FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> >June 12, 2000

> >
> >FREEDOM SCIENTIFIC ACQUIRES ARKENSTONE READING SYSTEMS
> >
> >Carlsbad, CA -- Freedom Scientific, a leader in assistive technology
> >products for people with sensory impairments and learning disabilities,
has
> >acquired
> >the business operations and product lines of Arkenstone, Inc., the
leading
> >maker of reading systems for people who are blind or visually impaired
> >
> >Arkenstone, a non-profit organization located in Moffett Field,
California,
> >was founded in 1989 by Jim Fruchterman, a Silicon Valley software
> entrepreneur
> >who started two successful software companies in the field of optical
> >character recognition ("OCR"). His goal in starting Arkenstone was to
bring
> >the benefits
> >of OCR technology to blind people by making affordable reading systems.
> >Arkenstone's flagship product, Open Book, is the world's leading reading
> >software
> >for blind and visually impaired people, with over 25,000 users in 60
> >countries worldwide. When loaded into a personal computer connected to a
> >scanner,
> >Open Book uses the PC's sound card to read aloud any scanned material,
from
> >books and newspapers to monthly charge account statements. Arkenstone
also
> >makes WYNN, one of the leading reading software packages for people with
> >learning disabilities, and VERA, a free standing reading machine designed
for
> >seniors and others who want an easy to use scanning/reading appliance.
> >
> >Freedom Scientific will be acquiring the Arkenstone product lines, as
well
> >as its name, intellectual property, and business assets. The Arkenstone
> >engineering
> >group, including Jim Fruchterman, will continue in California as a
> >nonprofit entity, to be re-named Benetech, and will develop new adaptive
> >technology
> >products for people with disabilities. Fruchterman and his Benetech group
> >have also been engaged by Freedom to continue research and development
> work on
> >the purchased software product lines, including future upgrades of each.
> >
> >Freedom Scientific was recently formed through the merger of Henter-Joyce
> >and Blazie Engineering, two leading firms in the field of assistive
> technology
> >for people with visual impairments. Freedom was founded by Richard
> >Chandler, former CEO of Sunrise Medical, and was funded primarily with
> >venture capital
> >investments from two leading private equity firms, Patricof & Co.
Ventures
> >and Summit Partners. Freedom will integrate the Arkenstone Open Book
reading
> >software product line into Henter-Joyce operations in St. Petersburg,
> >Florida and the VERA reading machine into Blazie operations in Stuart,
> >Florida. The
> >Arkenstone, Henter-Joyce and Blazie businesses will all operate as part
of
> >the Freedom Scientific Blind/Low Vision Group, headquartered in St.
> Petersburg.
> >The WYNN product line will remain in Northern California under the
> >direction of Roberta G. Brosnahan, Arkenstone's COO, who will become
> >Freedom's vice
> >president and general manager for learning systems. Freedom intends to
> >build on the WYNN learning disability business with other technology
> >acquisitions
> >in the special education field. Freedom Scientific's corporate
headquarters
> >are in Carlsbad, California.
> >
> >Commenting on his decision to merge with Henter-Joyce and Blazie and
become
> >part of Freedom Scientific, Jim Fruchterman said, "Ted Henter and Deane
> Blazie
> >welcomed me warmly to this industry in 1989. The opportunity to work
> >together now is a great opportunity for broadening our combined range of
> >products
> >and better serving our customers. Dick Chandler brings experienced
> >management talent and access to the additional capital needed to
accelerate
> >the growth
> >of Arkenstone's products. I'm personally delighted that Benetech will be
> >able to use the proceeds from this sale to further our non-profit
objectives,
> >extending our current product lines under the continuing development
> >relationship with Freedom and inventing new ones for people with
> disabilities."
> >
> >Richard Chandler, Freedom Scientific CEO, said, "Jim Fruchterman, a
leading
> >expert in OCR technology, has been one of the pioneers in applying high
tech
> >solutions to the challenges faced by people with visual impairment.
Merging
> >the Arkenstone product lines he created with those from Henter-Joyce and
> Blazie
> >is a perfect strategic fit that will improve efficiencies and service
> >levels while extending our combined market reach. We look forward to an
> >ongoing relationship
> >with Jim and the Benetech team as their commercial partner, helping their
> >future products to reach greater numbers of disabled people."
> >
> >Freedom Scientific is a privately-owned company dedicated to becoming the
> >global market leader in the field of assistive technology. Freedom's
> mission is
> >to change the world for people with sensory and learning disabilities by
> >creating innovative, technology based products and solutions.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Daniel J. Berkowitz, M.A.
Adaptive Technology Consulting, Inc.
P.O. Box 778
Amesbury, MA 01913-0017

phone: 978-462-3817 (extension 14)
fax: 978-462-3928
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.adaptivetech.net