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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 935

                            Monday, June 14, 1993

Today's Topics:


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                              Computer Braille
                         Leasing of braille printers
                        IC's for speech output wanted
                                  Re: Games
                        can anyone tell me something?
             Johns Hopkins invents Star Trek-style vision visor
                               Job Interviews
                            David - The Computer
                                 BOOKMANAGER
                             RFB access question
                   Re: Reading Edge to PC transfer - Help!


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Subject: Computer Braille
From: TPKim@uci.edu (Thomas Kim)

Hi Everyone,

I need help on some math or text to braille conversion.

Questions:

1. What is the difference between computer braille and standard braille?
2. Is computer braille standard for most if not all translation programs?
3. If I wanted to convert mathematics symbols, do I have to convert the
math to computer braille first then feed it to a translator to
get Nemeth code?
4. Is there a reference out there for Nemeth code (in print)?





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Subject: Leasing of braille printers
From: NRCGSH@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Norm Coombs)

I need to know if it is possible to lease a braille printer.  We
have some grant money that might purchase one that is needed for a
limited time frame, like 6 months.  They prefer we lease if
possible.  Does anyone know if it is possible?

Please write me directly:
Norman Coombs nrcgsh@ritvax.isc.rit.edu




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Subject: IC's for speech output wanted
From: S_ROHRBACHER@irav1.ira.uka.de (Kai Rohrbacher)

Hi!

A friend of mine is looking for integrated circuits to construct a
device to help a blind person.
It's necessary to output some binary- or BCD-coded values as speech
(a 4bit value range would suffice). Speech output should be German,
but English is ok, also.
A one or two chip solution (perhaps a phonem generator linked to an
EPROM?) would be preferred.
If you know of such IC's (manufacturer/sources/names/price/data
sheets/...), please drop me an email to one of my addresses below.
Please answer by email, as I'm not reading this group normally.

Thank you,

0  0        0    Kai Rohrbacher
0 0               S_ROHRBACHER@IRAVCL.IRA.UKA.DE
00    000  00      UKB8@DKAUNI2.BITNET
0 0  0  0   0       kai.rohrbacher@logo.ka.sub.org
0  0  0000 000       2:241/7451.7





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Subject: Re: Games
From: greco@acs.ucalgary.ca (Lucia Greco)
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta


there are many good games for speech packages but they are not
the most popular kind of games  for most people
yes i am talking about text games come on lets all give them a
chance my favorite set is the ones written bye infocom but these games
are only for people that like to think so if you want to know
more check your local software store and ask about the treasure
chests and try playing some of the games but remember they take
some thought and lots of time. but it still can be lots of fun
i am not a sails person and do not sponsor these games but i just
love playing them.

Lucy greco text game adventurer
--
lucia greco seed program for access




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Subject: can anyone tell me something?
From: dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil (Jude DaShiell)


I had the same thing happen to me and i don't use flipper.
I use artic's software.  I'll tell you what solved the problem for me too.
I think your computer recently took a hit.  Like somebody or something banged
into it very hard.  When this happened, what it probably did was to misalign
your artic card.  The way to solve the problem is to open up the computer.
Next remove the artic card from the slot.  Now that this is done check the
edge on both sides that fits into the slot and make sure none of the
silver stuff is coroded.  If it is, it's time to get a new card.
If not, place the artic card back into the slot and make sure it's
firmly seated in the slot.  When this is done reboot the computer and see
if it sounds any better.  If so close the lid and go on with life since your
problem is solved.  If it has no effect on the sound, remove the card from
the slot and if you have clear sinuses smell the card all over.
If you smell any hint of smoke then one or more parts is burned out
on your card and it has to be shipped back to artic.
Call them first for shipping instructions and I hope it's still under
warranty.

hope this helps some.

<dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil>
j. DaShiell
Naval Air Warfare Center
Aircraft Division Warminster
Street and Jacksonville Roads
Warminster, PA   18974-5000
(215)-441-2229


p.s. kaniss is somebody else.




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Subject: Johns Hopkins invents Star Trek-style vision visor
From: 34AEJ7D@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu (W.K. (Bill) Gorman)

I saw a news clip a day or two ago that mentioned a device under
development at Johns Hopkins University (Medical School). It is a
visor device that fits over the head and sits in front of the eyes.
Inside the visor are two small TV screens, rather like those in a
Camcorder viewfinder. A little control box hangs on the belt and
carries controls for stuff like focus, wide-angle/telephoto,
brightness, contrast, etc.

The unit exists now and works, but is bulky. The TV newsperson
doing the piece tried one out. A prototype of the final, marketable
version was displayed, and wasn't much larger than the visor worn
by the Jordy character in Star Trek, TNJ. A Johns Hopkins
spokesdroid said the unit would be ready for the market in a year
or so, available by prescription, for around $3,000.00. It was
originally inspired by efforts to help those suffering from Macular
Degereration, but now it appears that it will be programmable as an
aid for a wide variety of visual impairments.


Sez me,

W. K. (Bill) Gorman  <bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu>
--




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Subject: Job Interviews
From: VCOOK%VTVM1.BITNET@VM1.NoDak.EDU (Virgil Cook)


The most recent postings on job interviews have struck home.  The
statement about someone else doing your job for you is the main
thread of the scenario of my landing my present job just over 30
years ago.  In my search for a college teaching job, I learned of
openings at Virginia Tech.  Having grown up in the area, I knew
that Tech had employed a blind man for over 40 years, first as
YMCA secretary and finally as dean of religious activities
(essentially the liaison between Tech and the campus religious
groups).  The response to every other application was something
like "you have excellent qualifications, but we can't use you."
The department head at Virginia Tech was very much interested in
talking to me.  I came for an interview and was hired on the
spot.  How many blind people--or any people for that matter--do
you know who have had only one job interview in their entire
lives.  Truly, Paul Derring's 40+ years on this campus got me my
job.

One could only wish that most other blind people could be as
lucky as I.  Seven years  away from retirement, I have no wish to
work anywhere else.

Keep setting those good examples, Folks.


                                ******
***
| Virgil A. Cook                   VOICE  703-231-6568                  |
| DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH            FAX    703-231-5692                  |
| Virginia Tech                     E-MAIL-                             |
| WILLIAMS HALL                        INTERNET: VCOOK@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU  |
| BLACKSBURG, VA  24061-0112           BITNET: VCOOK@VTVM1.BITNET       |

                                ******
***




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Subject: David - The Computer
From: nmlrc@uwpg02.uwinnipeg.ca (Miriam Unruh)
Organization: University of Winnipeg

Hello
I just received a flyer in the mail re: the David computer.  Considering
that we (The University of Winnipeg, Manitoba) was just about to
purchase a navigator, I would like to find out more about this computer
before I went ahead with the navigator order.  If anyone has any
information or experience could they either post or e-mail me.

Thank you
Miriam




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Subject: BOOKMANAGER
From: dsfs_jpm@LEWIS.UMT.EDU (Jim Marks)

[This is from the Blind-L mailing list]

To List members:

The following review was written for publication in
"Visual Perceptions," Spring 1993, a publication of
the Association on Higher Education And Disability
(AHEAD) Special Interest Group on blindness and
Visual Impairments.  Please feel free to reprint
with reference to "Visual Perceptions."

--- Jim Marks, Co-chair of AHEAD SIG on
Blindness/Visual Impairments,  & Director of
Disability Services for Students at the University
of Montana (UM)
DSFS_JPM@LEWIS.UMT.EDU
(406) 243-2243 (Voice/Text)


REVIEW OF BOOKMANAGER, THE NEW RFB E-TEXT READING
PRODUCT
by Jim Marks, director of Disability Services for
Students at the University of Montana

BookManager, the soon to be released computerized
reading program, will be a "must have" for post-
secondary educational services for students who are
blind and visually impaired.  Recording for the
Blind (RFB) and IBM Corporation have teamed up to
deliver a truly demand responsive and effective
means of manipulating printed information which
serves all people, but especially those who cannot
see print.  The following article is my review of
the product.

When one looses eyesight, the ability to control
and manipulate printed information is severely
limited.  Tape cassettes and braille, while very
necessary and useful in many circumstances, cannot
give the user the same functionality as users of
print.  Try looking up a word in a braille or tape
dictionary sometime.  The experience is frustrating
and painfully slow.  Fortunately, computerized E-
text (electronic text) has vastly improved a blind
person's control over the printed word.  Blind
readers can read E-text in much the same manner as
can be done with tapes.  But E-text also leaves
much to be desired in dealing with information.
Yes, the potential is there, but the full
realization of what the E-text medium can do has
not yet arrived, until perhaps, now.  BookManager
solves many issues in the utilization of E-text.

BookManager is a software program which is used to
read E-text.  It works only with its own binary
format of E-text and not the universal ASCII or
other formats.  RFB will be selling BookManager and
its E-text books in a BookManager format.  The
BookManager format takes up less space than an
ASCII file.  Individuals and institutions will be
able to purchase and use these BookManager products
sometime this summer.  As with other RFB materials,
the books will be copyrighted for distribution to
registered RFB borrowers and purchasers.

My experience with BookManager comes from a
demonstration copy provided to me by RFB and by a
hands on demonstration provided by RFB Research and
Development Director George Kerscher.  Because I am
blind, I used BookManager with a computer voice
synthesizer.

The thing that surprised me most about BookManager
was the control over the books it gives its users.
The searching functions are particularly powerful.
It is possible to search for exact wording and
broader related meanings.  For example, searching
for the word "woman" would reveal every instance of
the word in the text.  Set the search function on a
broader "fuzzy" search, and words and phrases like
female, girl, etc. will come up.  This feature
would be extremely helpful for those who want to
search for ideas that  the computer can sort out of
the text.  A word or phrase can be misspelled, and
the search function will still work fine.  The
incredible kicker behind the search functions in
BookManager is that they can be used on either
multiple books simultaneously or an individual
text.  If several books are stored on a fixed disk,
BookManager can look in all to gather data.  So, a
researcher could load several books on a hard disk,
tell the computer to look for information, and pull
everything asked for in the search in one fell
swoop.  This kind of power is something everyone
will want!

BookManager makes E-text look and function like
print.  Users can flip between pages, scan the
table of contents, look up information in a
glossary or index, and generally control the E-text
like print can be controlled.  BookManager has an
excellent on line help system, but users will need
some training in order to take full advantage of
the product.  I did not find BookManager
inordinately complicated, but it is a computer
program with its own set of commands and operations
to learn.  Other miscellaneous features include the
ability to leave a bookmark, the consistency of
page numbering between print and E-text versions of
books (a function of the Bookmanager book, not the
reading program), and the inclusion of an on line
editor.  The editor can be used to take notes or to
copy portions of the E-text.  This information can
be saved and recalled later in a standard word
processor like Word Perfect or Word Star.
BookManager actually has more features within it
than I was able to review.  It is indeed a powerful
medium.

George Kerscher told me that he views BookManager
to be a tool that would backup other accessible
formats like tapes and braille.  While BookManager
can be used to read a book from cover to cover, the
quality of voice synthesized voices may make other
formats more pleasant for listening purposes.
BookManager comes into its own best when it is used
to manipulate information.  George says the day is
coming when BookManager or a product like it will
be teamed up with flawless recorded or synthesized
voices.  This combination, which is made possible
by larger, faster computer technologies, will be
the next step beyond BookManager's current
offering.

I believe BookManager to be an excellent asset for
higher education.  I intend to purchase a copy of
BookManager and several BookManager texts.  These
will be placed on a computer, and the system will
be used by students to access information which
would not be otherwise available to them in such a
useful and accessible format.  For example, I could
serve law students by placing several current texts
on a computer in the law library.  With a little
training, users could access the information on the
computer at their convenience.  BookManager will
serve my program best with its reference texts.
And, I will also be purchasing BookManager for my
personal use.  I liked BookManager and endorse it
fully.




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Subject: RFB access question
From: algayz@world.std.com (Al Gayzagian)
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA

Several weeks ago I successfully accessed the RFB database on
Internet, but when I tried again today I was asked for a login and
password.  Several things I tried didn't work.  Does anyone know
what they are looking for?




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Subject: Re: Reading Edge to PC transfer - Help!
From: jason@merlin.demon.co.uk (Jason Arthurs)
Organization: QED

In article <29407@handicap.news> T.Pennick@axion.bt.co.uk writes:

>Index Number: 29407
>
>I am just beginning to really appreciate the finer points of my new
>Reading Edge scanner.  Its Fast, accurate and easy to use.  One
>area in which I am experiencing problems, is in transfering texts
>from the scanner to my PC.

Hi there,

Why not use a piece of terminal software to download or capture
the text directly from the serial port of the Reading Edge? Try
contacting my colleague Max Hampson at the RNIB National Education
Centre on (081) 968 8600. We have recently taken delivery of a
Reading Edge at our resource centre and Max has had it feeding
text to a laptop for braille translation purposes.

Tell him this is a referral via Internet, I've been trying to
impress on him how useful this service can be!

--
Regards,
Jason Arthurs,

Intuition;
A strange ability which tells a woman she is right, whether she is or not.




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                 End of Issue # 935 of the Blind News Digest

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