Technical Devices and Special Equipment for the Blind

Technical Devices and Special Equipment for the Blind

Future Reflections Winter 1986, Vol. 5 No. 1
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TECHNICAL DEVICES AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
FOR THE BLIND
(Editor's Note: This article is a
slightly revised version of a chapter
from the Job Opportunities for the Blind
(JOB) publication, Technical Assistance
for Employers: Hiring the Blind is
Reasonable, Proper, and Necesary. JOB
is operated by the National Federation
of the Blind in partnership with the
United States Department of Labor.)
A growing number of special devices
are available for use by blind persons. They vary in cost from only a few dollars
to $30,000 for a single device.
Seldom does a device by itself make the
difference in whether or not a blind
person can do a job. Devices do, however,
provide added independence and
flexibility to blind persons in numerous
positions.
Most special techniques of the blind
require no special devices, and sometimes
a simple, homemade device is as
good as an expensive one. Nevertheless,
blind job applicants and prospective
employers of blind persons can benefit
from knowledge of the devices available.
This article is not meant to be an extensive
list of all specialized equipment
for the blind. Rather, it is
intended as a sampling.
Caution: In every job and in every
situation, the competence of the person
to be hired is vastly more significant
than any or all devices. If the employee is not adequate in the first
place, equipment can't do anything about
it. Also remember that blind
individuals do not all use the same
methods nor have the same skills.
Tape Recorder: Many blind persons
rely heavily on tape recorders. Either
a cassette recorder or an open-reel recorder
can be used in a variety of ways
depending on the needs, assignments, and
preferences of the blind employee.
Large amounts of information can be rerecorded
on tape rapidly and less expensively
than the same information can be
converted into Braille. Often blind
employees can get volunteers to do some
of this recording or another reader can
record it when it is convenient for the
blind person to be doing something else.
Some reference materials can recorded
onto tape and tone indexed. Some tape
recorders have a variable speed control,
so that the listener can speed up the
tape and read the material more rapidly
than it is recorded. Thus, tape recorders
may be a valuable tool to blind
persons who need to deal with printed
materials, although other blind persons
will use them very little, if at all.
Speech Compressor: This device may be
attached to a tape recorder, and it
causes the elimination of pauses between
syllables and words, thus speeding up
the rate at which the speaker speaks.
This device has advantages over the
variable speed control on a tape recorder:
1. It does not change the
pitch of the voice and, therefore, is
more pleasant of listen to. 2. More
speed variation can be, accomplished with
this method before the speech becomes
unintelligible. One blind person who is
employed to convert legal briefs into
simple concise statements works primarily
with tape recorded materials and
then dictates or types her finished
product. Attaching a speech compressor
to her tape recorder increased her productivity
by nearly 50%.
Talking Computer Terminal: A
number of companies are now producing
talking terminals which are known by a
variety of names. A talking terminal is
just what one would expect. It speaks the words that appear pn the screen of a
standard print terminal.* The synthesized
speech of current talking terminals
is clear enough for most people to
understand immediately upon hearing it.
The talking terminal must have some
memory and a keyboard. It is generally
attached to a print terminal in the
system. It is up to the operator of the
talking terminal to be knowledgeable
about the print screen's formatting so
that he or she will understand the full
significance of what is said by the
talking terminal. These terminals can
be interfaced with a number of basic
computer systems and the manufacturers
can tell you what they are designed to
interface with. The disadvantages of
the talking terminal are its lack of
portability and its lack of formatting.
Advantages are speed in retrieving information
and lack of need for substantial
training by the user. Any blind
person can learn to use a talking terminal
quickly.
The first users of talking terminals
have been computer programmers, computer
analysts, and word processors, but we
are on the threshold of using the talking
terminal to open up numerous employement
opportunities for blind persons;
including flight and Amtrak reservations
work, directory assistance and
other telephone referral jobs, and department
store cashiering where terminals
are used.
The cost of some of these devices is
not substantially higher than the cost
of the Optacon. They may be purchased
by the employer, the rehabilitation
agency, the blind person, or someone
else. The variaty of options available
to blind persons using talking terminals
is now enormous. New companies enter
the market each month and established
companies improve their products
routinely. The National Federation of
the Blind can give you up-to-date
information about talking terminals.
Kurzweil Reading Machine: This
machine was developed by Raymond
Kurzweil to convert the printed page
into synthesized speech by means of a
special, automated scanning system and
a mini-computer. A book or magazine is
placed face down on the glass top of the
machine. The user punches keys which
command the scanning mechanism to find
the top line of print on the page and
read it. This occurs in a matter of
seconds, and the speech of the machine
can be set as fast as 200 or more words
per minute. The biggest drawback of
this machine is its expense. In addition,
it requires moderately clear
print. Currently, most of these machines
are located in libraries and
schools or universities where they serve
a useful prupose. Kurzweil Computer
Products, Incorporated is now a subsidiary
of the Xerox Corporation.
There are also now a number of devices
which convert a limited group of type
fonts into computer code. Material can
be read into computers using these devices
and "played back" on talking terminals
or Braille printers. These devices
read a very limited number of type
styles, but their cost is usually less
than that of a Kurzweil reading machine.
Their biggest use is in quickly scanning
typed material to obtain a computer
readable copy. These devices were originally
designed for business applications
not specifically for blind people.
Optacon: The Optacon is used by a
blind person to read the printed page
directly. It consists of a camera,
which is moved across the lines of
print, and a small display consisting of
rows of tiny vibrating pegs which show
the shape of the letter directly under
the camera. The blind person places one
forefinger on the display and feels the shape of the letter as the vibrating
pegs touch the finger. With practice, a
blind person will attain a speed of
reading from 60 to 90 words a minute
too slow for large volume reading but
fast enough for reference and scanning.
(Note: 60-90 wpm is at the higher end
of the range. Most users will read at
about half this rate.) Reading both
Braille and print is customarily 3 or 4
times this fast. The Optacon has been
used most successfully by computer programmers
and computer analysts. A special
lens has been developed for use
with the Optacon and the Cathode Ray
Tube. The Optacon can be used to read
printed or typewritten material, not
handwriting. A skilled user can read
charts and diagrams. The Optacon was
developed and is available from Telesensory
Systems, Incorporated. Substantial
training is necessary before a blind
person attains skill with this instrument,
and we are told that some blind
individuals are not able to become proficient
in the use of the Optacon.
In spite of its limitations, the Optacon
was the first device that enabled
immediate access to print. For certain
purposes, it is extremely useful. For
other purposes, it is impractical. The
Optacon might be useful to a mathematician,
but it would hardly do for legal
research. It is just right for some
computer programmers, but much too slow
for a news commentator.
Computer Driven Braille Printer:
Several companies have developed machines
which can be driven by a computer
to print Braille. They range in price
from about $3,000 to about $15,000. The
less expensive models print Braille at
10-15 characters per second. The most
expensive, print at about 130 characters
per second. The Thiel printer from
Maryland Computer Service is the most
advanced high-speed Braille printer on
the market in America today. Maryland
Computer Services, Triformation Systems,
Incorporated, and Visualtek also produce
slower, but quite acceptable, Braille
printers. All Braille printers can
reproduce material from computer documents.
Many can write Braille in literary
or computer code. There are several
software packages on the market which
permit computers to translate documents
into standard English Grade two Braille
and back again. This is particularly
helpful for blind people doing word
processing or for those with no Braille
knowledge who wish to transcribe material
into Grade two Braille. If a
blind person is highly specialized, it
is certainly worthwhile to spend several
thousand dollars on a piece of equipment,
just as it is worthwhile for companies
to buy expensive equipment to
improve the quality and quantity of work
done by sighted employees.
Paperless Braille Machines: Another
type of machine which can be interfaced
with a computer and serve as a computer
terminal is the paperless Braille device.
Two models are being made in this
country (one by Telesensory Systems,
Incorporated and the other by Triformation
Systems, Incorporated) and other
models can be purchased from Germany.
These machines consist of a cassette
tape drive, a 20-cell Braille display, a
6-key Braille keyboard, and a number of
operating controls. (The Braille displays
on some of the foreign machines
are larger than 20 cells.) The cost of
the paperless Braille machine is similar to that of the Optacon and talking
terminals. It may be an advantage that
these machines have writing and editing
capabilities as well as showing the
readout. It should be possible to interface
this machine with certain electric
typewriters, as well as computers.
Thus, material could be typed by a paid
or volunteer typist and read in Braille
on the machine. The memory blocks of
the two American machines vary considerably
in size. The 20-cell display is a
disadvantage, for that is a very small
segment of material. Nevertheless, many
blind people prefer to have the information
in Braille. Paperless Braille
displays which become part of microcomputers
are now being tested and
marketed. The advantage of these is
that no special software is needed.
Braille Thermoform Machine: This
machine is comparable to a copy machine
for print materials. It is useful for
making a limited number of copies of a
Braille page or pages. This is the way
it functions: a Braille page is placed
on a flat surface on the machine. A
blank plastic page is placed on top of
the Braille. Both pages are held in
place by a frame which is lowered over
the edges of the platform. A heating
unit is then pulled over the material
and held there for three seconds. At
the end of this time, a vacumn device
sucks the softened plastic page down
over the Braille dots, so that the plastic
is molded into a pattern identical
to the page underneath it. The whole
process takes only a few seconds. In
this, also, it is like a print copy
machine. Most employers will not need
to have Braille Thermoform machines.
However, it may be useful to know about
the process. Public and private service
agencies for the blind often have these
machines and will duplicate Braille
material on request at little or no
charge. If a company employs more than
one blind person and both need to have
access to certain material in Braille,
it would be possible to have the material
put into Braille by a volunteer
transcriber and one or more copies made with the Thermoform machine.
Braille Dymotape Machine: If relatively
brief Braille labels are needed
on file folders or equipment, they can
be made by a blind or sighted employee
using a Braille Dymotape ma chine. A
dial marked in print and Braille is
turned to the appropriate letter or
punctuation mark. Depression of a lever
causes the Braille symbol to be imprinted
upon the tape. The plastic back can
be peeled off the tape and the label
applied to most kinds of surfaces. Of
course, Braille labels can be made with
a slate or stylus or a Braille writer,
but the Braille Dymotape machine can
often serve a useful purpose as well.
Closed Circuit TV Enlargers; A
number of models of these devices are
available from two different companies
Apollo Laser and Visualtek. These machines
magnify print from a printed page
onto a screen. Enlargement can be as
much as 60 times the size of the
original print. A number of adjustments
can be made according to the preference
of the reader. For instance, the
machine can be set to show black print
on a white background, or white print on
a black background. This is useful to
some individuals because it helps them
to reduce glare and control sensitivity to bright light. Many blind individuals
have a limited amount of usable vision,
generally not more than 1096...This means
their vision is usuable, but not good
enough to use standard materials. The
closed circuit TV enlargers increase
independence and flexibility for blind
individuals who can use them. Closed
circuit TV enlargers also exist for
computers as well.
Other Magnifiers: Magnifiers can
be very simple and inexpensive, or they
can be large and cost several hundred
dollars. They do exactly what one would
expect them to do. They magnify the
print 1 to 10 times and are helpful to
some persons with very limited vision.
There are dozens of types of magnifiers
on the market, some with several lenses
and some with with special lighting.
They can be purchased from optometrists
and other retailers of visual aids.
Very often, if a person has difficulty
using a closed circuit TV enlarger or a
magnifier, he or she can work more efficiently
with recorded materials.
Typewriters: There is no such thing
as a typewriter for the blind. There is
not, because there is no need for it.
Blind people use standard typewriters:
manual, electric and selectric. Blind
secretaries use them to earn a living.
Other blind individuals use typewriters
as the major method for writing print.
At work a counselor, supervisor, teacher,
news reporter, or any of a hundred
or more other types of employees who are
blind can type information for others to
read. The typewriter can be used by a
blind person to fill out forms, to type
drafts of manuscripts and letters, make
notes or instructions for others, as
well as to do all variations of secretarial
work. It is a machine that blind
persons may depend on more than sighted
persons. No special adaptions are
needed. Some blind persons write legible
handwriting. Some do not. In any
case, there is no reason to worry about
the blind person's handwriting as long
as he or she knows how to type. If the
blind person does not type, this will
reduce his or her flexiblity, but dictation
through a machine or directly to a
secretary is still an easy technique in
many employment situations. Since
typing is done by touch, it is a natural
and easy skill for a blind person to
acquire. Typing is a valuable skill and
is used by the blind for some purposes
when a sighted person might not type.
Of course, it would not be sensible to
insist that all blind persons do a lot
of typing. This would not be desirable
in some jobs. For example, the author
of this book typed all her work in
college and developed good speed and
accuracy. She handled personal correspondence
and correspondence for an organization
for which she was secretary
for several years after college. She
now types only a few pages a year, because
her work load is such that typing
is inefficient.
Light Probe: In certain jobs it
is necessary that the operator of a
piece of equipment know when a light is
on, and it may also be necessary to know
the position of the light. For example,
the magnetic tape selectric composer has
a panel of lights which signifies which
command the machine is ready to receive.
A multiple line telephone has lights
which indicate which lines are in use and which line is ringing. Telephone
consoles and switchboards often provide
information to the operator by means of
light intensity and the speed of
flashing lights. A blind person can
operate any of these pieces of equipment
and many others by using a simple tool
commonly known as a light probe. One
end of the probe can be used to scan for
light signals. When it registers light,
a buzz or squeal sounds. Very often the
pitch will vary with the intensity of
light. With practice, a person can
develop considerable skill and speed
using this simple device. Light probes
have been developed for individuals by
local electronic technicians, and some
are available commercially. The telephone
company makes a model which can
have the output directed into the operator's
headset.
Talking Calculators: The first
talking calculators were developed in
the early '70's and were extremely expensive.
By 1976 or '77 a rather primitive
talking calculator was available
for just under $400.00. Today blind
persons have a choice of models of
talking calculators at reasonable
prices. Panasonic has two portable
talking calculators which can be purchased
from Aids Unlimited. The National
Federation of the Blind has a
limited number of inexpensive talking
Cassios. There are accurate calculators
but not meant for hard use. Canon makes
a more specialized model of the talking
calculator which produces a tape and is
more expensive. These models are meant
to be indicative of what is available,
not a comprehensive list.
Braille Micrometer: Blind persons
can be excellent machinists. One important
tool for a machinist is a
micrometer. A good machinist needs to
be able to measure the diameter of a
shaft or gear with an accuracy up
to .001 inches (1 /1000"). The adjustment
on the Braille micrometer consists of
small dials in tiers to open and close
the micrometer. A blind person's accuracy
using this instrument is as least
as good as the accuracy of the average
sighted machinist doing this type of
work. Individuals who have been trained
after blindness to become machinists
will very often know about this tool.
If a trained machinist becomes blind, it
will be important for him or her to find
out about and learn to use the Braille
micrometer.
Talking Calipers: Some blind
machinists prefer the talking calipers.
This depends some on individual preference
and types of job assignments.
Rotomatic and Click Rule: Generally,
linear measurement in cabinet making and
wood working is required to be accurate
within l/32nd or l/64th of an inch. The
rotomatic measure is a bolt threaded
with grooves every 1/16th of an inch.
Turning in these threads is a guide
which can be locked into place at any
point. A quarter turn of the guide
and/or the lock nut is l/64th of an
inch. The threaded device is 6" long
and extensions can be screwed into it at
the end, making it possible to measure
substantial lengths with as much accuracy
as needed. The bolt is flat on one
side with raised threads every half
inch. This makes it possible to adjust
the rotomatic measuring device without
counting all the turns it makes. Another device which performs the same function as the rotomatic is the click rule. The click rule is a threaded rod with a "sleeve" around it . The threads
make a small clicking sound every 1 /16th
of an inch as the rod is pulled from the
sleeve. It is also a tactual measure
with raised threads every 1/2 inch.
Both items (the rotomatic and the click
rule) are available from the National
Federation of the Blind.
A Beeping Sphygmomanometer: The
Kentucky Bureau for the Blind developed
a device to make it possible for blind
persons to record accurate blood pressure
readings. A major feature of the
sphygmomanometer is that it can be set t
beep every so many seconds, so that the
blind person can get an accurate count
on the pulse in that length of time.
Instruments such as the beeping sphygmomanometer
can be used by blind persons
who are employed as nurse's aids, laboratory
technicians, physicians, and in
other medical positions.
Braille Thermometer: A metal, clinical
thermometer which can be read tactually
is available. When the body
temperature has been taken, a button is
pressed to maintain the position until
the thermometer has been read. It can
be used by individuals in medical employment
or at home. A talking thermometer
can also be constructed.
Some devices can be extremely important
to the blind for personal use, but
significant in employment as well. The
talking clock is an accurate time
keeping machine, a stop watch, an alarm,
and a timer. Many blind persons carry
it with them and use it as a watch.
More than one model of the talking clock
is available.
Many models of Braille wristwatches
and pocket watches are available. A
blind person will purchase whichever
watch he or she prefers unless, indeed,
this individual has now become a clock
user instead of a watch wearer. Employers
should know that these devices
exist, but they should not need to
secure them, maintain them, or deal with
them in any way.
Standard tape measures and the steel
tape roll-up measures are also available
in Braille. The first 6 inches or foot
of these measures are marked every 1 /4th
or l/8th of an inch. The rest may be o
marked only every 3 to 6 inches. Cloth
tape measures may be marked with staples.
Steel tapes may be marked with
raised dots. Foot-long Braille rulers
are also available if needed. Braille
kitchen timers are inexpensive, easy to
use, and may be handy in certain situations.
Other
equipment may be labeled or
marked tactually for the convenience of
a blind person. Dials may be marked by
making grooves with a scratch awl or
dots of dried glue or fingernail polish.
Combination locks can be marked with
either of these methods. Blind persons
may devise methods for doing any number
of activities. Before going to the
trouble or expense to adapt a device,
mark a dial, or make other special arrangements
for a blind person--an employer
or supervisor should discuss the
matter with the blind employee. You may
find that no adaptation is needed, or
that the blind person has already developed
a simple method for getting the job
done.
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