VIEWPLUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I proposal is to develop audio-tactile r
VIEWPLUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Health and Human Services.
- Amount
- $148,375
- Agency
- Department of Health and Human Services · National Institutes of Health
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Solicitation
- PA13-234
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- OR
- Period
- —
Description
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I proposal is to develop audio-tactile reading technologies. These should greatly improve access by blind people to typical graphs, charts, and diagrams in modern news, business, or scientific literature. Such access could dramatically improve their educational and professional opportunities. Quality of life for blind people is a mission of the National Eye Institute. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The ultimate goal of this proposal is to stimulate a paradigm shift in how graphical information is read by blind people. Because very few blind people can read a tactile graphic, graphics are presently made accessible by including a word description. Words are simply inadequate for many common graphics such as maps, charts, and diagrams. Blind people can easily read a tactile graphic if good audio or braille feedback is available, but such audio-tactile technology today is considered too complex and expensive to be practical. V