| Too often we think about gadgets like small | | | | For deaf persons there are several helpful |
| devices made for us to have fun: mp3 players, | | | | gadgets which I will tell you about. |
| cell phones, PDA's, music players. So we forget | | | | Portable amplifiers |
| about the ones made to help people and really | | | | These are small devices that can be easily carried |
| change their life. | | | | and they are used to provide increased sound |
| This article is about the gadgets that improve | | | | amplification. |
| people life and aren't so known as party and | | | | Telecommunication devices |
| funny gadgets. I'm going to talk about the | | | | The telecommunication devices for deaf have |
| gadgets built for people with disabilities, devices | | | | typewriter keyboards, and the typed |
| that help this people to have a better life. The | | | | conversation appears either in a readout display or |
| majority of these gadgets are made for the | | | | on paper. |
| blinds so I will start with those. | | | | Telecaption Adapters |
| Electronic eyes | | | | The adapter is attached to television set. These |
| This high-tech device recognizes the white stripes | | | | enable viewers to read captions on their television |
| of a pedestrian crosswalk and reads traffic lights | | | | screen. |
| could tell a blind person when it's safe to cross | | | | Alerting gadgets |
| the street. The electronic eyes are being | | | | Now a deaf person can know when someone |
| developed at Kyoto Institute of Technology. | | | | knocks at the door, when the baby is crying or |
| Braille PDA's and computers | | | | the telephone is ringing. All these are possible |
| The Braille Display allows blind users to use | | | | because of the alerting systems. An alerting |
| standard computers or PDA devices. The Braille | | | | system for deaf will send a signal if: the baby is |
| gadgets use refreshable Braille displays, which | | | | crying, the doorbell rings, telephone rings, the |
| raise small dots through holes in a flat surface to | | | | smoke alarm systems is on, the security alarms |
| create Braille that refreshes as the user inputs | | | | or the wake up alarm was started. The signal |
| commands. So a blind person will be able to play | | | | may be visual (a flashing light); auditory (an |
| music, read books, take notes, making | | | | increase in amplification); or vibrotactile. |
| presentations or reviewing/editing documents. | | | | For the ones without hands or fingers there are |
| PC with a screen reader | | | | some new gadgets designed to improve their life. |
| Screen readers access information displayed on | | | | X-Finger |
| computer monitors and interpret that information | | | | X-Finger is medical gadget replaces lost fingers |
| via text-to-speech output. This software must be | | | | created by Dan Didrick. X-Finger is a non-robotic |
| used along with text to speech synthesizers to | | | | prosthetic finger, or set of multiple fingers, with a |
| allow the blinds to use the computer easy.IBM | | | | full range of motion, including being able to curl like |
| offers Home Page Reader, special software to | | | | normal fingers. |
| read and navigate Web pages for those who are | | | | The Bionic Hand |
| blind. | | | | The Bionic Hand was created by David Gow. It is |
| Cell phone with Talks software | | | | unique because thumb and fingers can move and |
| Talks software was created by Cingular Wireless. | | | | grip just like a human hand and it is unique |
| With it a blind person will have full access to the | | | | because it is uses patients mind and muscles |
| capabilities of the cell phone using only his voice. | | | | control the movements. |
| Other usual gadgets for blinds are: Braille and | | | | So when you hear the word gadgets don't think |
| talking clocks, Braille color-identification labels for | | | | only to a device to have fun with, think about |
| clothing, tactile writing and signature guides, talking | | | | devices that improve people life, especially the |
| calculators and magnifiers. | | | | ones with disabilities. |