Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind

A new computer mouse has been created so that blind users can use it to navigate through text and even pictures on their personal computers. 

The mouse, called the Tactile Explorer, replaces the standard clicking buttons of a regular mouse with two, four by four pin pads.  When the cursor is passed over text or the outline of a picture, the two pin pads create either Braille letters or a segment of the outline for the user to follow.  As the user continually drags the mouse across text, the letters pop up against the user’s fingers, enabling them to read them in Braille.  For example, if you moved the cursor over the word “magazine,” when it touched the M, a Braille M would pop up on the left pin pad.  As you moved the cursor to the right, a Braille A would pop up on the right pin pad.  As you continue to move the cursor, the A would shift to the left pin pad and the G would pop up on the right and so on, until the end of the word “magazine.”

Text is not its only trick, though.  It also allows the user to feel graphics with the same pin pads that produced Braille text.  In a demonstration, it was shown that someone could move the cursor over a map and experience what the shape of India is.  No other peripheral exists with this kind of technology.

This new mouse has some serious potential as a teaching aid for children and also as a tool for regular computer users.  What’s also beneficial is that it can be taken anywhere and used on any computer as long as the software is installed.

While the mouse is still in the final stages of its testing, the company, Techshare, hopes that they will be able to release this model to the public in the second half of this year.

To read the original article, please go to http://inclusiveplanet.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/tactile-explorer/

So what is BrowseAloud? 

BrowseAloud is free software that reads web pages out loud. It can help anyone who has difficulty reading on-line, including people with mild visual impairments, low literacy, English as a second language, or learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.  Once you have BrowseAloud installed on your computer, all you need to do is hover your cursor over a selection of text. BrowseAloud will highlight the words and read them out loud.  BrowseAloud also has features like a translator, the option to change the reading voice, and a dictionary if you’re unsure of the meaning of a word.  It’s a very nice tool, and it’s completely free for you to use.

You can download BrowseAloud from the BrowseAloud web site: Browsealoud Downloads  Follow the instructions on the download page to install BrowseAloud on your computer.

For more information on how to use BrowseAloud, please go to

Frequently Asked Questions

Video Tours

PC User Guide

Mac User Guide

System Requirements

If you need more help with installing the program or have questions about how to use it, you can email or call:

Support@BrowseAloud.com

1-877-778-6977 (toll free)

Intel has just released a new product that promises to be a huge success in the blindness community. Named simply the Intel Reader, the device is a technological masterpiece without being overly complicated to operate.

The Reader works by utilizing a high resolution camera to take a picture of text.  It’s as simple as pointing the reader, taking a picture of the text, and letting it read aloud to you.  It converts the printed text into a digital readout which can either be magnified or played back via synthesized voice. The Reader can be used on nearly anything with printed material. It is also very portable, allowing the user to bring it anywhere they would need to. Another added feature is a headphone jack, so that the user can maintain privacy if they’d like.

The Reader also comes equipped with a hard drive, so you can store multiple sources of text at the same time and read them whenever you wish. This feature truly gives a great deal of freedom to anyone who uses one. It is also compatible with MP3 and Daisy audio formats, digital talking books, and can even store text transferred from your computer, like the Matilda Ziegler Magazine e-mail edition.

For more information on the Intel Reader, go to http://www.intel.com/healthcare/reader/about.htm

© Sydney Morning Herald, Australia — Residents of an Auckland retirement village now have a robot helper, thanks to new research into inexpensive robotic assistants for the elderly. The Korean YUJIN robot will work alongside human staff at the Selwyn Retirement Village in Pt Chevalier, where its tasks will include taking vital signs and giving reminders. The robot is on trial following a University of Auckland study into older people’s attitudes towards robot helpers…. READ ARTICLE