Re: media: Project to open internet to blind

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:53:42 +0200, david poehlman  
<david.poehlman@handsontechnologeyes.com> wrote:

>
> BBC NEWS
...
> He said by embedding devices in public areas like shopping malls, they  
> could
> advertise
> the position of shops when a blind person with an enabled personal data
> device passed.
...
> Professor Alan Marshall
> "When you are outside there is GPS (global positioning system) but this
> doesn't work
> inside," he said.
> "If you had embedded devices they could advertise what the shop is, by
> saying 'I'm
> a butchers' through a mobile device."
> He said that they could also act as maps to guide the blind through
> unfamiliar buildings.

This sounds a lot like William Loughboroughs "Talking signs" (which  
actually functioned with short-range radio and directional devices when he  
introduced them a few decades ago), or his "webtiles" which are an updated  
version making use of the fact that mobile web access was becming a  
reality in the late 90's.

Plus ca change...

Still, I hopefor 3.8 million Euros that they do something good...

cheers

Chaals


-- 
Charles McCathieNevile                      Fundacion Sidar
charles@sidar.org   +61 409 134 136    http://www.sidar.org