Bapsi's revolutionary technology for the deaf-blind gets recognition
For
those who are both deaf and blind communication is
the biggest concern, since they cannot use the usual means. This denies
them education, health and many other essential services. Bapsi's
project
Vibrations is a significant breakthrough, making it possible for them to communicate independently
using a smart phone.
PocketSMS, a free Android mobile app enabling them to send
and receive text messages independently, was launched recently. PocketSMS is the first effort in the world to introduce electronic communications to the deaf-blind.
This first product in the Vibrations series runs on Android-based mobile phones which are today
available for less than US$100. The phone communicates information to a deaf-blind person via
Morse code: when the phone vibrates for a short duration, that represents a
dot, and a longer duration vibration is used for the dash.
After making possible for them to text,
Bapsi seeks to bring a variety of other information to them via the Internet.
Wikipedia, twitter, and multiple language support are in the
pipeline.
The user needs to learn morse code for
using PocketSMS, and hence a simple Morse Trainer has been written to learn
morse independently using the smart phone.
The apps have been written by Anmol Anand,
a Student Intern, under the guidance of Professor Arun Mehta who is the Founder
and President of Bapsi. The app is available for free download at bapsi.org
website. It works on any Android Smartphone and tablet PC. Help in form of
video and printable text is also available for the caregiver.
In
India, services for persons with multiple disabilities, like the deaf-blind are
almost negligible. As an indication of the degree of neglect, we do not even
have an accurate count of deaf-blind population in India. The Census does not
count them, and National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) 1992 had no category
for them. Sense International (www.senseintindia.org/)
estimates that there are more than 4,85,000 (as seen on 03 August 2012) such
children in India.
Bapsi
is looking for deaf-blind users to use this free technology.
Arun Mehta, informs, “Bapsi undertakes
the development of mobile apps under its Summer Internship and Training
Programme, where young technology students are trained in cutting-edge
technologies and are encouraged to write for the disabled during their summer
vacations. Among students, there is growing interest for hands-on training and
apps writing for smart phones. This makes it possible for us to provide
software for free.”
“The products in the project Vibrations
will have tremendous benefit for its users, by encouraging them to seek
information independently. The project will also impact the efficiency of the
caregivers, who are mostly women, since the people in their care will be able
to communicate without 24x7 manual interventions.”
xxx
More Info: http://www.bapsi.org/vibrations-series-of-products-for-deafblind
Videos related to the project:
SMS for the deaf blind - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jisK0N7JF4.
The film has received Special Mention at the We Care Film Festival 2012
(Disability Film Festival). VIBRATIONS series of mobile apps - www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtnCwwXvwYA Morse Trainer for Deaf Blind - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULKVHT_ptmI Android input for the Deaf-Blind: Graffiti - www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQPWs-RfqK0 Downloading and Installing PocketSMS - www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zWIMq2-nJo
|