What Was New, Interesting, or Different

What Was New, Interesting, or Different

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The Braille Monitor, August/September

2001 Edition

What Was

New, Interesting, or Different

by

Brad Hodges

Brad Hodges

From the

Editor: Hundreds, maybe thousands of people flock to the exhibit hall during

our national conventions. Somehow I can never find the time I need to browse

through all the displays. I am always on the run: I have to buy a cane; there's

a cameraman wanting to video people reading Braille; the Ohio table has to

be set up or taken down. My intentions are always good; this year I am going

to see what there is to be seen in the exhibit hall. And every year I disappoint

myself. Lots of other people find themselves in the same situation, and of

course many more miss the convention altogether.

So this

year I asked Brad Hodges of our technology staff to take a minute to tell us

about some of what we missed. Here is his report:

In

addition to the familiar categories of presenters--computer and technology

vendors, state and local affiliates, and service organizations--the 2001 convention

saw the debut of entirely new classes of exhibitors. For the first time a bank

was among the booths and tables on the exhibit floor. Bank Of America displayed

its accessible automatic teller machine (ATM). The availability of instant

cash in the exhibit hall was well received by conventioneers, judging from

the lines at the ATM.

Continuing

the cash-machine trend, Diebold, Inc., demonstrated its own accessible ATM.

As a result, many federationists now recognize the convenience of having accessible

ATM equipment in locations such as convenience stores.

In

recent months accessible voting machines have gained much attention. Two manufacturers

brought their equipment directly to the largest group of potential users. Avanti

International Technology and Shoup Voting Solutions each demonstrated voting

equipment designed to provide access to blind voters.

Braille

paper is not a topic which generally creates much excitement, unless you happen

to run out. Despite the less than glamorous nature of Braille paper, Star Continuous

Card Systems (800-458-1413) scored a solid hit with its line of Braille paper

and cards intended for use with the computer.

In

addition to these and other newcomers many old friends and familiar faces were

to be found in our 2001 exhibit Hall. Here are some highlights:

The

American Printing House for the Blind displayed a take-apart map of the United

States. The map, made of a plastic resin, provides exquisite topographical

detail. Each state can be removed from the map, and the name of the state read

in Braille on the map's base. The Materials Center also sells the map for $250.

Enablink.com

is an Internet portal designed to serve the blind computer user. The company

was highly visible at this year's convention. <www.enablelink.com>

Freedom

Scientific occupied several very busy booth spaces. In addition to a preview

of JAWS version 4, as expected, the company unveiled the Braille Lite Millennium-40.

GHLLC

is an Indiana-based company which produces Braille and tactile graphics. The

company furnished maps of the Marriott, produced using its proprietary process.

Many of those who used the maps were favorably impressed by their quality.

HumanWare

is the U.S. distributor for the Braille Note family of notetakers. A version

of the Braille Note with a standard typewriter-style keyboard and a thirty-two-cell

display was announced and demonstrated.

Kurzweil

Educational Systems made what may be remembered as the most significant technology-related

announcement at this year's convention. Pending court approval, employees of

the company are finalizing a plan to purchase the company. This effort, if

successful, will pull Kurzweil out of the legal entanglement surrounding L&H,

its current parent company. The continued operation of Kurzweil will help to

maintain healthy competition in the reading system market.

Features

of the Kurzweil 1000 version 6 were demonstrated. These include an enhanced

voice quality, the ability to examine regions of a document, and an interesting

approach to reading PDF documents, many of which are not now accessible.

Sighted Electronics announced plans to import

the Braille Assistant. According to a press release circulated at the company's

booth, the notetaker will be based on the Linux operating system. It will offer

word processing, e-mail and full Web browsing, a database, and calendar organizer.

The units are expected in early fall and will be available in both Braille-keyboard

and typewriter-keyboard versions.

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