ClaroRead Releases Open Source Accessible PDF for Windows

PDF files often are difficult to access by visually impaired. With the free Accessible PDF program for Windows PDF files, if they are not a scanned image, are now also accessible for visually impaired. This is realy a program I was waiting for! Most screen readers and screen magnifiers include support for reading PDF files with Adobe Acrobat, but this is always a difficult job. It is nearly impossible to navigate through a PDF document in Adobe Acrobat with a screen reader, the computer becomes slow and sometimes everything locks. I often loaded the PDF file in Adobe acrobat Reader and saved it as text, but the result mostly was not what you expected.

With Acccessible PDF from ClaroRead all these problems are finished and what is also good news is that accessible PDF is open source software and free!

After downloading Accessible PDF a wizard helps you install the program on your computer. After installing, you can launch Accessible PDF and open a PDF file with the File -> Open menu. Accessible PDF gives you a message that the file is "running". After clicking the OK button you can start reading.

Accessible PDF has 5 menus on the menubar. File, Edit, View, Options and Help. With the File menu you can open PDF files, save a PDF to TXT or HTML format and Exit the Accessible PDF program.

The Edit menu includes common options like Cut, Copy, Paste and Select All.

Interesting is the View menu including the options, Text, Webpage, Zoom In and Zoom Out. With Text view you get a text version of the PDF file. The text view is very useful for those using a screen reader or text-to-speech program. Very nice in this text view is, that you can navigate through the PDF file. For example all the items in the table of contents are links. You can see, hear or feel this, because the word Link followed by a number, is placed before a navigation item. Also reading features included in most professional screen magnifiers like ZoomText, Lunar and Magic work here.

With Webpage you can switch to a webpage view of the PDF file. Users of a braille display are recommended to maximize the Accessible PDF program by pressing ALT + Spacebar and pressing M, because otherwise the braille display does not properly follow the cursor.

I tested Accessible PDF with a PDF file of 2 MB in size. After saving it as Webpage a HTML file results of 210 KB. It was nearly impossible to load this HTML file in Internet Explorer with my screen reader Supernova, but with Accessible PDF it is no problem.

The Zoom In and Zoom Out options in the View menu are very helpful for those who need more magnification, but magnification has its limitation.

I also find a bug here. If you select a black background color and white text color in the Options menu, pressing ctrl+j to Zoom In, results in black Text Color and Black background color, which nobody can read, accept those using Text-to-Speech or a braille display.

As I already wrote with the Options menu you can change Text and Background color. Here you also can change the Font style.

Concluding: Accessible PDF is realy a great help for those having problems reading PDF files with Adobe acrobat Reader!

Visit the Accessible PDF WebSite
Download accessible PDF
Visit the ClaroRead Website

Magic Lens Max 4.0 Released!

Magic Lens Max screen magnifier utility generates real-time enhanced and sharp visual effects, with Magic Lens Max you can magnify, rotate, lighten, sharpen and capture any area of the screen display, even in a full- screen mode. Great improvements has been made and lots of new features are available in Version 4.0:

• Completely new designed user interface with usability and accessibility greatly improved
• Supports full-screen mode (Full-screen magnification, rotation and enhancement
• Allows locking/unlocking the lens on screen
• Allows adjusting Red/Green/Blue color levels of the lens view
• Capture output supports most of the popular image formats, including transparent PSD/PNG/TIFF/TGA images with alpha channel
• Improved the compatibility with Windows Vista, Magic Lens Max will automatically detect and disable Desktop Composition (Aero Effects) to run correctly, and restore it when exited
• Optimized refreshing performance for smoother movement of the lens
• Lots of other minor improvements

The free trial of Magic Lens Max 4.0 (File Size: 2.70 MB) can be download at download at visionsuit.com

For more information about Magic Lens Max 4.0, please visit the official website at: www.visionsuit.com

HumanWare expands its GPS line for people who are blind, with the new Trekker Breeze

At the CSUN conference in Los Angeles, HumanWare was unveiling a new talking GPS. The product is designed for people who are blind, for use when travelling in familiar surroundings. The product will also be appealing to people not comfortable with computers and screen readers. The new model is an addition to the popular Trekker and BrailleNote GPS systems, which have thousands of users worldwide. With this innovation, HumanWare will make GPS technology even more accessible to a greater number of people. Like other GPS products from HumanWare, the Trekker Breeze provides talking GPS directions that help users know where they are and where they are going whether on foot or in a vehicle.

Trekker Breeze offers the important benefits of GPS orientation tools. It enhances independence and confidence in travelling. Users can record routes as they walk them with sighted assistance. Routes can then be previewed and activated for future use. As they walk by, users receive audible information such as street names, intersections and reference landmarks. In case they are lost, they can retrace their steps. They can also reach favorite destinations with turn by turn instructions from their current position. The product makes it easier to travel alone and allows people to discover and enjoy their surroundings.

"GPS technology brings great benefits to visually impaired travellers. With this new addition to our product line, Humanware now offers GPS benefits to an even wider portion of the visually impaired population." said Lucia Gomez, Product Manager. "Easy and intuitive, Trekker Breeze offers basic orientation functions in a all-in-one hand size device. It is also the most affordable GPS tool specially designed for the needs of users who are blind. "

HumanWare offers the most complete line of GPS tools for visually impaired people. The line includes the popular BrailleNote GPS and Trekker. BrailleNote GPS is a full featured GPS tool that integrates seamlessly with Keysoft. It is available with any of the BrailleNote family of products. BrailleNote GPS benefits from the highly efficient and easy to learn Keysoft interface. Sleek and discreet, Trekker is a powerful GPS solution running on a mainstream palm size PDA. Trekker is highly appealing to professionals and students already familiar with computers and screen readers.

"Trekker Breeze will make the potential of GPS technology even more accessible to the blind" said Lucia Gomez.

The Trekker Breeze will be available in English, summer of 2008. The BrailleNote GPS and Trekker are currently available from HumanWare. For more information, please visit Humanware

Interviews with CSUN Exhibitors

Interviews with CSUN Exhibitors Brian takes a walk around the CSUN exhibition hall and interviews a number of company representatives manufacturing interesting products. For example you hear information about ZoomText mobile screen magnifier and scripting for ZoomText.
PlexTalk showed a prototype of a new memory card base MP3 and Daisyplayer.
Serotek announces magnification in System Access screen reader. Listen to CSUN interviews

ReadTheWords - Free Service That Reads Your Text Aloud

ReadTheWords is a free online service that will read any text you enter aloud. There are many ways to do this, but this site distinguishes itself with several interesting options. To be able to use the site properly, you must register, which will give you a profile page where you can save the spoken word documents you’ve created.

Here’s what else they offer:

Text Sources:

• Upload MS Word
• Upload Adobe PDF
• Upload HTML File
• Write Text Content
• Cut & Paste Text
• Website Address
• RSS Feed

Options & Features:

• Choose 1 of 15 Readers
• They Cover English, Spanish and French
• Control Reader’s Speed
• Superfast Conversion Speed
• Less than 1 minute to generate over 1 hrs worth of Reading.

Results:

• Listen to your Reading Online
• Download mp3 to your MP3 player
• Post Your Reading in Website or Blog
• Turn Your Reading into a Podcast

Visit Readingthewords.com

Braille Labels Make Beer Drinking for the Blind No Accident

Blind drunk... it's a phrase that's not yet been condemned as being offensive to the visually impaired, though that may change after this article is published. Somehow though, visually impaired drunk just does not convey the right mental image. Anyway, getting drunk to the point where you begin to lose your senses should be a conscious choice. If you actually ARE blind and sober, and wish to remain that way (the latter, at least), then Japanese brewers have got your best interests in mind.

Soda cans, beer cans, canned coffee... in Japan, it's not always easy to distinguish one from the other with your eyes closed. With that in mind, Japanese brewers have begun stamping patterns of raised dots on top of their beer cans.

In Braille, the dots read "alcohol" though some of Kirin Brewery's cans spell out "Kirin Beer". If Kirin was really smart, they'd put Braille labels on their beer vending machines before competing brands do!

Alcohol Braille identifiers on beer cans are just one more way the visually impaired are given extra consideration in Japan.

Braille raised dots can also be found on handrails leading to and from underground subway stations, where they state the name of the station. No telling whether this helps drunken Japanese "salarymen" find their way home any easier after an office party, but it sure can't hurt!

Source: Inventor sport

Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance Software Achieves Milestone of 200,000 Downloads Worldwide

Fujitsu Limited today announced that Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance, a set of three software tools for diagnosing and improving web accessibility, has passed the milestone of 200,000 downloads worldwide. Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance consists of the software tools Web Accessibility Inspector, ColorSelector, and ColorDoctor. The tools are used by website creators for judging whether a designed website is easy to use for the elderly and people with visual or color-vision impairments. Since July 2003, Fujitsu has offered free downloads of the software in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English.

As recognition of its contribution to the promotion of universal design, the software was recently awarded the universal design award. Among the 36 products and services awarded, Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance was the sole software product for improving website accessibility. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in Hanover, Germany on March 5, 2008, during the CeBIT exhibition March 4-9, where Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance is on display.

Source: Fujitsu

Crash after Visually Impaired driver parked tractor in fast lane

A visually impaired elderly driver caused a pile-up on the A9 after parking his tractor in the fast lane of the dual carriageway. Robert Simpson stopped the tractor and trailer and got out to walk across the road because he had missed his turn-off by three miles. The 77-year-old, who is registered blind and lives in a nursing home, got lost on his way home from a trip to Perth on the farm vehicle. He had been driving in the dark, without any lights, on the A9 at an average speed of 10mph, a court heard.

He thought he had missed his turn-off and simply pulled in to the central reservation, leaving the trailer parked across the outside lane of the busy trunk road.

As the pensioner walked across the dual carriageway in the dark he left the trailer, which had no lights, in the path of oncoming traffic.

Several motorists heading south between Perth and Stirling had to swerve to avoid the trailer and two cars collided at high speed.

Neither of the drivers - Charles Lawson and John Alexander were injured although both cars were badly damaged.

Despite being badly shocked, Mr Alexander managed to start the tractor and drive it to a safe place off the road.

At Perth Sheriff Court yesterday, Simpson admitted driving carelessly while knowing he had defective eyesight on the A9 on November 22 last year.

He admitted stopping in the central reservation with the trailer obstructing the fast lane and causing drivers to take evasive action and crash as a result.

Fiscal depute Lucy Keane said: "He was driving a trac- tor and had been in Perth that day. He began to go back to Auchterarder at 3.45pm and it was beginning to get dark.

"He got to the junction at Dalreoch at 4.50pm. At this point he became confused in the dark and pulled into the central reservation and stopped.

"He got out of the tractor and crossed the road, trying to ascertain if he was at the Auchterarder junction. He was, in fact, three miles short of the junction."

She said that Mr Lawson, who was driving a Jaguar at 60mph, suddenly became aware of the tractor in the outside lane. He braked and missed it. Mr Alexander also managed to avoid it narrowly but the two cars collided.

"Mr Alexander managed to start the tractor and he moved it clear of the carriageway. The accused was traced by police and accepted he had left it there."

Explaining why his client was not present in court, solicitor John Buchan said: "He has been unable to make it in. He has travel difficulties.

"His address is a nursing home in Auchterarder. He is incapacitated. His eyesight is further deteriorating and he is registered blind.

"I would recommend he be disqualified until such time as he passes a test of competency to drive. That would inevitably mean a life ban."

Sheriff David Clapham deferred sentence for Simpson, Ruthven Towers, Auchterarder, Perthshire, to attend court in person.

Source: The Herald