Adaptive Technology Available for People with Low Vision

Have you ever felt unsafe because of your vision? Do you worry about things because you think you will be unable to do them because of low vision? Are you sad, insecure, and hopeless because of what you are right now? Think again.

The problem with low vision started ever since man began to see. Vision is one of our primary senses by which we rely almost all the time when doing things like cooking, walking, reading, playing, and other everyday activities. However, Low vision interferes so much with our daily life that it disables us from doing things the way they were done before. Worst case, Low vision cannot be adequately corrected with medical, surgical, therapy, conventional eyewear or contact lenses.

For many decades, men and women with low vision have suffered from depression, hopelessness, and insecurity due to the fact that there was no remedy available for persons with visual impairment. It was not until 1284 when Salvino D'Armate (Italy) invented the first ever wearable eye glasses.

Today, Science and Technology have advanced well enough to make life here on Earth much easier. It has also offered us a wide array of products that it can provide for us.

One of the most remarkable advancement in terms of technology is its branch called "Adaptive Technology."

Adaptive technology pertains to a wide variety of electronic items that enable an even wider variety of people with disabilities and seniors, to live independently. Many of the devices are based on computer technology. It can help you not only to restore your sight, but to restore your hope, dreams and your ability to snatch back your independence.

Some adaptive technology products are:

A Video Magnifier or Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV)

A video magnifier or closed-circuit television (CCTV) uses a video camera to display a magnified image on a monitor or television screen. Video Magnifiers are used by people with low vision to help with reading and writing difficulties caused by visual impairments. The video magnifiers we carry come in various shapes and sizes to meet any low vision need.

Optical Scanners and Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

The purpose of optical scanners and optical character recognition (OCR) software is to make print materials accessible using synthesized speech. The OCR software takes a picture of text that is on a print page, coverts it to computer text and then displays it on a screen. The text is done by the optical scanner. Some optical scanners and OCR software that are used by individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired include software that will read the document using a speech synthesizer.

Notetakers and Accessible PDAs

People without vision loss can take advantage of various types of personal data assistant (PDA) devices. Most are not useable by persons who are blind or visually impaired.

An electronic notetaker which may have a Braille or a Qwerty type keyboard is basically an adapted PDA device. Users can do the same type of tasks that a typical PDA system allows.

These activities can include:
• Taking notes
• Allowing for print or Braille output of input
• Reading e-mail
• Calculating math
• Setting a timer
• Creating calendar events
• Playing music or digital books
• Uploading or downloading information from a computer
• Playing accessible games

Because the electronic note takers are adapted for persons who are blind or visually impaired, they have built-in speech output.

Screen Reading Software

Screen Reading Software attempts to identify the visual display and provides voice output or refreshable Braille. Screen Reading Software may be stand alone or be in combination with other assistive technology, such as screen magnifiers

Screen Enlargement SoftwareSoftware

People with low vision often benefit from text, icons, menus, and graphics being enlarged. Also, some people can see better when the foreground (text) and background colors are changed. Screen enlargement software allows various magnifications of fonts, graphics, icons, and menus. Also, users can adjust colors on the screen for greater contrast.

Refreshable Braille Displays

A refreshable Braille display is a device that is added to a computer. The refreshable Braille display provides the text that is displayed on the screen in Braille. As the user moves the cursor on the page the Braille on the device is updated. A refreshable Braille display is controlled by speech output software.


Braille and Tactile Embossers

A printer takes a document and makes it print, a Braille embosser takes the document and displays the text in Braille.

Braille transcription or translation software converts literary, textbook, music, and math formats into Braille code. This code is sent to a Braille embosser or printer. While the software makes it very easy to convert text to Braille, a sighted person using Braille transcription or translation software should have a working knowledge of Braille.

For thousands of years, technology has always aimed to make us live a better life. These few things that these gadgets can do for you have helped many individuals with low vision live a very fruitful life. Some testimonials say it helped them to snatch back the independence that they thought they had lost. Right now, it has been tested and proven that these products work.

Life choices can either make or break your life. It is really important to think over the things that we need to risk in our lives each time we are making a decision. We need to take time to ask ourselves whether we need it or not. The decisions that we make from time to time should be able to help us cultivate our lives and eventually make it more fulfilling. In fact, we should bear in mind that we need to choose a decision that will make our lives better than it is currently.