RE: the Papenmeir device that was supposed to be coming out

[Janina Sajka <janina@afb.net>]

Yes, yes. Very important. Thanks for reminding us of this device.

I believe the intended audience was people with few economic means and 
also people with poor or nonexistant literacy skills.  Devices like this 
have enormous potential to reach people who are not yet benefiting from 
information technology. They will also have an important role in 
increasing literacy and employability, particularly in areas like south 
Asia, Africa, and South America (to say nothing of some native Indian 
areas of the U.S., etc).

The important point, though, is that the price of technology is not 
ordained, and it should and can come down. It is generally expected that 
computers will become a throw away item in a few decades. I hope no one 
here thinks that doesn't apply to their computers, because it does.



On Wed, 14 Nov 2001, Ari Moisio wrote:

> Janina Sajka 13.11.01:
> 
> >Don't know of a Korean (or any Asian) device aimed at blind users. Do you
> >know any more?
> 
>   There is Simputer project,
> http://www.simputer.org
> 
>   Not designed for blind users but designed to be cheap, below $200 and
> has build-in tts.  Some work is required before it could be used by
> blind users: some kind of tactile keyboard on the touch-screen and new
> user interface but the hardware is there.
> 
>   Running LInux, of course:->
> 
> 
> 

-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina@afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175

Chair, Accessibility SIG
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