Technical Description of the Tool
- Get one inexpensive mid-range Personal Computer
- Attach one add-on hardware box to its printer port (easily fabricated, with
simple design)
- Connect 5 standard keyboards to this hardware
- Connect 5 Braille display readers to partner with each keyboard (simple
design using off-the-shelf electrical and hardware items)
- Install a free downloadable operating system with its built-in text-based
internet browser (Vector Linux 5 OS with text browser Lynx)
- Install a small program to communicate with the 5 keyboards and the 5
Braille displays (Simple C++-language programs easily maintained by mid-level
programmer)
- Results - one inexpensive PC serving 5 visually impaired users, PLUS one
sighted person using his own keyboard and monitor. (A total of 6 persons on one
inexpensive PC)
- Configure 10 of these PC's in a network - and you have a system serving a
community of 10*5=50 visually impaired and 10 sighted persons
- Teach the fabrication and programming to other persons with disability - and
you have enlarged the job market for those others, who usually have less access
to jobs
- Area of Innovation: inexpensive and easily replicable, using lower
technology PC's
