K-NFB Reader: A Cell Phone for the Blind

Fall 2008 Table of Contents
Versión Español de este artículo (Spanish Version)

 Excerpt from KNFB Reader Website

Abstract:  this article describes new cell phone that incorporates screen reading technology into a multifunction cell phone.

Key Words:  blindness, visual impairment, National Federation for the Blind (NFB), cell phone, screen reader, character recognition technology

knfb Reading Technology, Inc. is pleased to announce the latest breakthrough in print accessibility. We have developed software which places the functionality of a reading machine into a multifunction cell phone. The Mobile Reader products can be activated and ready to use with the touch of a single button on the phone. The user takes a photo of the print to be read and the character recognition software in conjunction with high quality text-to-speech will read the contents of the document aloud. At the same time, it can display the print on the phone’s built-in screen and highlight each word as it is spoken.

The Mobile Reader Product Line:

• Reads most printed documents, from letters and memos to pages in a book
• Reads address labels and package information and instructions
• Easily recognizes U.S. currency
• Displays each sentence visually and highlights each word as it is read
• Stores thousands of pages using easily obtainable flash memory
• Transfers text files to and from computers or Braille note takers
• Adjusts reading speed to suit user’s preference.

In addition, with the use of a screen reader, the user can access the other functions of the phone device including making and receiving phone calls, personal information management such as contacts, calendar, etc. Also contains ability to run accessible GPS programs, access to Adobe PDF files, voice recorder, music player and much more.

For more information about the K-NFB Mobile Reader and its specification, go to: <www.knfbreader.com/products-mobile.php>