Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>

Jose and all,
You are quite correct, having all these talking devices is not
fair to deaf blind folks.

However the solution is not really yet practical.

Braille devices are still very expensive, it would literally add
probably over a thousand dollars to the cost of an ATM to add
braille, probably more.  Also, current braille technology would
not survive in the difficult ATM environment.

The next best solution is possible but requires the industry to
continue to develope standards for an infrared interface.

the idea is that such devices as ATMs would be able to work
through a remote infrared device.  The technology is not
difficult and exists now.  The problem is the software standard
for such a setup.

I know that for a time some folks at NFB were working on such an
idea, but it gets bogged down in squabling between all the
different people who will have to agree on software standards for
such a setup.
I think it will happen some day, but to make such a setup secure,
will not be simple.

In a nut shell, you would have a thing like a braille lite or
similar portable braille device.  It would have an infrared port
on it.

There would be an infrared port on ATMs ticket machines and the
like.

There would be very fancy highly secure software standards which
would allow you to run an ATM through this infrared connection.

I think this is the best hope to solve this problem.

It will not come soon  just think how long it took to get talking
ATMs.
It is not a matter of developing new technology, it is a matter
of the people who have to agree on the standards seing the need
and making it happen.

Of interest is that the viking Electronics D2000S talking door
entry system developed with help from Smith-Kettlewell RERC by
Viking Electronics has an infrared port available in hardware.
As soon as an infrared standard comes along, they'll be the first
off the block to make it fly.

tom Fowle
Smith-Kettlewell RERC


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