Dear AccessWorld readers,

Last month, AccessWorld celebrated Disability Employment Awareness Month by providing information about employment resources, strategies, and insider perspectives. Good job search strategies and resources are important all year long, so I encourage you to look back at last month's issue if you may have missed it and forward information to anyone you know who may be looking for employment or for better employment opportunities.

I want to offer a special thanks to CareerConnect Program Manager, Joe Strechay, and CareerConnect Employment Specialist, Detra Banister, for sharing their insights and perspectives in last month's Editor's Page.

As you know, there is now a chill in the air, and the days of fall are well upon us. It's time to start thinking about the holiday gift-giving season. Ready or not, the shopping season is just around the corner, and the AccessWorld team wants you to be ready with gift ideas for those in your life who experience vision loss.

In this issue, Deborah Kendrick provides great gift ideas ranging from low-tech items to high-tech productivity tools, all for under $100. Janet Ingber, once again, takes us on a virtual tour of popular online shopping sites and provides advice, tips, and tricks to get the most from your online holiday shopping experience.

The AccessWorld team hopes this issue will give you ideas and inspiration for finding just the right holiday gifts for your famly and friends with vision loss.

We wish you and yours health, happiness, and prosperity as we enter the holiday season.

Sincerely,
Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief
American Foundation for the Blind

AFB Leadership Conference 2015

Registration is now open for the joint 2015 AFB Leadership and Arizona AER Conference (AFBLC), which will take place at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, April 9–11, 2015.

AFBLC attendees are eligible for a special hotel rate of $179/night. Please visit the Marriott reservations page or call 1-800-309-8138 to book your room today.

The American Foundation for the Blind's annual Leadership Conference covers the most pressing and relevant topics in the field of blindness and offers many opportunities to learn from the best and brightest minds in our field, make new connections, and reunite with old friends while earning ACVREP and CRC CEUs.

The AFBLC attracts established and emerging leaders in the blindness field. Conference attendees include technology experts, corporate representatives, university professors, teachers of students with visual impairments, orientation and mobility instructors, rehabilitation professionals, and parents. They come from diverse organizations and institutions spanning the public and private sectors, including school districts, schools for the blind, Veterans Administrations, hospitals, private agencies, and universities.

The 2014 AFBLC attracted over 440 attendees from 39 states and 8 countries.

HIMS and Diotek Announce Plans to Enhance and Expand Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired Through New Global Partnership

HIMS International Corporation, the parent company of Austin-based HIMS Inc., a global leader in the assistive technology field, is a software company specializing in multi-lingual technologies for smartphones including handwriting, voice recognition, OCR, Speech Synthesis and language translation tools.

Together, HIMS and Diotek have the resources and technical prowess to create new and innovative software and hardware solutions to benefit the blind and visually impaired, as well as international language and other human interface solutions, for enhancing electronic communication for consumers with a variety of abilities and disabilities around the world.

"Diotek intends to grow HIMS", says Yang Taik Yoon, President of HIMS International Corporation. "This alliance enhances the resources and capabilities available to HIMS, offering us additional software development resources and core technologies to enhance the continued development of our assistive devices for the blind and visually impaired."

"Diotek does not intend to change the focus of HIMS International's mission", added Min Cheol Kwak, the President of Diotek. "but rather, intends to enhance it with its additional development resources to provide blind and low vision users with technology that is even more mainstream competitive and compatible, ensuring those who are visually impaired are even more productive and competitive in school and the workplace."

HIMS Inc. President, James McCarthy, in response to this new partnership shared "This partnership and its implications for the future of HIMS accessible technology is very exciting. Both companies have made significant contributions to their respective marketplaces and the merger of these technologies will be the foundation of new products and product-feature enhancements to our Braille, OCR, and magnification products that our blind and visually impaired customers will be excited about as well."

Austin, Texas-based HIMS Inc. and HIMS International Corporation will both continue to serve the blind and visually impaired as they have been doing for more than 15 years, providing assistive technology solutions for education, employment and entertainment, as well as after–sales service and technical support for their customers in North America and around the world.

Michael Collins of Perkins Named to Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field

The late Michael T. Collins was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field in Louisville, Kentucky.

Collins, who passed away in 2008, led education programs for children who are deaf-blind at Perkins School for the Blind for 30 years, including the supervision of Perkins' renowned Deaf-blind Program. Most notably, he launched Hilton/Perkins International to expand deaf-blind education in the developing world. Under his leadership, the program grew from serving a few hundred students to reaching tens of thousands of children, families, and educators in 67 countries. He traveled the world championing education and government policies to improve opportunities for children who are deaf-blind and blind with additional disabilities.

In addition to his work with Perkins, Collins also led Deafblind International, served on the board of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment and founded the National Coalition on Deafblindness. He received the distinguished Perkins' Annie Sullivan Award, Deafblind International's Lifetime Achievement Award and their Distinguished Service Award. Collins studied theology at St. John's Seminary in Boston and received a master's degree in Special Education from Boston College where he met his wife, Linda.

Collins will be most vividly remembered for the way he touched the lives of individual children. "His love for children with multiple disabilities and his deep understanding of their needs was evident when he visited programs and dangled children on his knee." Nandini Rawal, project director of the Blind People's Association in Gujarat, India.

The Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the tradition of excellence manifested by specific individuals through the history of outstanding services provided to people who are blind or visually impaired in North America. It is housed at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) in Louisville, Kentucky, but belongs to all.

As a former music therapist and teacher of the visually impaired, I was very interested when I first saw the Beamz music system at a conference last spring. The Beamz is a computer/tablet-based interactive music system that uses lasers to trigger musical instruments, sound effects, songs, and more. It enables people of all ages and skill levels to have fun creating and playing music. The user activates the sounds by interrupting the laser beams with their hands, fingers, or other objects. The intended purpose of Beamz is for entertainment, therapy, and education. Musician and record producer Jerry Riopelle created the original device in the early 2000s. He developed software to control the device with Todor Fay and Melissa Jordan Grey. I used three different computers to evaluate the Beamz music system: a Dell desktop and HP laptop running Windows 7, and an HP laptop running Windows 8 using powered external speakers with all three systems.

Physical Description

The hardware component of the Beamz music system is a controller made of lightweight, sturdy plastic, shaped somewhat like the uppercase print letter W. The controller has three vertical columns mounted on a base approximately 1 inch thick. Each post is separated by approximately 8.5 inches of open space. Overall, the controller is approximately 25 inches long, 6 inches deep, and 8 inches high.

The center section of the base has eight tactile control buttons (discussed below). There are two connectors on the back of the unit, a mini-USB outlet and a standard USB outlet that is plugged up. In addition, a switch allows the user to select a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) or Human Interface Device (HID; better known as a USB device).

Caption: Photo of the Beamz

Package Contents

The Beamz box contains the controller unit packaged in semi-rigid, form-fitting foam. A USB cable, the Interactive Song Installer DVD, and three small print documents (the Beamz Installation Guide, Important Safety Instructions, and a card describing the free Activity Guide) are included. Currently the included documents are only available in small print.

Documentation

The print Installation Guide directs you to the Beamz website to download the drivers and Beamz software. This process is not fully accessible, but the manufacturer is in the process of addressing that issue. Sighted assistance will be needed during the installation and set-up process. Once all of the software has been installed, the user will have access to the User's Guide as a partially accessible PDF document (the images do not contain alt-text descriptions) using the Adobe read function or a screen reader.

My First Performance

With the Beamz software installed and the controller connected to the USB port on a computer or via Bluetooth to a tablet, you are ready to begin to make music. Running the Beamz software initiates the horizontal projection of two parallel red laser beams between the center post and the left post and between the center post and the right post. The parallel beams are about 4.5 inches apart.

The software displays an image of the controller with the four laser beams represented by purple lines between the posts. The bottom of the screen displays eight icons representing the eight buttons on the Beamz controller and five additional icons for controlling the Beamz software. I selected the first song in the playlist, "3 a.m. Blues." Once the song is loaded, the purple lines representing the four laser beams now have the name of a musical instrument printed directly above each of them. You can use the Tab key to move around the screen and hear the names of the instruments and the 13 icons. This is not very practical, but the manufacturer is working to improve this part of the experience. I was told that the manufacturer had not intended for the system to be used independently by a person with no usable vision. With input from the blindness community and some consultants, the manufacturer is striving to improve this situation.

I placed my hand between the left and center posts to interrupt the laser beam and heard the sound of a synthesized saxophone. Interrupting the lower beam produced the sound of an organ solo. The beams on the right side of the controller produced a piano solo and a one-beat drum fill. The identified instrument will play continuously as long as your hand, finger, or other object interrupts the beam. You can swap the original instruments for two additional sets, providing a total of 12 different instruments or sounds available for your performance. After experimenting with these sounds a bit, you are ready to play a song. You will need to press the "Start/Stop Rhythm/Song" button to begin the background track. Once the background track begins to play, you can try out the different instruments to make your own music.

I have included a short MP3 recording of a song I made using the Beamz. The recording begins without the rhythm/song track. Some of the 12 available instruments are introduced individually, then you'll hear the instruments with the rhythm/song track included.

Select this link to hear the recording.

As a frustrated musician with limited performance skills, I have to say that I find the Beamz to be an interesting tool for making music. The thing I like most about Beamz is how easy it is to make music that I can enjoy playing. I am not sure how much enjoyment others may receive from my creations, so using the system to perform for others may take some additional time and practice. There are 32 songs included on the Education and Health Care DVD, with dozens of additional selections available on the Beamz website. They include a wide variety of genres: blues, classical, country, dance, disco, Disney, DJ sound Fx, electronica, environmental, hip hop, indie pop, Jazz, Latin, Latin Jazz, metal, nature, new age, pop, pre-k, R&B, rock, rock & roll, and smooth Jazz. Additional genres available on their website include: kids, world, holiday, karaoke, golden oldie, and early learning. With all of these genres there is certain to be something that appeals to every audience.

The Tactile Buttons

The tactile buttons on the Beamz controller are listed below:

• volume down
• volume up
• vocals mute (button will light up when this is an option): used to turn a vocal track on or off on songs that include vocals
• advance to previous song in playlist
• advance to next song in playlist
• start/stop recording: allows the user to record the music they make using the Beamz and save it as an MP3 or WAV file
• swap sounds (go to another page of instruments): lets the user select from the three different sets of instruments assigned to each song
• start/stop rhythm (play background track): gives the user the opportunity to either experiment with just the instruments/sounds available or use them along with a background track

Playing along with the background track gives the user the opportunity to experiment with the various instruments available and listen to how they interact and fit into the song. This was my favorite part of using the Beamz. With the background track playing, I found it very easy to play the various instruments in such a way that made the music sound pleasing to me. I could experiment with making the instruments play continuously with the background track or just use my hand or fingers intermittently to interrupt the laser beams creating variations in the melody and rhythm. This feature makes the Beamz an interesting and motivational tool. The challenge of making music gives the user the opportunity to plan, organize, develop some basic music skills, and have fun while doing it.

The Beamz for Therapy and Education

The Beamz is a great tool for getting people to move and interact with music and sounds. Let's start with older adults. Some older adults have sedentary lifestyles and limited social interactions. Therapists and staff at facilities that provide services to older adults use the system to stimulate movement. In order to make sounds and hear music, participants must use upper body, arm, and hand movements to interrupt the laser beams. These movements can be part of a physical therapy regimen or simply just movements for flexibility and fun. The other benefit touted for this group is social interaction. Music has the ability to stimulate people to talk, share stories associated with songs, remember things from their past, and the like. A recent threaded discussion on the Vision Rehab Therapist list discussed the use and benefits of music and music therapy with older adults experiencing dementia and Alzheimer's. Many facilities serving older adults may not have a music therapist or a visiting music program. This is one of the situations where the Beamz can become a valuable tool that staff members can use to stimulate physical activity and social interactions. The system is very easy to use and does not require any musical training.

On the company's website, there are numerous resources, videos, and testimonials about the use of the Beamz with adults, youths, and children of all abilities. Beamz has also collaborated with Lekotek to develop a variety of activities to use with the Beamz music system in play for young children and those with multiple disabilities.

During the time that I have had the Beamz on loan from the manufacturer, I loaned it to a music teacher, Ms. Jacqueline Howard, who works with infants and toddlers at Atlanta's Center for the Visually Impaired BEGIN (Babies Early Growth Intervention Network) program. Jacqueline introduced the Beamz to several of the children she works with and provided the following comments about the system:

I started out by showing the class how the Beamz worked. You can play four different sounds at one time on the Beamz, you can choose to have the background music playing, or just make sounds by themselves. Really these sounds are riffs, not just a chord. My students on this day preferred the Bluegrass sounds: a nice crisp banjo, a fiddle with attitude, drums, and piano. We took turns passing the Beamz around, helping the children hand-over-hand at first to produce some music. After a few tries, most students made beautiful music. The parents also loved making music themselves. The children preferred having the background music playing. Every baby in the room had a big smile on its face. It was beautiful to behold. The parents loved it, because everyone could have fun with the Beamz, it was exciting for everybody, and the parents started coming up with additional ideas of how to use the Beamz as a learning tool and as a fun tool.

The teaching of basic concepts such as cause and effect, directionality (up, down, left, right, in and out), and turn taking are just a few of the educational activities Ms. Howard noted in her comments. It was interesting to hear that parents immediately grasp the concept that the Beamz is something the whole family can participate in and all have fun.

Accessibility

Though the basic operation of the system is accessible to people who have visual impairments, currently the Beamz has more potential for parents, families, teachers, therapists, and other service providers than for independent use by individuals who are visually impaired. The company is making a diligent effort to improve the accessibility of the software interface, the installation process, and all of the information and resources on their website. I recently received an updated version of the software that fixes one of the problems I had while using a screen reader and keyboard commands.

The Bottom Line

I am often asked by parents and other family members to recommend gifts for a child or adult who is blind or visually impaired. It can be difficult to find an appropriate gift for someone experiencing vision loss. This is why I wanted to write this article for the holiday issue of AccessWorld. I think the Beamz can be a good gift for this population, particularly children and older adults. The Beamz provides opportunities for physical, mental, and social interaction while having fun at the same time. The system is available in three configurations: Beamz Home Edition ($249), Beamz by Flo ($249), and Beamz Professional Edition ($349). While the Beamz may seem somewhat expensive, too often gifts are purchased that are either not accessible or that will be used a few times and then discarded because of limited opportunities for interaction. When viewed from this perspective, the price tag for the Beamz may not seem quite so high.

Beamz is a fun and easy music system that has great potential for use with individuals of all ages and abilities. The basic operation of the system is accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. However, sighted assistance is currently needed for setting up the system and accessing some of the software and online resources. A parent, family member, educator, therapist or other support staff member can perform these tasks and then make the system available for independent use. Some accomplished musicians may find the system a bit simplistic but most people will experience it as a fun and easy-to-use device that facilitates an enjoyable musical activity.

Product Information

Beamz Home Edition, $249
Beamz Professional Edition, $349
Beamz by Flo, $249

Available from:
        Beamz Interactive, Inc.
        15354 N. 83rd Way, Suite 101
        Scottsdale, AZ 85260
        480-424-2053

Comment on this article.

Technologies like appliances, televisions, and medical devices used to be controlled with analog knobs and switches. These controls each had a discrete function, and nothing ever changed about how they worked on their device. This is pretty good for accessibility because all of these controls had a one-to-one mapping to their functionality, but pretty bad if you want your device to do more than a few simple functions. So, the digital revolution brought about the digital display and on-screen menus. Now, arrow keys were used to navigate menus and "soft-keys" changed their function based on the context of the application. This is better for building more complex devices with many functions, but, because a physical control could now represent many different functionalities, in order to provide access for users with visual impairments a device would need speech output or some kind of audible feedback. Unfortunately, manufacturers rarely include this functionality in mainstream devices, so accessibility for this type of device is usually nonexistent, or limited to specialized, low-volume products.

Now, a new trend has emerged that is again changing the way we interact with some types of devices, and this time accessibility may actually be enhanced. Some physical devices that otherwise would have required buttons and a screen are now designed to connect wirelessly and be controlled by a smartphone app. This eliminates the need to invent a clunky interface (that probably isn't accessible) and offloads control responsibility on to the polished, accessible smartphone interface in the form of an app. That's the idea anyway.

We took a look at one of the most problematic areas of technology, home health devices, to check out a few mobile-connected solutions. Healthcare access is an important priority for AFB, and it builds on our previous work assessing the accessibility of standalone insulin pumps, blood glucose meters, health information and insurance websites, and advocating for accessible prescription drug labeling.

In this article, we review six different health devices that connect and share data with mobile apps:

• Withings Blood Pressure Monitor with the Withings Health Mate app
• Sanofi-Aventis iBGStar Blood Glucose Monitor
• LifeScan OneTouch Verio Sync Blood Glucose Monitor
• Telcare Blood Glucose Monitor
• Fitbit One
• UP24 by Jawbone

We will describe the form and function of each device and its companion app (on both iOS and Android, if available), and provide a quick overview of the accessibility of each. All of these apps worked well with the built-in zoom features and color enhancements of the mobile operating systems, so we do not specifically mention the accessibility of the apps to people with low vision in most cases. We do make some observations about the displays of the blood glucose meters that can be used as standalone devices, however. This article has two purposes: first, we want to give some practical information about the accessibility of the devices we tested, and second, we want to draw some conclusions about the impact that mobile-connected devices may have on the accessibility field in the near future.

Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor and Health Mate app by Withings (iOS and Android)

Withings produces many devices for tracking various health statistics, from sleep patterns to weight. The Withings Health Mate app collects the data from various Withings devices and can also collect some data using sensors in an iOS or Android device. For this evaluation, we focus on the features in the app related to the blood pressure cuff.

The wireless blood pressure cuff consists of a padded sleeve that fits around your arm like any other blood pressure cuff. Connected to the cuff is a dense metal cylinder, the length of the cuff itself, that contains all of the device's electronics. The device charges using a micro USB port located where the cylinder meets the cuff. The power button and status light are located on one end of the cylinder. There is a cap for the battery compartment on the other end of the cylinder.

Evaluation

There is only one button and one status light on the device, which actually creates an accessibility snag. When turning on the device and setting it up for pairing, the light flashes or changes color to alert you of its status. Since there all of the cues to the device's status are visual, it proved difficult to determine when the device was on and ready to pair. Withings produced a wired blood pressure cuff that was similar but connected to an iOS device through a cable. This made it much easier to use, as the device only turned on when connected to an iOS device. Unfortunately, this device is no longer sold and only connects to devices using an Apple 30-pin connection such as the iPhone 4S and previous. If you can find one and have a 30-pin-to-Lightning converter you can use the wired cuff on modern devices.

The device connects with the app automatically when connected with Bluetooth through the iOS Bluetooth menu. The controls for starting the cuff are accessible and the results are readable with VoiceOver, but they are interspersed among controls that clutter the interface. To save your results, you must sign up for a Withings account. The account creation process is not accessible on the device so you need to sign up on the Withings website to create an account. Overall, there are inaccessible elements in the Withings app and the device can be somewhat difficult to connect to a tablet or smartphone. The app interface outside of taking a measurement is riddled with issues, so none of the additional functionality, such as logging, is available. Because of this, you might as well use a talking blood pressure monitor. If the developers fixed the app, however, users would have access to the powerful tracking features that are available visually.

IBGStar Glucose Meter (iOS) by Safoni-Aventis

The IBGStar is a blood glucose meter with accompanying iOS app for logging glucose levels. The app can store glucose levels and provide pattern results for glucose levels as well. Results can also be shared with others. The device itself is rectangular and around 3 inches long and .5 inch tall, and contains one button to scroll through information on the display. The display on this device is very small with fonts as small as 2 mm high. On one side, the device has a 30-pin connector for connecting to compatible iOS devices. The other side contains the charging port and the port for inserting test strips. The iPhone 5, iPad Air, and newer devices will need a Lightning-to-30-pin adapter.

Evaluation

The physical device does not pose an accessibility barrier if you're using the app. The device activates automatically when connected to an iOS device, and simply inserting a strip will initiate a test and upload the results to your iOS device. The app itself, however, is fairly problematic. The glucose level is listed in a summary tab, but in most instances the result text is not accessible to VoiceOver. This is true when entering results manually as well. To find a result, you must find it in the logbook. Many buttons are also unlabeled and tabs content is placed as partial overlays over screen content when activated, which is difficult to navigate. In its current state, this device is difficult to use because of the app.

OneTouch Verio Sync and OneTouch Reveal app by LifeScan (iOS and Android)

The OneTouch Verio Sync is a blood glucose meter that can connect with the OneTouch Reveal app to collect blood sugar data. The app allows you to store your results and categorize them by time of day (e.g., before breakfast, after lunch). Patterns in glucose levels can be generated and results can be shared with others. The Verio Sync is a rectangular device approximately 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. There is a single button is on the right side of the device and a charging port further down on the same side as the button. The physical device contains a square display of about 1 inch. The glucose reading "big number" is large at 12 mm high and is displayed with contrast high enough to be sufficient for most low vision users. The date and unit label peripheral text is much smaller at about 3 mm high, however.

Evaluation

The OneTouch device itself is partially accessible. The PIN needed to connect the device through Bluetooth is printed on the device's label, so a user with a visual impairment would need sighted assistance to connect the device for the first time. Once the app and device are paired, inserting a test strip will initiate a reading that will be automatically uploaded to the app once completed. Measurements are accessible immediately after taking a reading, and the app itself has a logical tabbed layout. The majority of buttons in the app are unlabeled, however, which makes navigation difficult. When attempting to review older results in the logbook, even time slots that have no associated measurements are focusable by the screen reader. This is confusing, and also makes it difficult to find the actual results because there are so many blank, but focusable, elements to wade through. Because this is a table layout, exploring by touch would be a good way to navigate, but, because the cells of the table are small, it is very difficult to accurately find the one you're looking for. The small cells would also likely pose a problem to people using the app visually as well. Overall, a determined person could use most of this app's features with a screen reader, but it would be frustrating.

Blood Glucose Meter and Diabetes Pal App by Telcare (iOS and Android)

This solution is unique amongst the devices we tested because the Telcare meter itself does not directly connect to a mobile device. Instead, it sends results through a cellular network to a server. The app can access this data and display a measurement log with averages. The device hardware looks similar to a bulky smartphone about 2 inches wide and 3 inches tall with a display that covers the front face of the device. A power switch lies on the right side of the device and a set of Up and Down arrow keys are on the left with an Enter button in the center. The device does not have any speech feedback for actions but audio tones are played for certain events and actions.

Evaluation

For this product, the hardware posed the most accessibility issues. The meter plays a sound when powering on and a tone prompts you to add blood to a strip once it has been inserted, but, after a reading has been taken, you are prompted to select a time of day for the reading (before breakfast, after lunch etc.). There is no audio feedback for these selections, and there is no feedback to alert you that the measurement was successful, or that a selection should be made. Eventually, a tone will sound indicating that the strip should be removed, and then result will be sent without a time selection. The Telcare apps were fairly accessible, but there were some unlabeled items in the iOS app, and when swiping through the interface, the page content changed without warning. This can be confusing if you attempt to find an item by touch and the screen has changed without your knowledge. From our testing, there were no major usability barriers in the Android app. Overall, the main accessibility barrier to using this meter is the meter itself.

The display on this device is of similar type and quality of clamshell-style feature phones. It is a color LCD that produces bright colors with well-defined characters. The "big number" is large at 8 mm high, but menu items have much smaller fonts down to 3 mm. A person with low vision would have difficulty selecting the time range after taking a reading because of the small fonts on the menus.

Fitbit One (iOS and Android)

Janet Ingber reviewed the Fitbit Flex in the The Fitbit Flex Offers Access for Blind People Who Want to Track Their Fitness. The Fitbit One is very similar. The Fitbit app can track various data including exercise time, steps taken, sleep patterns, weight, and caloric intake. The app can be paired with a Fitbit Fitness Tracker to log data such as steps taken and sleep patterns. The Fitbit One is a small, rounded rectangular device roughly three inches long and a half an inch wide. A small display covers the front and a single button stretches across the top of the display. The device can be clipped onto a belt or piece of clothing, or fit into a wristband so that it can be worn comfortably.

Evaluation

The sign-up process is not accessible because information such as height, weight, and birth date are not rendered in a way that VoiceOver can interact with It is possible to create an account through the Fitbit website, so this step can be bypassed. Past the account creation function, the app is fairly usable if you use contextual information to figure out what the unlabeled controls do on both iOS and Android. There are unlabeled buttons in the Android app, but these do not interfere with the app's function, as often there is a text equivalent that can be activated instead. Overall, the app and device is one of the most accessible that we tested, and if you are in the market for a fitness tracker, the Fitbit One with accompanying app is a good option.

UP24 and UP app by Jawbone (iOS and Android)

The Up app connects with various Jawbone fitness trackers to provide health data such as steps taken and sleep patterns. For our evaluation, we connected the Up app with an UP24, which continually uploads data to the phone throughout the day. The UP24 is a flexible rubber wristband with a textured exterior. The band maintains its shape, and is simply slipped over the wrist. One end of the band contains a button for switching the band from "Day" to "Night" so that the band knows whether to track steps or sleep. The band charges by plugging into an adapter that looks similar to a headphone jack attached to a USB plug. A cap fits over the plug when you're ready to wear the device.

Evaluation

The UP app for iOS is mostly inaccessible. Most interface controls are unlabeled. When connecting a band for the first time, the instructions are inaccessible, so the process cannot be completed. When attempting to set goals for tracking, values are read as percentages in the pickers instead of the actual values (e.g., "75 percent" instead of "7,500 steps"), which makes setting accurate goals very difficult. The Android app is slightly more accessible as there is more contextual information to help with figuring out unlabeled controls. The UP24 band has a button that toggles between day and night modes so that the app can record different types of data for each. Even though the device doesn't have a display, an icon alerts the user which mode is selected. A vibration indicates this change, but it is the same for each mode so that the user would not know which mode was selected. This problem could be fixed by displaying a notification on the phone, or by differentiating the two modes with different vibrations. Overall, the app could be accessible with the addition of labels but is nearly unusable in its current state.

The Bottom Line

At this time, and for the devices that we tested, most of these products will require a level of memorization and guesswork to use. Only the FitBit provided an adequate level of accessibility to warrant a recommendation. Those who are not familiar or comfortable with mobile devices will prefer or require a standalone device with built-in accessibility.

That being said, however, this trend of connecting physical devices to a mobile phone will provide technologically proficient consumers with much greater choice, and device manufacturers have a greater chance to "accidentally" make an app accessible than to "accidentally" make a device with a digital display accessible. Moreover, an app is much easier to fix at a later date to enhance accessibility than a piece of hardware is. In general, we found that devices that were intended to be connected to a mobile app had simplified physical controls and displays, or no display at all. Most accessibility issues in the apps that we tested were errors with labeling and focus control, both of which are fairly simple for a developer to fix. The physical devices need to have switches or audible beeps in addition to the status lights to indicate power and other simple states, otherwise a user will be uncertain about the device's status until it connects to the app.

While the results of our survey of these devices are interesting, we still are finding that the medical device industry hasn't addressed the needs of people with vision loss. There are few, if any, readily available and fully accessible devices that offer built-in accessibility. Even though there is an intrinsic accessibility built-in to mobile platforms, none of the apps that we tested were fully accessible, and we found problems with each of the physical devices. Additionally, a mobile-connected solution will not work for everyone. It is still critically important for health companies to make accessibility a priority when designing products.

A wide range of handheld video magnifiers, also referred to as electronic magnifiers or CCTVs, exist on the market today. Many of these video magnifiers offer a wide range of features and price points. The SmartLux Digital by Eschenbach, and the Pebble HD by Enhanced Vision, are both priced at $595, but differ significantly in their features and design. In this comparative review, I'll be taking a closer look at the pros and cons of these video magnifiers. I'll also be addressing the question that many people are asking these days: is it possible for smartphones to provide a level of access similar to that of designated handheld video magnifiers?

Caption: Screenshot of SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD

Documentation and Online Resources

The SmartLux Digital's user manual is printed in 13 different languages. Although this strategy caters to the large international audience that Eschenbach serves, having to search the manual's pages for the English section for people with low vision doesn't lend itself to an easy out-of-the-box experience. The manual is printed in 14-point font throughout, and relies on black and white graphics. Increasing the font size to at least 18 point, and providing a single page overview of the device in English, would enhance the level of access for the average American user with low vision.

Eschenbach's website provides a brief overview of the SmartLux Digital, along with detailed specs. The company has also produced an excellent 3.5 minute YouTube video that not only describes how to use the SmartLux Digital, but also demonstrates the device in action. The only criticism I have of the online documentation and video is that the URL itself is very long, and the instructional information and video are nested deep within the Eschenbach website. The user manual is available for download on this same site.

The Pebble HD is supplied with a well-written user manual printed in 14-point font throughout, and black and white graphics. The "Note" sections throughout the manual are highlighted using a dark gray background, resulting in a low level of contrast for the reader. Increasing the font size to 18 point, using a thick border for the "Note" sections rather than the dark gray background, and providing a single page overview of the device would also further enhance the out-of-the-box experience for people with low vision.

The Enhanced Vision website provides an overview of the Pebble HD, along with detailed specs. The company has produced a YouTube video that includes a woman with low vision discussing the Pebble HD. However, the video appears to be more promotional than instructional, which reduces its effectiveness when it comes to learning how to use the device. Enhanced Vision also provides a link to download the user manual from their site.

Physical Design and Features

The SmartLux Digital comes with a power adapter and several universal attachments for international use, as well as a protective hard cover case. The Pebble HD comes with a power adapter, and a USB-to-mini power cable. It also comes with a carrying case with belt clip.

The SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD both come with the standard features that one would expect in a high-end portable video magnifier, such a range of magnification levels, a broad range of color modes, and independent light sources.

Magnification

The SmartLux Digital display measures approximately 5 inches, and offers four magnification settings. Although the Pebble HD offers a slightly smaller 4.3-inch display, it offers up to seven magnification settings. When reading 11-point font using the two devices set to their lowest level of magnification, they both displayed the font size at approximately .5 inch in height. However, when both devices were set to their highest level of magnification, the Pebble HD was able to produce a much larger image. The same 11-point font could be displayed an inch taller in height using the Pebble HD (2.75 inches versus 1.75 inches).

The additional magnification capabilities of the Pebble HD may have some tangible benefits in certain circumstances. However, it's also worth considering that the SmartLux Digital display size is slightly larger, thereby providing a somewhat larger viewing area when using the same level of magnification as the Pebble HD. Enhanced Vision offers an optional $20 stand for the Pebble HD, which allows the user to unfold the handle and use the device like a traditional handheld magnifier, while maintaining a consistent focal point to the surface with the use of the stand.

Both devices have their own strengths and weaknesses related to adjustment of magnification. The SmartLux Digital uses a single control to adjust magnification, which briefly flashes on the display in 30-point font. The ability to briefly see the level of magnification is a valuable feature. However, because only a single button is available to increase the level of magnification, and the SmartLux Digital provides no separate button to decrease the level of magnification, it's necessary to press the magnification button repeatedly to cycle back around to the desired level of magnification. Although this is easy enough to do, it can be a little cumbersome.

The Pebble HD has clearly marked buttons that include high contrast and tactile markings for increasing and decreasing magnification. However, there is no visual or auditory indicator that lets the user know the magnification setting.

Color Viewing Modes

The SmartLux Digital provides five color modes: true color, black/white, white/black, black/yellow, and yellow/black. Eschenbach wisely chose to include frequently used color schemes for people who are glare sensitive, and those who need additional contrast. The Pebble HD comes with 7 pre-set viewing modes, but if you include the additional options within its menu system, it offers an impressive 28 viewing modes.

Image Quality

Both devices provide the option of changing the levels of brightness for the display. The SmartLux Digital offers three levels of brightness (100%, 75%, and 50%), and the Pebble HD offers five levels of brightness (1—5). Overall, both the SmartLux Digital and the Pebble HD provide excellent image quality. They also provide rapid auto-focus, which is important when switching between viewing distances and tasks. The SmartLux Digital tends to mute the colors slightly compared to the Pebble HD, and would display white or near-white colors with a light blue hue. The Pebble HD more accurately displayed colors, and provided a slightly brighter image overall. For people who are highly glare sensitive, the slightly muted image that the SmartLux Digital provides may be preferable, but for individuals who prefer higher contrast (e.g., individuals with macular degeneration) the brighter image provided by the Pebble HD may be more effective.

Both devices are equipped with foldable stands that allow them to operate in a "writing position" when on a flat surface. This can be functional for tasks such as writing checks or signing one's name, or for tasks that require both hands, such as threading a needle. The image quality of the SmartLux Digital was superior to the Pebble HD in the writing position. It offered slightly less image distortion, presumably because its camera is positioned in closer proximity to the surface area, and at a reduced angle to the surface than that of the Pebble HD.

The quality and positioning of lighting is an important factor that directly impacts image quality. The SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD operate extremely well in this regard. Both devices are equipped with two strategically positioned LED lights on the underside of the devices that can easily be turned on or off as needed. Enhanced Vision was especially creative with the way in which the emitted light of the Pebble HD is effectively funneled through the well-designed opening of the handle while in the folded position.

Portability

When it comes to portability, the Pebble HD has several advantages over the SmartLux Digital. It's slightly narrower in width than the SmartLux Digital, and 1.5 inches shorter in length. The Pebble HD comes with a carrying case and belt clip, whereas the SmartLux Digital comes with a larger case that makes it much less convenient to carry. The Pebble HD is also slightly lighter, weighing 7.1 ounces compared to the 7.8 ounces of the SmartLux Digital. The versatile handle of the Pebble HD also unfolds, thereby allowing it to be held in the same way as a traditional handheld magnifier. The SmartLux Digital offers no such option.

Freeze Image Features

Both devices allow the user to freeze an image, and then save it for retrieval at a later date. The SmartLux Digital saves up to 20 images, and the Pebble HD can save approximately 200 images. The Pebble HD also provides the option to transfer images to a computer via a USB cable included with the device.

Battery Life and Status Indicator

For both devices, a fully charged battery will last for about 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the brightness settings and the use of the LED lights. The SmartLux Digital does take considerably less time to charge: 2 hours, versus the Pebble HD's 4 hours. It can take up to 9 hours to fully charge the Pebble HD when using a computer USB. Both devices provide an on-screen display of the battery status when first turned on. The Pebble HD also indicates its battery status while in standby mode using small blue and amber LED lights located on the side of the device.

The SmartLux Digital switches itself off when idle for more than three minutes to avoid battery drainage. The Pebble HD goes into standby mode after left idle for more than three minutes. This is a very useful feature, since it's easy to be distracted by a phone call or a doorbell while the devices are in use.

Auditory Feedback

Integrating audio feedback—such as clicks, beeps, and the reading of menu items—into the functionality of a device can provide a user with low vision additional confirmation that a desired action or function has taken place. Audio feedback can also provide access to options that may otherwise be inaccessible.

The SmartLux Digital provides no audio feedback. It's evident that Eschenbach's intention with the SmartLux Digital was to offer a video magnifier that was simple and intuitive, at the expense of more feature-rich options. Adding an audible indicator when the device is turned on and off would provide additional reinforcement to a user with low vision that the power button was indeed held in long enough to switch modes. Integrating audio "clicks" when changing color modes, magnification levels, and especially brightness settings, can help confirm changes. When adjusting the level of brightness on the SmartLux Digital, one of three numbers (50, 75, or 100) temporarily appears on the display in 11-point font. Choosing such a small font size to convey a feature as important as the level of brightness, and not providing any audio feedback equivalent, is a significant shortcoming. Displaying the brightness level using a larger font size (22 point or larger) would increase the level of access for the target population that the SmartLux Digital is designed for, and would reduce or eliminate the need for its audio equivalent.

The feature-rich Pebble HD integrates multiple varieties of audio feedback with almost every feature and option. It also provides five volume levels to choose from, which are easily accessed on the fly with the scroll wheel located on the top left of the device. Its audio output includes beeps, clicks, and the audio output of the available options within its menus. There is one downside worth mentioning. The Pebble HD does not give audio feedback on the magnification level being used, which is one of the most important features of the device. It also does not offer on-screen display of the magnification level being used, which makes the lack of audio feedback in this area even more essential.

Comparing the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD to Smartphones

As the image quality and displays of many smartphones continue to improve and increase in size, consumers and low vision specialists continue to debate whether or not smartphones are able to take the place of handheld video magnifiers such as the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD. A strong argument can be made that smartphones already are being used as portable video magnifiers. I addressed this topic in a previous AccessWorld article, A Comparative Review of iPhone Magnifier Apps.

There are some clear advantages to using a designated video magnifier such as the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD. Portable video magnifiers have been specifically designed with low vision users in mind. Features such as physical high contrast buttons, and options that are tailored specifically for people with low vision, are difficult to equal in a smartphone and app. The camera placement of most handheld video magnifiers is in the center of the device, allowing for a more intuitive and natural placement of the device over the desired item. Smartphones typically have the camera located towards the periphery of the device. Signing up for an Apple or Google Play account, and then being able to download and access specific magnifier apps, also requires an interest and skill level that some people simply may not wish to pursue. Although there are some excellent smartphones on the market today such as the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S5 that do especially well in low light situations, the image quality of many smartphones does not compare to that of portable video magnifiers. Smartphones are also not equipped with stabilizing stands for surface reading and writing. Another important factor to consider is the battery life of a smartphone. Using a smartphone for magnification and lighting purposes can quickly draw down battery charge.

The Bottom Line

Although the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD share several common features such as varying color modes and magnification, there are some fundamental differences between these handheld video magnifiers. Which device works better for an individual will largely depend on his or her unique needs and preferences. At the expense of offering a wider array of options and features, Eschenbach has focused on simplifying its device as much as possible in order to improve ease of use. Enhanced Vision, on the other hand, has provided many more options and features with its Pebble HD, making it not as user friendly. As an example, the SmartLux Digital has a total of four buttons that operate the entire device. The Pebble HD has a total of eight buttons, including the scroll wheel's dual function, and offers an extensive list of menu items that can only be accessed by pressing and holding a combination of two buttons at the same time. I would highly recommend keeping the user's manual close by until a comfort level has been established with the device, and all of the preferred settings have been made.

The SmartLux turns on and is ready to use in less than three seconds, compared to more than 20 seconds when using the Pebble HD. When taking the Pebble HD out of standby mode, it still takes approximately five seconds before it can be used.

When it comes to portability, a very important feature when using these devices in various settings, the Pebble HD comes out ahead. Its display size is slightly smaller than the SmartLux Digital, but if the user is willing to sacrifice a small amount of screen real estate for a lot more portability, the Pebble HD is the better choice.

Overall, the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD both offer an excellent experience when it comes to magnification and image quality. One size does not fit all, and deciding on which device is best will boil down to what the most important features are for a particular person. Both devices come with a 2-year warranty.

Manufacturers' Comments

Comments from Enhanced Vision

We appreciate your efforts in reviewing the Pebble HD magnifier and look forward to partnering with AccessWorld on future projects.

While Pebble HD and SmartLux are in the same product category, we firmly believe that Pebble HD is a superior product, which offers the customer a great experience with its ergonomic design and many user-friendly features. It is important to note Pebble HD is also available in the "Basic" model, which reduces the number of active controls to four (on/off, magnification increase or decrease, and mode). This is the ideal choice for those users who do not need the on-screen calendar, clock, and image storage features. The magnification and mode buttons are black and white, providing high contrast for easier access.

The comments regarding changes to font size and type are noted and will be incorporated in a future version of the Pebble's user manual.

Enhanced Vision's promotional videos are found to be useful for anyone interested in getting an overview of the product. Enhanced Vision representatives, located throughout the USA, will, on request, provide onsite training to any customer.

Our customers typically do not charge Pebble HD using a computer USB port, since they are provided a wall charger for that function, which charges the battery much more efficiently and quickly.

Look for audio feedback of the magnification levels, reduced startup time, and other features in the next generation of Pebble HD.

Enhanced Vision products are designed and assembled in the USA.

For additional information, please visit the Enhanced Vision website or call 800-440-9476.

Marc Stenzel
Vice President Sales and Business Development, Enhanced Vision

Comments from Eschenbach

Eschenbach thanks AccessWorld for taking the time to review our SmartLux Digital portable video magnifier. We are always working to improve our products and appreciate the feedback provided in the product review. In fact, due to the feedback, we will be shortening our URL for our video and plan on updating our User Manual to incorporate a larger font size. A few other things to mention about the SmartLux Digital are that the screen has a hard coat on it as well as an anti-glare film. These features may lower the brightness of the image slightly, but will reduce the bothersome reflections from bright overhead light sources to help improve the overall user experience. Also, the SmartLux Digital's internal rechargeable battery is in an accessible compartment so it can be replaced if needed. This means users don't need to purchase a whole new video magnifier if the battery needs to be replaced after the warranty expires—users can just buy a new battery which costs much less than a new video magnifier.

For more information, visit the Eschenbach website or call 1 (800) 487-5389.

Timothy Gels
Marketing Manager, Eschenbach Optik of America, Inc.

Product Information

Product Name: SmartLux Digital
Price: $595
Manufacturer: Eschenbach Optik of America
Telephone: 800-487-5389

Product Name: Pebble HD
Price: $595
Optional Pebble HD Stand: $20
Manufacturer: Enhanced Vision
Telephone: 714-374-1829

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When you've been trolling conference exhibit halls for article ideas for as long as I have, it's a memorable moment indeed when a single product or idea is so cool you don't want to leave the booth! That's what happened about a year ago when I stopped by the IRIE-AT table to see their wares.

The company sells a line of low vision and blindness products, including braille displays and magnifiers, but the single combination that rendered me spellbound was the TactiPad with TactileView software.

The rectangular device, roughly 11 by 14 inches, was displayed along with a few intriguing samples of tactile graphics. I can't remember now what they were–probably a human brain, an animal or two, maybe a New York skyline. It is so amazing to put your hands on such things when you have never seen them!

"Just draw on it," Jeff Gardner, the company CEO, advised.

He handed me a pen, just an ordinary ball point pen, and I began to draw.

Having been blind since age five, drawing is not a skill that comes intuitively to me. I probably made some printed capital letters or drew a stick figure or some random shapes.

In any event, the result was amazing. As I drew, the lines raised beneath my fingers.

And, Jeff Gardner quickly pointed out, it gets much better than that.

The TactiPad was connected to a computer running the TactileView software. My "drawing" became a digital image that could then be saved and embossed—as many times as you might want it to be—on an Index braille embosser.

In other words, this was a combination of tools that could create instant pictures, maps, graphs, games, or just random whimsical doodles in an instant.

The TactiPad

The TactiPad is a rubberized pad housed in a hinged frame. Open the frame like a book and insert one of the plastic sheets (a pack of 50 is included initially to get you started). Closing the frame holds the sheet firmly in place.

The TactiPad comes with a huge assortment of tangible tools for customizing tactile images, including a protractor, compass, triangle, and straight edge.

The Digital Pen

Although you could make one-time drawings with any pointed object—a standard pen or stylus, for example—the unit comes equipped with a special digital pen for creating drawings to be saved on the computer.

In your hand, the digital pen feels pretty much like any pen, but is basically a mini computer in its own right. One tricky feature in drawing with this device is the need to remember to keep your gripping fingers above the sensor (located about an inch above the tip of the pen) that the computer needs to "see" the lines you create. Audio cues are built into the system, so that whether you can see or not, you know when the pen is functioning properly.

TactileView Software

The TactileView software is entirely menu-based, rendering it completely accessible to a blind computer user. It was invented by Jaap Breider, a man who is blind. You can, for example, choose from an impressive menu of shapes and angles, and tell the software exactly where you want each to be placed on the page in relation to the top, left, or right edges. You can size, texture, and angles when drawing complex shapes.

If you are more interested in examining drawings than making them, the software has hundreds of images already created for you to download and emboss. Images can be labeled in contracted or uncontracted braille.

For additional or in-depth labeling, the software and accompanying pen also make it possible to add audio labels to tactile drawings. A teacher drawing a map of a small shopping area, for instance, might label the businesses with braille abbreviations and then add audio tags with more extensive information like "This is an electronics store," or " A great place to get pizza!"

Index Basic V4 Braille Embosser

IRIE-AT sells a line of Index braille embossers made in Sweden. I used the Index Basic V4 model, which is such a compact, sleek little unit that it could easily be transported, say, from school to school by a teacher of visually impaired students.

Weighing about 16 pounds and measuring 5 inches high by 20 inches wide by 10 inches deep, the Index Basic-D is a small but mighty powerhouse of an embosser.

Besides producing excellent tactile graphics, it is a fabulous embosser for text of all kinds as well. Embossing 100 characters per second and on both sides of the page, it's a great choice for most personal, professional, or educational needs. It handles tractor-feed paper of all sizes, and loading it is simpler than any embosser I've handled to date.

Answering a Huge Need For Tactile Graphics

A pending lawsuit that has garnered some attention in educational spheres is that of Aleeha Dudley, a blind college student whose vocational goal has, for as long as she can remember, been to work in veterinary medicine. As an entering freshman with loads of scholarships and honors, she was welcomed by Miami University in Ohio. Her chosen course of study would, she knew, require plenty of accommodations, and the university said they could deliver the graphs, charts, and tactile images science and mathematics classes would require for her to comprehend and compete. The university has not delivered, after all, and Dudley, with help from the National Federation of the Blind, is suing the school.

There have been blind professionals involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers for years, but their struggles have been monumental and their numbers small. The primary obstacle, of course, has been the inability to access images of bones and brains and periodic tables and the like. A package like the TactileView suite takes the difficulty out of the equation.

Raised images can assist in educational and professional environments in countless other ways as well. A map you can "see" with your fingers can put some logic into that mental map you're trying to build for competent and efficient mobility.

Such tools have a place in a more personal context as well. When you are building or remodeling your own home and you can't see those pesky blueprints, the architect who can make a tactile picture is decidedly one step ahead of the rest.

When I was a child, my friends would draw a game of hangman or Tic-Tac-Toe by pressing into paper vigorously (sometimes breaking the pencil) so that I could feel the lines and play the game. With a TactiPad, blind children can even draw their own games to play with others.

Conclusions

This is a fabulous suite of products that can bring images to the fingertips of a blind child or adult. It will require a bit of a learning curve, but IRIE-AT has dedicated, capable tech support staff as well as some excellent tutorials on the company website. It's a bit pricey, but then, equality is rarely cheap.

Pricing and Contact Information

TactileView tactile design software: $295
TactiPad tactile drawing tablet, including carry case, drawing paper, and drawing tools: $499
Audio Reading System, including ClickPad and digital pen, $349
TactileView Design Suite, including all of the above items, $995
Index Basic-D V4 braille embosser: $3,295
Index Basic-D with TactileView Design Suite: $4,195

Special discount for AccessWorld readers: A $250 discount will be offered to AccessWorld readers purchasing the Basic Tactile Graphics Suite if purchased within three months of this issue's publication date,

Other more advanced packages are also available.

For more information: IRIE-AT, Inc., 888-308-0059

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For several years, many people who are blind or visually impaired have been toting two cell phones: their new Apple or Android smartphone…and their old Nokia, which they keep around for just one reason—to use the KNFB Reader software. The KNFB Reader allows users to scan documents, fliers, work handouts, restaurant menus, and other printed materials on the go and with often startling accuracy. Until now, this software was only available for Nokia's Symbian operating system.

In September, concurrent with the release of iOS 8 and the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, K-NFB Reading Technology Inc. released the much-anticipated iOS version of their flagship product: the KNFB Reader. It's available from the iPhone App Store for $99.99, and it is supported on iPhones 4s and up, and on the iPod touch 5. It is not currently available for the iPad, though the company does plan to support iPads that have a camera flash in a future update. An Android version is in the planning stages, but details and release schedule have not been announced.

Since the early days of accessible iPhones, users have been bombarding the company with requests for an iPhone version of the software. But it wasn't until late 2013, after the release of the iPhone 5s and 5c, and, more importantly, the release of iOS 7, that the company finally announced their plans to develop and release an iOS version of the KNFB Reader. "We couldn't go backwards and release a product that wasn't as good as before," says James Gashel, Vice President of Business Development at K-NFB Reading Technology Inc. "Until the 5s and 5c, the iPhone cameras simply did not offer the same quality as the Nokia phones," he says. "Their low-light imaging and flash were not as good, and even more to the point, until iOS 7 we were blocked from critical camera control functions we would need in order to achieve quality text recognition."

I've spent the past few weeks using and evaluating the new KNFB Reader on both my iPhone 6 and iPhone 5. I will report my results and recommendations below, but first, a bit of history.

The Kurzweil Breakthrough

In the mid 70s Ray Kurzweil was working with MIT on pattern recognition when a chance conversation with a fellow airline passenger who was blind inspired Kurzweil to work on what he was soon calling his "reading machine." This was no easy task Kurzweil had set for himself, as he had to do the following:

1. Invent the flatbed scanner in order to get a page of text into a computer.
2. Improve optical character recognition. (At the time, the US Post Office was using a single-font OCR in order to process mail more quickly. For his reading machine Kurzweil would need to develop OCR that would work with an infinite number of fonts and font sizes.)
3. Develop a text-to-speech engine so that once the printed page was turned into computer text, the information could be easily conveyed to a user with a visual impairment.

"We purchased the first six prototype machines for $50,000 each," says Gashel, who was in charge of the Washington DC office of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) at the time. The first commercially available reading machines cost $30,000 and were about the size of a washing machine. Over the next 20 years the size and cost of the technology continued to shrink, until by the year 2000 several software-only options were available for about $1,000. Users would pair the software with their own personal computer and one of many low-priced flatbed scanners, and read the output with a choice of screen readers and text-to-speech engines.

In the early 2000s, as digital cameras and handheld computing devices began to take off, Kurzweil envisioned a new opportunity. "We created the first KNFB Reader and ran it on a Windows CE PDA," Gashel recalls. "We were able to sell the combined software/hardware unit for about $3,500. Later, when Nokia introduced their model N82 with a 5-megapixel camera, we were able to offer the KNFB Reader Mobile at $1,695 for the software, plus about $300 for the phone itself and another $300 for the Talks or Mobile Speak screen reader. A year later we reduced the price of the Reader software to $995."

Today, with the availability of the KNFB Reader for iPhone, the software's price has dropped by nearly 90 percent. And that price is only 0.0033 the cost of Kurzweil's original commercial reading machine.

The KNFB Reader Interface

The KNFB Reader app interface is elegantly simple. On the homescreen there is a toolbar across the top and a toolbar across the bottom. The remainder of the screen is divided vertically in half. The right side contains the "Field of View" button, which we will discuss soon. The left side contains the "Take Picture" button.

Double tapping anywhere in this screen area instructs the reader to snap a photo and automatically begin the OCR process. The recognized text usually begins self-voicing after only a second or two. But there's a lot that goes on in that brief time.

The KNFB Reader is exceptionally forgiving when it comes to picture quality. It processes the image to make the text more readable by the ABBI Mobile OCR engine. It straightens out tilted or crooked text, and compensates for wrinkled pages and curving text, such as the text on a can label. Of course the Reader can't recognize what it can't see. For me, cans led to mixed results, though I could usually determine what was in the can, and even pick up some of the nutritional information and recipes.

The Reader can turn most print into spoken text with just a quick point and shoot. Double tap the "Take Picture" button, or, if you tend to jiggle the phone when you tap, perform a split tap. Do this by laying two fingers on the Take Picture area, then lift one of them, which will produce a double tap.

The KNFB Reader also features a pair of useful controls designed to help those with visual impairments snap higher-quality pictures: Field of View Report and Tilt Guidance.

Field of View Report

We mentioned earlier the "Field of View Report" button located to the right of the "Take Picture" button on the app's main screen. This control helps ensure that the entire page will be photographed. Position your phone so you think you have all of the page you are scanning in view. Then tap this control. The app will snap a quick, low resolution image, then describe your camera's placement. For example, the app may report, "Right bottom edges are visible; rotated 10 degrees counterclockwise." Or, ideally, "All four edges are visible; rotated zero degrees clockwise."

I found this feature particularly helpful when I first started using the Reader. Its near-real time feedback taught me where and how far to hold the camera to get a good shot. Moving forward, I found myself snapping fewer and fewer Field of View Reports, partly because my picture-taking abilities had improved, but mostly because the Reader does such an excellent job pre-processing my still less-than-perfect images.

Tilt Guidance

This control is a toggle located directly above the Field of View Report screen area. Its purpose is to assist you in determining when you are holding your phone level, both front to back and side to side. The more off-center you are, the faster your iPhone will vibrate and buzz. Slow it down to no vibration and you are ready to snap the perfect down-facing shot.

I found Tilt Guidance even more helpful than the Field of View Report. I quickly learned I have a strong tendency to tilt my phone forward and slightly to the left. Again, practice makes perfect, and though I cannot yet report that I can position my iPhone perfectly from the get-go, I do find it takes me much less time to adjust my grip.

The Tilt Guidance feature only helps correct your iPhone's downward shooting position. I do wish it also offered a second set of guidance alerts that would help me shoot more accurately straight ahead. This feature is also absent in the VoiceOver camera access features. Knowing I have two faces in my viewfinder is helpful—it would be even more helpful if I knew I was holding my camera on the straight and level.

Saving and Exporting Files

After a single or multipage document has been recognized by the Reader, you are given the option to save the file either with a descriptive name or the default date and time stamp name. The app saves both the image and the recognized text on your iPhone. You can access the file through the File Explorer tab and reread the document, view the original image, or re-recognize the image with new column or language settings.

The File Explorer includes tabs to call up your list of Scanned Files, PDF Files, and Image Files. (More about these last two soon.) Swipe down to one of the file names and use the "Edit" button to rename or delete the file. You can also export as a plain text file, a formatted text HTML file, or a KNFB file, which is an archive file containing both the original image and a text file. I can see this last being extremely useful for saving store receipts, legal agreements, and other signed documents whose originals you wish to store electronically with a text copy you can read with your screen reader.

Make your export selection and you are offered all of the usual Share options, including e-mail, Twitter, Dropbox, and other iPhone apps that will read that file type. One improvement I would like to see on the initial File Explorer screen would be the addition of Rename and Export to the Actions rotor menu. This would make these options significantly quicker to access.

Reading PDF and Image Files

We all know the frustration of trying to open a PDF file on a computer running Acrobat Reader from Adobe and receiving the dreaed "Alert! Empty Document!" message. JAWS users can use the Quick Scan feature to recognize any text screen-by-screen, and the upcoming Version 16 will allow full PDF recognition. If you own K1000 or OpenBook you also have the option to do a send-to-OCR engine print job, but using the KNFB Reader, you now have a new option.

Email the PDF to yourself, or highlight it in Dropbox, OneDrive or another file sync service's app. Use the double-tap-and-hold gesture to access the share sheet, then the "Open in" option to send the file to KNFB Reader. You will now discover an "Imports Available" message alongside the File Explorer button. Import the file, double tap to open it, then select "Recognize imported PDF."

I recently downloaded an appliance manual that was an unreadable PDF. Even the JAWS Quick OCR option could not find the text. The company's customer service department sent me an unprotected version of the manual, so I had something to compare. When I e-mailed myself the inaccessible PDF and had KNFB Reader recognize the ten pages, the app finished each new page in less time than it took to speak "Page 1 done, page 2 done…" Reading the first several pages and comparing the text to the unprotected version, I could find absolutely no recognition errors.

You can do the same with image files, but currently the process is rather limited and complex. I was unable to recognize an image from my camera roll, or a JPG I received via e-mail. In neither case was KNFB Reader in the Share or the Open In list. Instead I had to save the file into Dropbox, then open the Dropbox app on my iPhone. I had to make the JPG file a favorite, then double tap first the Share icon, then the "Open In" button. At that point, I got the same import notice in Reader's file explorer menu, which placed the image in the Images tab, where I could then recognize it.

I occasionally receive e-mailed JPG files in lieu of faxes. Hopefully, with Apple's loosening of their restrictions for Notification screen widgets and sharing, turning them into text using the Reader will be made much simpler in future releases. Dropbox is free for a limited account, but users should be able to open and recognize a JPG or other image file directly from within an e-mail, as they can with a PDF file.

Other Features

Here's a quick look at many other useful KNFB Reader settings and features:

• Flash. The home screen offers the option to set the camera flash to on, off, or auto. Additionally, the Settings menu allows you to have the flash always turned on when you are in picture taking mode. If you have some sight, this option may work better for you, but the company advises against having both the flashlight and the camera flash on, as this will create washed out images that are more difficult to process and recognize.
• Batch Mode Processing. If you have several pages to scan, this mode allows you to take multiple pictures and have them all recognized together into a single document. I avoided this feature until after I had improved my picture-taking skills, but I now find it useful for scanning multiple pages of a brochure or other multipage document.
• OCR Language. The app's ABBI Mobile OCR engine currently supports 11 languages, including most European tongues. I've been advised that a future release will also include the ability to have a recognized document translated from one language to another.
• Document Type. KNFB Reader will recognize your scan as a single or multicolumn page. Single column will "decolumnize" the page and arrange the recognized text from top to bottom, from one column to the next. Multicolumn will read each line from left to right, which is how you would want to read most invoices—so the item and price information are next to each other—and spreadsheets where the information is designed to be read one row at a time. Unfortunately, in either case, the Reader is unable to export the text as a formatted document with tables you can later read on your PC using your screen reder's table or headings hotkeys.
• Profiles. This image capture screen option lets you choose between manual and automatic picture taking. Automatic is supposed to do just that—snap a picture automatically when the Reader sees text to be processed. For now this option seems to be more of a placeholder than a working option, which is to say: in its current state, it only very rarely worked for me. I strongly suspect that once the app is optimized for iOS 8 and for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, this option will become much more accurate in identifying text and when to capture an image.

My Experience So Far

Over the past several years I have tried a number of iPhone text recognition apps, including TextGrabber and Prizmo. I know other users have had a good deal of success with these apps, but none of them worked at all for me. As for the KNFB Reader, I have spent considerable time with the app, from the initial release to the latest version 1.2—and to condense my experience so far into a single word, that word would have to be "phenomenal."

These days one of the few remaining text objects with absolutely no e-alternative is the daily mail, and after installing the Reader, I headed straight for my mailbox. I plowed through a stack of bills, junk mail, circulars, and newspapers in no time, tossing the trash and reading bills and full-page letters, even with strong crease marks in the page. The Reader even did a stellar job recognizing the text beneath most envelope address windows, and I could figure out which catalog company had sent me their offerings encased in wrinkled plastic wrap. On some of the more difficult pieces of mail, the recognition wasn't perfect, but the results were nearly always at least as complete and accurate as I would get using K1000 and a flatbed scanner.

The Reader will only read printed text, not handwriting. It also failed to read currency, even the text with serial numbers and such. Also, when I snapped a credit card I could not get the number, since it was the same color as the card's background.

I had good success in my pantry with boxes and cans. The app even read a good chunk of the information on a bag of egg noodles. If the product name was printed very large, or in a highly stylized font, Reader could not pick it up, but there was almost always enough information to help me find that can of beans and not worry I might be about to open a can f chili instead. Nonetheless, I do still plan to keep TapTapSee, oMoby, and CamFind on my iPhone's home screen.

Pages from my laser printer were almost without exception recognized without errors. CD jewel cases and DVD boxes also read well, though the disk themselves would not read at all.

During an NFB convention demonstration, Gashel snapped a photo of a PowerPoint slide from 20 feet away and the app recognized it completely. I am blessed with not having a job where I need to suffer through a lot of PowerPoint presentations, so instead I printed "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog!" in 72-point type and taped it to a wall. I could recognize the text with 100-percent accuracy from 10 feet away, but only when I was successful in centering the page in my view finder and holding my camera vertically, without angling it too severely in either direction. Here is where vertical tilt guidance would be a real help.

KNFB Reader did an excellent job recognizing the menu at my favorite barbecue joint, but menu recognition is not nearly as much a must-have as it was four or five years ago. These days nearly every eatery I frequent posts their menus online.

The same can be said for books. Between Bookshare, Google Books, and Amazon Kindle, rare is the book I wish to read that I cannot find in accessible form. Nonetheless I did try scanning a few books. Paperbacks were problematic, as the gutters between pages made it difficult to properly scan the first few and last few pages. I found it easier to hold the book and camera sideways, then shoot the book one page at a time. Larger paperback books were a bit easier, but at best the scans were not nearly as accurate as the results I get with K1000 and a flatbed scanner.

I also tried recognizing paperback and hard cover books using the Reader with a StandScan Pro, a portable stand that helps you position documents and your smartphone for optimal OCR results. This process was considerably faster, since my iPhone remained properly positioned above the StandScan's lens cutout and I could use both hands for most of the bookpositioning, only having to hold it with one hand for the brief time it took to reach up and double tap the "Take Picture" button. Page gutters were still a problem, however, and most hard cover books did not fit completely inside the StandScan and had to be scanned one page to the next. The StandScan did do a stellar job helping me scan my mail, offering up excellent results almost as quickly as I could slip each new envelope inside the stand.

Conclusions

One hundred dollars is a lot to pay for an app these days, and many may be put off by the price. But price is relative. If tomorrow OpenBook or K1000 were available for $100 for one day only, it would be considered the bargain of the year and people would be racing to log on and buy. That said, I do wish there were a demo version of this app available. I think a demo would spur sales significantly, as once you try this app I suspect you will wonder how you ever managed without it.

Product Information

Product: KNFB Reader for iOS
Price: $99.99 from the Apple App Store
Available from: KNFB Reading Technology, Inc., 877-547-1500, support@knfbreader.com

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2014 is coming to a close and the holidays are just around the corner, so it's time for AccessWorld's online shopping guide. This year's guide features Amazon's accessible website, Zappos, Wine.com, and L'OCCITANE en Provence (pronounced "lox-ee-tan"). Since many online merchants use PayPal as a payment option, information on setting up a PayPal account will also be presented in this article.

Before You Shop

The importance of shopping only on reputable websites cannot be overstated. When looking for a product online, consider shopping on sites from major retailers or sites that you learned about through family and friends. Unfortunately, not all websites are easily accessible. If you're having difficulty with a site, try a different one. If you're new to online shopping, read the section about Amazon's accessible site. Remember, website designs and formats are constantly changing, so the format of these websites may have changed from what is described here.

For this article I used Windows 7, Internet Explorer, and the latest version of Window-Eyes. The sites also work well with the Safari browser and VoiceOver screen reader. Whichever screen reader you use, familiarize yourself with navigation commands and form controls. Some pages can be navigated easily by headings, but if there aren't any headings on a given page, you'll need to navigate by another unit, such as links. The screen reader "Find" command can help you get to information quickly. Forms are used for entering search criteria, choosing a sub-category or price range for your search, and entering account information. They can also be a handy navigation tool: some retailers have a combo box (located just above the search results) for sorting results. This combo box can bring you quickly to your desired choice.

Using PayPal

Many online merchants offer the option of checking out with PayPal. It only takes a few minutes to set up a PayPal account. When the homepage loads, a lot of information is given and there are some form controls. Review the information with your arrow keys. Begin the sign up process by activating the "Sign Up" link on the PayPal homepage. When the new page loads, the first controls are two radio buttons, one for personal use and one for business use. Make sure the personal button is checked. The next control is a "Continue" button. On the next screen use your screen reader's heading key to find "Get Started." The first control will be a combo box to choose a country. By default, the US is selected. There's also an edit box for your e-mail address followed by an edit box to choose a password and another edit box to confirm your password. Next comes a CAPCHA with an audio option. The final control on the page is a "Continue" button.

On the next page, you'll need to enter your name, address, and telephone number. Next, there is another CAPTCHA, then a checkbox to accept PayPal's terms, and then a "Continue" button.

By this time, you should receive a welcome e-mail from PayPal asking you to verify your account. The e-mail will also contain information about PayPal's services.

Once you've logged into your account on the PayPal website, you'll be asked to choose two security questions. If you forget your password, you'll be asked to verify your identity by answering these questions. To add credit or debit card information, activate the link that says "Wallet" at the top of the page. You can also link your PayPal account with your bank account from the "Wallet" link.

Anytime you are using the Internet or e-mail, you can get a message from scammers pretending to be PayPal. This may be particularly deceptive if by coincidence you happen to be in the process of signing up or signing in. Check the sender's address and never activate links that say "click here" or something similar. If you get an e-mail asking you to enter personal information, delete it immediately. If you're not sure if the e-mail is real, you can forward it to spoof@paypal.com, and they will let you know if the e-mail came from PayPal.

Getting Help

PayPal has a good online help section that covers many topics, and you can get live customer support by activating the "Contact" link. Then activate the "Call Us" link. Next, search for the words "Call Us." Just below those words is a phone number and a pass code you'll need to enter when you call. The code is valid for 60 minutes.

The Bottom Line for PayPal

PayPal is a very convenient way to pay for items purchased on many websites, including eBay. It takes time to set up the account, but the benefits are worth the effort. A good online help section and live customer service make PayPal an excellent website.

Amazon's Accessible Website

Whether you are new to online shopping or a seasoned pro, Amazon's accessible website is a good place to start. All controls are clearly labeled and the screen is uncluttered. This site contains less information than the regular Amazon.com site, but it is far easier to navigate. Consider doing your initial search on the accessible site and then, if you need more information about a specific item, try using the full version.

The homepage for this website loads with 18 clearly labeled links. Among these links are your account, your wish list, and recommendations specifically for you. The search form consists of an edit box and a "Go" button. When you perform a search, the next page presents the same two form controls are presented as well as a combo box to further sort your search results. There are many categories in the combo box including software, electronics, and digital music. Before using the combo box, check to determine whether your initial search provided what you wanted. There may be no need to do a refined search. Search results are listed below the search form. Each link contains the name of the item, the cost, how much you save, and additional relevant information such as manufacturer and shipping cost.

To find a carrying bag for an 11-inch MacBook Air laptop computer, I entered "11 MacBook Air bag" in the search form and it yielded several results including sleeves and cases. It is possible to limit your search results by adding additional information to your search. I activated the link for a bag I liked. In the description I learned that shipping was free since the bag exceeded Amazon's $35 minimum purchase. Not all items on Amazon ship for free so read the information carefully.

In addition to the item information, Amazon provides links for customer reviews, the average customer review, and product details. Activating the details link, I learned about the features of the bag, including material and how many pockets it had.

If you want to add the item to your cart and you're on the product details page, activate the "product main" link, which will bring you back to the main product page. There, you'll find the "Add to Cart" button. Once the item is added to the cart, there is a "Proceed to Checkout" button and a link to continue shopping.

The checkout process is mostly straightforward, but pay careful attention to the shipping method. Although my bag had free shipping available, when I looked at the shipping speed, free shipping was not selected. I made the change to free shipping using a radio button and completed the checkout process. Amazon also offers a feature called "1-Click Settings." This feature lets the user checkout with one click rather than going through the checkout process. Remember, if you use this setting, you may be paying more than you planned for shipping.

Getting Help

The accessible Amazon site has a help section that consists of a variety of topics, including how to purchase an item and how to access the full Amazon site. Unfortunately, it is not possible to access the links to get to live help. For that, you'll need to go to the regular site. Once there, activate the "help" link. On the next page, activate the "Need More Help" link. On the next page, activate the "Contact Us" link. When the new page loads, find the link that says, "Screen reader users, click here for a Contact Us form optimized for the visually impaired." The form consists of a combo box to choose an issue and another combo box to refine the issue. Next are links for how you want Amazon to contact you. The options are phone and e-mail. If you choose phone on the next page, there are three edit boxes to enter your phone number and links for being called now or in 5 minutes. There is also an automated customer service system at 888-280-3321.

The Bottom Line for Amazon's Accessible Site

Amazon's accessible site is uncluttered and easy to navigate. It would be great if the form to get live help was on this website so it wouldn't be necessary to go to the regular site. If you can use your screen reader's navigation keys for links, headings, and searching for text, then it isn't too difficult to get to live help.

Zappos.com

Zappos started as a shoe retail website. They have expanded to include many more items such as clothing, handbags, and accessories. Zappos is known for its excellent customer service, free shipping, and a one-year return policy.

The Zappos home page has many category links including "Women," "Men," "Kids," "Shoes," "Accessories," and "Clothing." There's also a "Brands" link. The site presents some of its best-selling brands as links as well. Their customer service number is near the top of the page.

The search form consists of an edit box and a "Search" button. I entered "Petite Cardigan" in the edit box and executed the search. I quickly found results with the headings hot key. Results were also broken down by headings, including designer, material, and price. I found a cardigan that sounded promising and activated its link.

By using my screen reader's headings hot key, I was able to quickly find my result. The item description was very detailed and easy to navigate with arrow keys. Further down the page were suggestions of other products I might like and then there was a section where I could write an item review. Below this was a section to order the cardigan, found by using the headings key or form key.

The first part of the order form was a combo box to choose color followed by another combo box to choose size. Next was a button to add the item to my cart. The shopping cart was easily located with a table hot key. All the relevant information about the item was clearly listed, including size, color, and price. Under the cart information were options to proceed to checkout or continue shopping.

On the checkout page was a link to create an account and a log in form for account holders. The form for creating an acount was clearly labeled and asked for your name, e-mail address, and password. The rest of the checkout form was clear and easy to navigate.

Getting Help

The Zappos customer service number, 800-927-7671, is posted near the top of the page. They are available 24/7. Every time I've spoken with customer service they have been extremely helpful and they were happy to describe an item in greater detail when I explained I was blind.

The Bottom Line on Zappos

Zappos is a very accessible website with many links that can be navigated with a screen reader. Their excellent customer service makes Zappos a fantastic option for online shopping.

L'Occitane en Provence

One of the reasons this website was selected is because of the company's commitment to assisting people with visual impairments through their La Fondation d' Entreprise. L'Occitane has braille labeling on most of its packaging. The foundation goes further by facilitating professional integration of the visually impaired and fighting preventable blindness in developing countries.

There were many links on the homepage, along with a search form that had an edit box and a "Search" link. Heading navigation was not useful on this website, but all links were clearly labeled and the page was uncluttered.

I activated the link for "Bath and Body" and found a shower gel that interested me. Activating the product link brought me to a page where I was able to find my result with my screen reader's headings hot key. The information on the page was easy to read, including a description of the product. There was a combo box to change quantity if desired. Towards the bottom of the page were other suggested items. These could also be found with the headings hot key. I used the "Add to Bag" link to purchase the product.

On the next page, I could again find my result with the headings hot key. Underneath the product was a message that the item was in my bag and below that was a link to checkout. Activating that link brought me to a new page. There was an edit box for my e-mail address and a link to register. The next page had a form for entering registration information. All form controls were labeled and the registration process was not difficult.

Getting Help

L'Occitane's customer service phone number, 888-623-2880, appears on many pages throughout the site.

The Bottom Line on L'Occitane

Although this website has many links, it is well organized and easy to navigate. Product descriptions are clearly displayed. You can also find L'Occitane products at Sephora, Sephora.com, Amazon.com, and the Amazon accessible website. L'Occitane's commitment to people who are visually impaired provides another excellent reason to consider this website for your holiday shopping.

Wine.com

Whether you are a wine enthusiast or know very little about wine, check out Wine Ratings to learn more. This information may be of use whether you are considering purchasing wine from wine.com, another online merchant, or your local store.

The first control on the wine.com website is a combo box to choose your shipping destination. Once a destination is chosen you'll get an estimate of how long a shipment may take to arrive. You can also pick up your wine at many Federal Express stores.

Selecting a Wine

Using Internet Explorer, I could not locate the search form, but it was easily located using Safari. I entered the name of a wine I like, and the search results were easy to find with the headings hot key. The results didn't show the wine I was looking for, but they did offer a similar option. Instead, I activated the "90+ rated under $20" link.

The next page had links to further refine the search. You could search by color or if you knew the type of wine you wanted, there were links to each type of wine. I searched for a Pinot Noir.

On the next page there was information about various available Pinot Noirs. Wines were grouped in several ways including country, type of cap, and taste. There was a sorting combo box which offered several options including Just In and Popular.

I found an interesting wine. Information presented included the name, where the wine is from, the maker, the usual price, and the price from Wine.com. There was a button to add the bottle to the cart.

Unfortunately, this is where I had a problem. When the next page loaded, I could not find any way to access my cart. With sighted assistance I learned that the cart was an unlabeled graphic. I called customer service and was told that they would be happy to help me with my order, and that it could be taken over the phone.

Getting Help

Wine.com can be reached at 800-592-5870.

The Bottom Line for Wine.com

This website contains a great deal of information and offers many wines at all price levels. Wine.com was significantly more accessible using Safari than Internet Explorer. Although I couldn't find my shopping cart with either browser, the customer service department was very helpful and willing to help place my order. If you're searching for wines, visit the website, make a list of the wines you want and call customer service. You don't have to be a wine expert since the customer service department will be glad to answer your wine questions.

Conclusion

With some time and practice all these websites can be used. Don't hesitate to call customer service. Remember to do your shopping as early as possible. Happy Holidays!

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