Reading machine: Difference between revisions
References to 1975 and 2009 reading machines |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
The first successful prototypes of reading machine were developed at [[Haskins Laboratories]] in the 1970s under contract from the [[Veterans Administration]]. These large prototypes sent the output from a fixed-font [[optical character recognition|optical character recognizer]] (OCR) to the input of [[speech synthesis|synthesis-by-rule]] algorithms developed at [[Haskins Laboratories]]. |
The first successful prototypes of reading machine were developed at [[Haskins Laboratories]] in the 1970s under contract from the [[Veterans Administration]]. These large prototypes sent the output from a fixed-font [[optical character recognition|optical character recognizer]] (OCR) to the input of [[speech synthesis|synthesis-by-rule]] algorithms developed at [[Haskins Laboratories]]. |
||
The first commercial reading machine for the blind was developed by [[Ray Kurzweil|Kurzweil Computer Products]] (later acquired by [[Xerox]] Corporation.) in 1975.<ref>http://www.kurzweiltech.com/kcp.html</ref> |
The first commercial reading machine for the blind was developed by [[Ray Kurzweil|Kurzweil Computer Products]] (later acquired by [[Xerox]] Corporation.) in 1975. [[Walter Cronkite]] used this machine to give his signature soundoff, "And that's the way it is, January 13, 1976." <ref>http://www.kurzweiltech.com/kcp.html</ref> |
||
Early reading machines were desk-based and large, found in libraries, schools and hospitals or owned by wealthy individuals. In 2009 a cellphone running Kurzweil-[[National Federation of the Blind (United States)|NFB]] software works as a reading machine.<ref>http://www.knfbreader.com/products-mobile.php</ref> |
Early reading machines were desk-based and large, found in libraries, schools and hospitals or owned by wealthy individuals. In 2009 a cellphone running Kurzweil-[[National Federation of the Blind (United States)|NFB]] software works as a reading machine.<ref>http://www.knfbreader.com/products-mobile.php</ref> |
||
Revision as of 00:08, 19 October 2010
 |
A reading machine is a piece of Assistive Technology that allows blind people to access printed materials. It scans text, converts the image into text by means of optical character recognition and uses a speech synthesizer to read out what it has found.
The first successful prototypes of reading machine were developed at Haskins Laboratories in the 1970s under contract from the Veterans Administration. These large prototypes sent the output from a fixed-font optical character recognizer (OCR) to the input of synthesis-by-rule algorithms developed at Haskins Laboratories.
The first commercial reading machine for the blind was developed by Kurzweil Computer Products (later acquired by Xerox Corporation.) in 1975. Walter Cronkite used this machine to give his signature soundoff, "And that's the way it is, January 13, 1976." [1]
Early reading machines were desk-based and large, found in libraries, schools and hospitals or owned by wealthy individuals. In 2009 a cellphone running Kurzweil-NFB software works as a reading machine.[2]