MP, Vice President of RNIB. He is to be our Champion and immediately he could see the value of free talking software for all blind people and has given us permission to put his name to Thunder and screenreader.net. He was very friendly and enthusiastic and is a great example of success despite not seeing. Amazingly, I plugged in the Thunder memory stick into the House of Commons computer which was set up for us and, in seconds, I was using it and searching the web. Margaret, myself and Mr Blunkett, all three of us blind, were in a position to use a perfectly ordinary computer we had never handled before. Wonderful!!!
And to round off a week with Celebrities, we met Sir Terry Wogan down at the Royal Blind society Bradbury Hotel near Worthing last Friday. He was officially opening the new extension to the hotel which provides holidays for mainly older people with little or no sight who are often trapped in their home day in and day out. He was full of fun and laughter and very much behind the work of The royal Blind society and that includes screenreader.net and Thunder.
For the past twenty years and more, talking software for visually impaired users has been a commercial matter and we feel that the high prices have excluded low income users. Like many other enthusiasts, we have learned just how hard it is to introduce an innovation, however worthwhile. So it has been refreshing to receive so much encouragement at a high level. Margaret and I are very determined people and we believe that in ten years time, our customers will be looking back and saying: “Did blind people really have to pay out an extra £800 to enjoy the use of the computer like everyone else? Surely not”.
Even when you are giving something valuable away for free, it still needs to be marketed in the sense that, if no one knows about what Thunder is, then no one will go and download it. So Margaret and I have been meeting with influential people and having no difficulty in getting them on our side.
We now have a Royal Patron: HRH The Duke of York. There is a long tradition of members of the Royal Family giving time and energy to support worthy causes and we are delighted and grateful that screenreader.net has been recognised and given the seal of approval.
We spent a very happy hour at The House of Commons with David Blunkett, MP, Vice President of RNIB. He is to be our Champion and immediately he could see the value of free talking software for all blind people and has given us permission to put his name to Thunder and screenreader.net. He was very friendly and enthusiastic and is a great example of success despite not seeing. Amazingly, I plugged in the Thunder memory stick into the House of Commons computer which was set up for us and, in seconds, I was using it and searching the web. Margaret, myself and Mr Blunkett, all three of us blind, were in a position to use a perfectly ordinary computer we had never handled before. Wonderful!!!
And to round off a week with Celebrities, we met Sir Terry Wogan down at the Royal Blind society Bradbury Hotel near Worthing last Friday. He was officially opening the new extension to the hotel which provides holidays for mainly older people with little or no sight who are often trapped in their home day in and day out. He was full of fun and laughter and very much behind the work of The royal Blind society and that includes screenreader.net and Thunder.
For the past twenty years and more, talking software for visually impaired users has been a commercial matter and we feel that the high prices have excluded low income users. Like many other enthusiasts, we have learned just how hard it is to introduce an innovation, however worthwhile. So it has been refreshing to receive so much encouragement at a high level. Margaret and I are very determined people and we believe that in ten years time, our customers will be looking back and saying: “Did blind people really have to pay out an extra £800 to enjoy the use of the computer like everyone else? Surely not”.
Saturday, 5 May 2007
A Great Week for Thunder
Even when you are giving something valuable away for free, it still needs to be marketed in the sense that, if no one knows about what Thunder is, then no one will go and download it. So Margaret and I have been meeting with influential people and having no difficulty in getting them on our side.
We now have a Royal Patron: HRH The Duke of York. There is a long tradition of members of the Royal Family giving time and energy to support worthy causes and we are delighted and grateful that screenreader.net has been recognised and given the seal of approval.
We spent a very happy hour at The House of Commons with David Blunkett, MP, Vice President of RNIB. He is to be our Champion and immediately he could see the value of free talking software for all blind people and has given us permission to put his name to Thunder and screenreader.net. He was very friendly and enthusiastic and is a great example of success despite not seeing. Amazingly, I plugged in the Thunder memory stick into the House of Commons computer which was set up for us and, in seconds, I was using it and searching the web. Margaret, myself and Mr Blunkett, all three of us blind, were in a position to use a perfectly ordinary computer we had never handled before. Wonderful!!!
And to round off a week with Celebrities, we met Sir Terry Wogan down at the Royal Blind society Bradbury Hotel near Worthing last Friday. He was officially opening the new extension to the hotel which provides holidays for mainly older people with little or no sight who are often trapped in their home day in and day out. He was full of fun and laughter and very much behind the work of The royal Blind society and that includes screenreader.net and Thunder.
For the past twenty years and more, talking software for visually impaired users has been a commercial matter and we feel that the high prices have excluded low income users. Like many other enthusiasts, we have learned just how hard it is to introduce an innovation, however worthwhile. So it has been refreshing to receive so much encouragement at a high level. Margaret and I are very determined people and we believe that in ten years time, our customers will be looking back and saying: “Did blind people really have to pay out an extra £800 to enjoy the use of the computer like everyone else? Surely not”.
Even when you are giving something valuable away for free, it still needs to be marketed in the sense that, if no one knows about what Thunder is, then no one will go and download it. So Margaret and I have been meeting with influential people and having no difficulty in getting them on our side.
We now have a Royal Patron: HRH The Duke of York. There is a long tradition of members of the Royal Family giving time and energy to support worthy causes and we are delighted and grateful that screenreader.net has been recognised and given the seal of approval.
We spent a very happy hour at The House of Commons with David Blunkett, MP, Vice President of RNIB. He is to be our Champion and immediately he could see the value of free talking software for all blind people and has given us permission to put his name to Thunder and screenreader.net. He was very friendly and enthusiastic and is a great example of success despite not seeing. Amazingly, I plugged in the Thunder memory stick into the House of Commons computer which was set up for us and, in seconds, I was using it and searching the web. Margaret, myself and Mr Blunkett, all three of us blind, were in a position to use a perfectly ordinary computer we had never handled before. Wonderful!!!
And to round off a week with Celebrities, we met Sir Terry Wogan down at the Royal Blind society Bradbury Hotel near Worthing last Friday. He was officially opening the new extension to the hotel which provides holidays for mainly older people with little or no sight who are often trapped in their home day in and day out. He was full of fun and laughter and very much behind the work of The royal Blind society and that includes screenreader.net and Thunder.
For the past twenty years and more, talking software for visually impaired users has been a commercial matter and we feel that the high prices have excluded low income users. Like many other enthusiasts, we have learned just how hard it is to introduce an innovation, however worthwhile. So it has been refreshing to receive so much encouragement at a high level. Margaret and I are very determined people and we believe that in ten years time, our customers will be looking back and saying: “Did blind people really have to pay out an extra £800 to enjoy the use of the computer like everyone else? Surely not”.
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