Subject: [Blindad] Fwd: [CCB-L] Fw: Press Release:  New Portable
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5/1/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Assistive Technology Center in Sacramento has announced the
release of the first complete portable scan-and-read system for the
blind and print challenged.

The system, named the "AdvantEdge Reader", combines several
mainstream and adaptive technologies in order to achieve the goal of
a pocket scan and read solution.

ATC founder Robert Leblond defines the company's mission as searching
for off-the-shelf applications that can be made to work for the blind
and visually impaired.  Leblond has held this philosophy for nearly 2
decades, and in the 1980's pioneered the concept of Braille
transcription through scanned and faxed documents.

Today's release is promised to be a breakthrough in reading
technology, combining powerful applications with ease of use.  "There
is another company working on a similar solution", Leblond says, "but
the thing is so hard to use as to be impractical."

The AdvantEdge Reader, on the other hand, is the essence of
simplicity.  The user merely inserts the material to be read into the
scanner.  The material is scanned, recognized, converted into
readable format, and read automatically.  There are no other steps.

ATC has, for several years, been adapting scanners for use by the
blind.  Most recently, ATC has adapted the Visioneer strobe
scanner.  This is a tiny, portable scanner.  The problem has been
finding a small enough device to host the conversion and speech programs.

This is where the SmallTalk computer comes in.  SmallTalk is a hand
held uPC enhanced with the screen reading software "Window Eyes", by
GW Micro, an Indiana corporation of some stature in the blindness field.

Assistive Technology Center took the modified Strobe Scanner, figured
out how to install it onto the SmallTalk, and then added the proper
recognition program and hardware driver to create the AdvantEdge Reader.

While other companies have tried to devise portable readers from the
ground up, Leblond frowns on this approach.  "The trick is to make
yourself aware of the technologies available, and to merge them
appropriately, and to add a bit of your own, if necessary." He says.

The best part is that, in addition to being the first portable scan
and read system, the AdvantEdge Reader is also a full Windows XP
computer.  The Reader has a docking cable that allows it to be used
as a desktop computer replacement.  The docking cable connects to an
external monitor, printer, network, keyboard, firewire devices, and
more. Additionally, the Reader features internal Bluetooth and
Wireless LAN technology.

To order, or for more information, please contact the Assistive
Technology Center via phone at 916-381-5011, or e-mail
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