Atom Powered Intel Reader Gets Official Intel Reader Reads Text Courtesy of Text-Scanning Camera & Text-to-Speech Engine, Aimed at the Visually Impaired

Whilst not the first device offering to read printed material via text
to speech (the previously featured Plustek V100 Bookreader being an
example) where the newly unveiled Intel Reader positively excels is in
pulling together the required technology into a somewhat more easily
portable gadget (it measures in at around the size of a paperback book)
that makes it easier to relocate " though, admittedly, it would be a
little far fetched to call it a pocket friendly device (handheld, yes).
Undoubtedly helping to make the device rather more compact than the
previously mentioned Plustek V100 Bookreader is the fact that, rather
than scan text, the Intel Reader instead relies on an integrated high
resolution camera to capture text prior to converting it to synthesised
speech via a text-to-speech engine " thus allow the device to read text
to those that, for whatever reason, are unable to read the text for
themselves (be it that they are blind, partially sighted, suffer for
extreme dyslexia or, of course, are actually unable to read).
As someone who is part of this dyslexic community, I am thrilled to be
able to help level the playing field for people who, like me, do not
have easy access to the printed word, said Ben Foos who originally
conceived of the device.. Feelings of loneliness are often the
experience of not being able to read easily. We hope to open the doors
for people in these communities. The Intel Reader is a tool that can
help give people with dyslexia, low-vision, blindness or other
reading-based disabilities access to the resources they need to
participate and be successful in school, work and life.
On paper (if you excuse the pun) the Intel Reader sounds great but there
s a catch (isn t there always) " that being the price of the device
which comes in at a particularly steep $1,499 a pop. Of course, if you
have that sort of expendable money laying around and you have issues
reading we don t doubt that the Intel Reader will prove a worthy
investment but we d much prefer if its pricing put it in the genuine
reach of the many who would genuinely benefit from such a device (which
means we really need to see it coming in at around at least a third of
its present pricing, it now less).
Here s the official press release:
Ready, Set, Read: Intelยฎ Reader Transforms Printed Text to Spoken Word
Intel Launches Mobile Handheld Device for People with Reading-Based
Disabilities, such as Dyslexia or Low-Vision, or for Those Who are Blind
The new Intel Reader, a mobile handheld device, increases independence
for people with reading-based disabilities.
The size of a paperback book, the Intel Reader converts printed text to
digital text and then reads it aloud to the user.
The Intel Reader can help the estimated 55 million people in the U.S.
who have specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia or vision problems.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 10, 2009 " Intel Corporation today announced
the Intelยฎ Reader, a mobile handheld device designed to increase
independence for people who have trouble reading standard print. The
Intel Reader can assist the estimated 55 million people in the U.S. who
have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities, or have vision
problems such as low-vision or blindness, which makes reading printed
words difficult or impossible.
The Intel Reader, about the size of a paperback book, converts printed
text to digital text, and then reads it aloud to the user. Its unique
design combines a high-resolution camera with the power of an Intelยฎ
Atom processor, allowing users to point, shoot and listen to printed
text. The Intel Reader will be available in the United States through
select resellers, including CTL, Don Johnston Incorporated, GTSI, Howard
Technology Solutions and HumanWare.
When the Intel Reader is used together with the Intelยฎ Portable Capture
Station, large amounts of text, such as a chapter or an entire book, can
be easily captured for reading later. Users will have convenient and
flexible access to a variety of printed materials, helping to not only
increase their freedom, but improve their productivity and efficiency at
school, work and home. The Intel Reader has been endorsed by the
International Dyslexia Association as an important advance in assistive
technology. Additionally, Intel is working with the Association of
Assistive Technology Act Programs, the Council for Exceptional Children,
Lighthouse International, the National Center for Learning Disabilities
and the National Federation of the Blind to help reach and address the
needs of people who have difficulty reading print.
The Intel Digital Health Group's expertise is in finding innovative
technology solutions to improve quality of life, said Louis Burns, vice
president and general manager of Intel's Digital Health Group. We are
proud to offer the Intel Reader as a tool for people who have trouble
reading standard print so they can more easily access the information
many of us take for granted every day, such as reading a job offer
letter or even the menu at a restaurant.
The original concept for the Intel Reader came from Ben Foss, a
researcher at Intel who was identified in elementary school as one of
the estimated 20 percent of people nationwide who have symptoms of
dyslexia. Throughout high school, college and graduate school, he had to
depend on others to read to him or work through the slow process of
getting words off of a page himself. As an adult, much of the content he
wanted, from professional journals to pleasure reading, just wasn't
available in audio form.