Deaf people lobby MPs over phones

Deaf campaigners fighting for equal access to the telephone are lobbying MPs at a reception in parliament. The BBC reports.

"Consortium group TAG said deaf people are being held back in their jobs and lives because phone technology is no longer easily available or affordable.

The deaf are able to communicate using phone systems which either turn speech into text and vice versa or use sign language interpreters via video link.

Another system called captioned telephony, which uses speech recognition technology to convert an operator’s voice into text, closed in December for funding reasons.

"Much better access has been shown to be within grasp, but most of the services that deliver it have folded because they are too expensive for deaf individuals."

TAG's reception for MPs is being held at Portcullis House under its campaign "Bringing Deaf Telecoms into the 21st Century".

The group represents all the main UK deaf organisations concerned with telecoms and broadcasting.

Nokia Intros Phone Device for the Hearing Impaired

Nokia has announced the release of a new cell-phone accessory designed for users with hearing aids: The Nokia Wireless Loopset works with T-coil equipped hearing aids or cochlear implants, and slips around the user's neck.

The Wireless Loopset is compatible with Bluetooth-ready handsets, essentially transforming the user's hearing aid into a headset. The device features adjustable sidetone levels, optimized volume range, single-button calling, and a vibrating alert.

[via Gearlog]

Making travelling easier for the disabled thanks to GPS cell phones

Nicolas Novo reports on Pasta&Vinegar, of an interesting project by Antoni Aba presented by the city of Geneva and Handicap Architecture Urbanisme (HAU) called GENEVE*accessible.

"The project intends to make traveling easier for the disabled by providing them disabled GPS-enabled mobile telephones so that they can take pictures of every obstacle they come across in Geneva.

By means of multimedia messages they create a map of the accessibility of the city on the internet.

The resulting work will be presented at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève, within a series of related live events: the “Créateurs Singuliers” week (27th May-1rst June)."

Deaf call for better phone access

Deaf people are lobbying politicians in the UK for greater access to technology that helps them use the phone. The BBC reports.

"A mass lobby of MPs is being carried out using the same technology to which deaf people want improved access.

These systems use different means to turn sign language or text into speech to support a phone conversation.

"We want to keep pace with technology," said Ruth Myers, chair of the TAG consortium that is co-ordinating the day of protests."

Cell phone can read documents for blind

The next generation of computerized aids for the blind and visually impaired will be mobile, according to Associated Press, describing a smart phone that snaps a picture of a $10 bill and a few seconds later, the phone says, "Twenty dollars."

"The Nokia cell phone is loaded with software that turns text on photographed documents into speech .It also allows users to read anything that is photographed, whether it's a restaurant menu, a phone book or a fax.

While the technology is not new, the NFB and the software's developer say the cell phone is the first to incorporate the text-to-speech ability.

The inventor plans to begin marketing the cell phone in February through K-NFB Reading Technology. The software will cost $1,595 and the cell phone is expected to cost about $500, Kurzweil said.

Sisi helps handset owners to 'speak' to deaf via video

For those struggling to communicate with the deaf could benefit from Sisi (Say it, Sign it), a system developed as part of IBM's Extreme Blue initiative. The Inquirer reports.

"Sisi takes input from text and then converts it into BSL (British Sign Language).

The really clever bit is that the Extreme Blue team which developed Sisi has married the conversion process to existing avatar technology.

At present the technique relies on communications with a server. It then returns the results as a video clip of the avatar signing the desired message.

Sisi would enable handset users to key a message into their mobile phones and then display the results as a video clip with the avatar signing.

At present the team see the technology as being initially taken up for voicemails and instant messaging.

In future they also hope to support other languages besides English."

Text4Deaf

Text4Deaf.com, a new communications-based Web site for the deaf community and the people with whom they interact, has been officially launched, according to TMC.net.

"The new Web site enables real-time text messaging with a Web interface to cell phones, regardless of the carrier.

In their own words: Text4Deaf allows users to send text messages from the Web to both individuals and groups, while enabling recipients to respond directly to the originating PC or Mac. Text4Deaf web texts can be sent from any web-enabled device worldwide to any U.S. or Canadian mobile phone.

Cell Phones Helping to Guide the Blind

In Stockholm, wireless technology helps blind people navigate independently, thanks to voice advisories from their mobile phones. Computerworld reports.

"The prototype system, uses a Nokia 6300 Symbian phone with earphones and a separate GPS unit linked to the phone through Bluetooth.

The complete system was tested by about a dozen sight-impaired and blind people in Sweden’s capital in late 2006. The navigation application locates the user and plots a path to the destination using a highly detailed GIS created and maintained by the city mainly for street maintenance and traffic management purposes.

The voice guide then alerts the user to upcoming turns and obstacles through early warnings, rather than instructing every move. The voice alerts (in Swedish) include phrases like “left turn in 10 meters” or “low wall on the right.” ...

Talking Mobile Phones for Visually Impaired Canadians

Cashing in on the aging population in Canada, Rogers Wireless has launched a "talking cellphone" in the form of Nokia 6682RVI, powered by screen reading software called Nuance TALKS. Mobile Weblog reports.

"Nokia 6682RVI handset into a "talking phone" by converting menus, instructions and content displayed on the screen into audio output through its internal speaker, or an optional wired or Bluetooth headset".

GPS navigation plan to help blind

An Italian technology company is pioneering a GPS satellite system that will give blind people greater independence and mobility. The BBC reports.

"The Easy Walk service, developed by Il Village, is currently being tested by a group of 30 people from the Italian Blind Union who are providing feedback. The plan is for Easy Walk to be launched to blind and partially sighted people in Piedmont in the autumn.

... It requires just two dedicated keys on the mobile phone - one which, when pressed, tells the user their exact location including the house or building number and the other one alerts the call centre that the person needs assistance with navigation.

An operator will then call the blind person, find out where it is they need to go and stay on the line with them providing step by step instructions."

Elder Phone slows down voices

Digital World Tokyo reports on NTT DoCoMo’s new mobile phone , The Raku-Raku Phone Basic, which caters to the elderly with lowered hearing and eyesight.

-- A "Slow Voice’ feature, slows down the spoken words coming through the earpiece for easy listening.

-- A ‘Clear Voice’ noise detection feature takes into account surrounding noise levels and adjusts the earpiece and ringtone volume accordingly.

-- An automated voice reads out text from email or web pages and announces incoming caller identities

-- And a pedometer that can work out daily calorie consumption."

Links to other elder phones

USA Requiring Phones to Work with Hearing Aids

To ensure that hearing aid users are provided with compatible mobile phones, the FCC has mandated that digital wireless phones which are manufactured or imported for use in the United States meet the requirements of the current ANSI C63.19:2006 standard (American National Standard for Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between Wireless Communications Devices and Hearing Aids).

"...Digital wireless service providers as well as manufacturers have to ensure that at least 50% of all handsets marketed meet the ANSI U3 or M3 (RF Emissions) hearing aid-compatibility requirements for each air interface offered.

The deadline to comply with these requirements is February 18, 2008.

About one in ten of the world population has some degree of hearing loss. This number is also on the increase as a result of the noise levels to which people are exposed and the demographic aging. "

[via Cellular News]

Sign Language On Your Cellphone

With the help of a grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of Washington and Cornell are working on new software to help transmit compressed video of sign language using cellphones, reports MedGadget.

"MobileASL is a video compression project at the University of Washington with the goal of making wireless cell phone communication through sign language a reality.

If you're wondering why it's necessary, since cell phones have text messaging and would enable deaf or hearing impaired mobile users to communicate, it's important to know that many take pride in the traditional bonds they feel with others who communicate by signing and are in favor of preserving this tradition. A small, but growing number of deaf parents are even intentionally using embryonic genetic testing to ensure that their children share their deafness.

In an interview in 2002, with Mme Nathalie Palama, in charge of the Centre for Deaf and Hearing Impaired in Geneva (CRAL), Palama mentioned that what would be useful would be for cell phones to integrate the symbols of dactylology - the manual alphabet used by hearing-impaired and speech-impaired people -, which does exist for computer keyboards. She said "You would think this is not necessary since we already have SMS, but these symbols are meaningful to our culture."

Sat-nav for blind 'not a gimmick'

The Telegraph reports that blind residents of Turin have been equipped with GPS trackers so that they can be directed around the northern Italian city by satellite.

" When wearing the device, a blind user can be tracked by call-centre workers on a map of the city. If he needs help, he can press a special button on a mobile phone to ring in and be guided towards his destination.

Another button can alert staff in case of an attack, or another emergency. The trial scheme, named B>Easy Walk, started last week.

The service runs 24 hours a day and can work across Italy and even France."

Videophones at airport ease travel for hearing impaired

Sorenson Communications has announced the installation of two videophone booths for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals at a public airport for the first time, on each side of Salt Lake City International Airport's two baggage claim areas. [via The Salt Lake Tribune]

The innovative videophone booths, most often installed in deaf schools and community access centers, make communication between the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and the hearing world easier than ever.

How does it work:

To use a videophone booth, a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual enters a private booth equipped with a Sorenson VP-200 videophone connected to both a television and high-speed Internet. He or she enters the phone number of the hearing individual being called. Through the Sorenson Video Relay Service, a qualified ASL interpreter appears on the screen, connects the individuals and relays the conversation between them. The hearing party receiving the call uses a standard phone line.

Student activists at Gallaudet University used wireless tech to mobilize

Al Jiminez, a senior at Gallaudet University, uses a wireless handheld computer to communicate with other student activists. Jiminez was participating in a hunger strike as students fought with school officials over their choice for the president of the university.
the AP reports.

"Student activists at the nation's only university for the deaf and hearing impaired, Gallaudet University, surprised school administrators with their tenacity and organization. Their demonstrations led to the ouster of incoming President Jane K. Fernandes — who students and faculty said was autocratic and unable to tackle the school's long-term problems during her years as provost.

The successful mobilization can be partly credited to a technology that did not exist a decade ago: the wireless handheld computer. For a month, protesters used the mobile devices to wage a wireless war via messages to each other, the media and the international deaf community.

Almost every Gallaudet student has a BlackBerry, Sidekick or other handheld. The students say the technology has brought them more equality and has opened up the world."

Devices to translate words and magazine print into SMS

According to Tokyomanga, "Japan's Ministry of Health just launched a major collaborative effort with 10+ companies and research institutes to create highly exportable, high-tech devices for people with hearing and vision disabilities.

One of the items will instantly translate spoken words into cell phone text messages for the hearing impaired.

And another read printed text from magazines. Hitachi and IBM already have gadgets that will read web sites, but not magazines.

The officials said such devices could potentially grow into key export items for Japan."

Telecoms open up for deaf people

Two new products developed in the UK will give deaf or hearing impaired people better access to meetings and phone calls. The BBC reports.

"Bedfordshire company Teletec will soon start new services using internet devices and voice recognition technology.

And the Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) is launching the ScreenPhone.

Both products turn voice calls or meetings into text and are aimed at deaf people who prefer to speak."

LG Launches "Reading (voice) Phone" for the visually impaired

LG Electronics has developed a voice phone for visually impaired users. The “Reading Phone” converts texts files into voice. Telecoms Korea reports.

The specially designed handset gives voice direction for all functions thanks to an embedded voice sensor and text-to-speech converter.

Deaf to 'hear' PA system on phone

A group of research students at IBM has developed a system to make public announcements available to people on a mobile phone, reports the BBC.

"Called LAMA, the service was originally conceived to improve communications for deaf people. Its designers hope that it will soon be in use in busy public places like airports, railway stations and hospitals.

As someone enters a place where the LAMA - or Location Aware Messaging for Accessibility - system is running, it is recognised by their mobile phone which will then display a list of the services on offer.

After a user has signed up for the service, public address announcements will be delivered to their handset by SMS."

Braille text messaging phone

Telecoms Korea reports on Samsung Electronics' touch messenger phone developed specifically for blind users.

Blind users will be able to exchange text messages through the touch sense braille keyboard.

It won the excellence in design award at the 2006Industrial Designers Society of America awards (IDSA).

Current text messaging devices for the blind convert text to speech via a text reader, which negates the privacy and unobtrusiveness intended with this form of communication. With the Touch Messenger’s innovative screen and keyboard for Braille text messaging, blind users can now take advantage of this rapidly growing form of communication.

[via Engadget Mobile]

Related:

-- Deafblind slate 'senseless' tech

-- A Braille Keyboard for Texting

//MUKANA

//Mukana is a piece of cutting-edge smart clothing designed for the visually impaired - which includes a cell phone, a wireless headset, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module and voice recognition software. The project is presented on SAUMA, an exhibition exploring new approaches to usability, user experience and the design process itself. [via WMMNA].

In their own words:

"A group of visually impaired participated throughout the process of development. The final prototype was thoroughly tested by them.

The system takes account of the special needs of the visually impaired. Users can ask //MUKANA to tell them their location, to give information on what route to take to their destination or on the timetables of public transportation.

With //MUKANA, people can use the phone and operate the guide system with the help of a Bluetooth® enabled wireless headset and an integrated 10-key Braille number pad for the visually impaired. Extra batteries are included to guarantee the long-term functioning of the system and the cell phone. There is a pocket where the headset can be charged and stored, as well as a pocket for keys and a wallet. The Braille keypad is located in front of the garment, rotated 90 degrees from the normal position to support ergonomic hand movement."

"Seeing by Sound"

The Globe and Mail writes about an assistive technology that is allowing blind users to "see" by sound".

"The technology is part of a wave of software and hardware which has evolved as laptops, mobile phones and PDAs converge into powerful handheld computers.

They're having a profound impact, allowing the blind to navigate streets in unfamiliar cities, to having e-mails read from their mobiles and identifying colours.

The "Seing with Sound" technology was developed by Peter Meijer, a Dutch scientist, and is available as a free download on his website. "

Text Message-based Consulting Service for Handicapped

According to Slashphone, KT in Korea has started to provide text-message-based real time consulting services to handicapped people for whom telephone services pose various difficulties.

"Park Yong-hwa, KT’s vice-president, said, "The text message-based consulting service is very useful, and is expected to gain popularity with the nation's 170,000 estranged citizens suffering from impaired hearing and language ability".

Motorola Cell Phone Automatically Adjusts to the Elderly

Mobiledia has found another great patent. This time it's Motorola's cell phone technology adaptable for the hearing impaired.

"By automatically detecting speech patterns of the elderly, the technology automatically boosts incoming and outgoing audio while simplifying menu structure and increasing font size.

The special needs of the elderly can often be in conflict with other users, such as the youth which often desire the smallest, most feature rich devices possible. Hence, the technology allows one device to adapt and accommodate to both market segments. "

Telecommunication devices that adjust audio characteristics for elderly communicators - United States Patent Application 20060088154

SMS not responsible for Miss Deaf Texas death

"The reigning Miss Deaf Texas who was killed by a train was text messaging her parents - both of whom are hearing-impaired - as she walked near the tracks and might have been distracted, police said."

This Associated Press story has been picked up by every major newspaper with variants on the title "Text messaging had something to do with her death", (CNN) or "Miss Deaf Texas Text Messaging Near Tracks" (Forbes) and "Deaf beauty queen killed by train was texting" (MNSBC). And indeed it's a trajedy but the titles are misleading. I readily agree with Mike Masnick over at TechDirt, who writes that text messaging had nothing to do with this terrible accident, she should not have been walking close to the tracks.

According to a railroad spokesman, "this type of accident "underscores the danger of walking anywhere near railroad tracks - and contrary to what most people think, there are no vibrations on railroad tracks".

Talk SMS

The Telegraph from India reports that Airtel is launching a Talk SMS feature in Calcutta, enablling people who have probelms sending text messages - to record voice messages by dialling 363 followed by the cellphone number of the recipient. He or she will be able to hear the message in the voice of the sender and can also reply through Talk SMS.

Sprint and AOL Team to Offer IRCs for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired

Sprint and AOL today announced the launch of Sprint IP Relay, a new Sprint service that builds on the AIM Relay service that allows individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or who have a speech disability to communicate with any standard or mobile telephone user in the US via instant messaging.

Press release

Opposition party proposes free SMS for deaf

According to the Hungarian News Agency, the small opposition Democratic Forum (MDF) is proposing that wieless operators should enable the deaf to send 300 text messages a month free of charge. In Hungary there are about 60,000 deaf people, making up 0.6 percent of the population."

Why don't all operators worldwide offer the same?

Tips for Disabled Cellphone Users

A wonderful blog called Disabled Hands adresses people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, RSI, arthritis, injury or any other cause that has left their hands weakened and less functional.

In this post are recommendations for a useable cellphone for any disabled friend. What's interesting is that it's not a simple phone which is best.

"My recommendations here are counter intuitive. I recommend getting a rather feature-rich phone. Features like cameras, Bluetooth, Voice-dialing, GPS, speakerphone, etc. can specifically ease the usability of the phone for disabled users."