There is a
new kind of technology which is being developed now by the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) which could be similarly useful in the future. It also has a similar name. It is not a screen-reader but a
“finger-reader”.
Apparently,
it uses a camera mounted on a ring.
You put this ring over your index finger and you point the camera
at any text you want to read. The device
will then scan this and read the text aloud using an artificial voice.
It sounds
like this would be very difficult to use.
If you cannot see the text you are trying to read, how do you know where
to point the camera? Well, according to
MIT, the device scans the line of text and determines the direction that it
should be read. If the user’s finger strays
away from the correct line, then the device vibrates to let him know.
I like to
think that this is only the beginning.
One day I want a camera in my hat.
It will look at everything in front of me and give me helpful
advice. For example, it will say “Cute
girl!” or “Scary guy!” into an earpiece.
Sadly, for
the time being I’ll have to wait and see how expensive this finger-reader is...
Vocabulary:
a gadget – A
kind of useful technology, especially electronic. A smart-phone or remote control are gadgets.
a visual
impairment – A problem with your sight.
This includes people who are blind, like me, and people who have weak
eyesight.
artificial –
Man-made; not natural.
to be
mounted – To be placed on top of something.
For example, the rider was mounted on a beautiful horse.
index finger
– The finger next to your thumb. People
use this finger to point at things.
to stray –
To go off course.
to vibrate –
To shake very quickly. A mobile phone on
silent mode usually vibrates if someone calls you.
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