The Haptic Reader: The Scanner for the Blind

Rico Mossesgeld — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:18:02 +0000

Even those who aren’t blind can appreciate the benefits of the Haptic Reader (HR). It’s basically a flat tablet users can plant on book pages to scan. The reader converts the scanned text into Braille, raising the surface of the opposite side for blind readers to touch-read. The gadget was designed “by researchers at Handong Global University and Keimyung University, both in South Korea,” and can convert the scanned text into voice as well. I’m assuming the HR should be able to save scanned pages?

Too bad the Haptic Reader isn’t available on the market yet, being a design concept and all. Maybe its winning the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) would make it more attractive to manufacturers? In any case, here’s to hoping it won’t be prohibitively expensive, be capable of deciphering handwritten text, and available to the non-Korean blind.

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Flatbed Scanner Plays Imperial March

Rico Mossesgeld — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:39:25 +0000

Crank up your volume a bit, so you can hear what’s going on here:

So what do you think of the above? Personally, I don’t think the scanner actually played the Imperial March from Star Wars. My “proof”? Watch the beginning of the sequence again: the scanner moves consistently, yet the “note” changes to accommodate the melody.

Although I do think some modding was done to make the scanner assembly follow a routine. And the planning and hard work that made that necessary—even though ultimately useless—deserves some credit.

(PS: If you’re wondering what the Imperial March is, let me first pity you, then ask you to watch Star Wars)

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The Gadget Blog » scanners

The Haptic Reader: The Scanner for the Blind

Flatbed Scanner Plays Imperial March