The gadget that reads to blind

London – Scientists have developed a device designed to be worn on a finger which can read words aloud when pointed towards a block of text.

The ring-like gadget, which could transform the lives of the blind or partially-sighted, was created by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

The ‘FingerReader’ can read any sentence out loud when it is held over words on a printed page or a digital screen. The design could potentially help people who have impaired vision understand written material in any form – from bus signs to restaurant menus – and would also allow its users to discover books which are not yet available in Braille.

Professor Pattie Maes, who is trying to get the prototype ready to go on sale, said: “It’s like reading with the tip of your finger and it’s a lot more flexible, a lot more immediate than any solution we have right now.” – Daily Mail

source:http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/technology/gadgets/the-gadget-that-reads-to-blind-1.1716798#.U70cj0D0P1U