Technologies for the Blind

choi

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Thomas Grillo, Giving sight to blind; With Mass. Eye and Ear surgery, woman again sees grandchildren. Boston Herald, Nov. 29, 2010.
http://bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/view.bg?articleid=1299495

My commnet:
(a) Please read a "Related Article" in the right column (of the web page), titled Macular degeneration hits elderly. There are many types of macular degeneration, and the two Herald reports deals solely with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

(b) Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is one of many Harvard-affiliated teaching hospital. The other Harvard hospitals do not have these specialties.
(c) Implantable Miniature Telescope is made by VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc. (based at Saratoga, Calif., about 10 miles southwest of San Jose).
http://www.visioncareinc.net/technology

Click "Our Technology" in the top horizontal bar.

(d) News release: FDA Approves First Implantable Miniature Telescope to Improve Sight of AMD patients
Device designed to help those with end-stage, age-related macular degeneration. FDA, July 6, 2010.
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm218066.htm


---------------------Separately
(1) Kathleen Pierce, Digital empowerment; Advances in mobile technology provide the blind with new tools. Boston Globe, Nov. 26, 2010.
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/natick/articles/2010/11/26/advances_in_mobile_technology_provide_the_blind_with_new_tools/

My comment: I think the software is pretty neat.
(a) oMoby
http://omoby.com

Please click
(i) The Demo Video in the bottom (of the web page), and
(ii) FAQ at the top horizontal bar--which says that it is visual recognition rather than based on a bar code.

What I cannot figure out is how a blind person alone can see the price at THE store he is patronizing--as opposed to that (price) at Amazon.com.

(b) The software is produced by Berkeley, Calif.-based
IQ Engines
http://www.iqengines.com/

There is no need to click anything here.

(2) The next piece is decidedly low tech--a blind appreciating companionship of a dog. (Incidentally, Boston also provides free transportation, including free taxi vouchers or private contractors to drive the handicaped around town (besides delivering hot meals to homes of the elderly and the handicapped). A society that does this is admirable.)

The third item in
Annie's Mailbox, Nov. 26, 2010.
http://www.creators.com/advice/annies-mailbox/uncomfortable-genes.html

My comment: In Taiwan, a law stipulates that massage be reserved for the blind--sighted people can not do. It would violate equal protection clause of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the US constitution. Ninety percent of the blind in Taiwan are engaged in this occupation. It is such a waste of talent, in my view. The current New York governor David Patterson is black, holds a law degree in spite of blindness. Wikipedia: At the age of three months, Paterson contracted an ear infection which spread to his optic nerve, leaving him with no sight in his left eye and severely limited vision in his right.
※ 修改:．choi 于 Nov 30 13:59:39 修改本文．[FROM: 129.10.0.0]

choi

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Julia Werdigier, Managing Risk for JPMorgan, and His Own Blindness. New York
Times, Dec. 3, 2010.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/managing-risk-for-jpmorgan-and-blindness/?scp=1&sq=risk%20jpmorgan&st=cse


【 在 choi 的大作中提到: 】
: Thomas Grillo, Giving sight to blind; With Mass. Eye and Ear surgery, woman again sees grandchildren. Boston Herald, Nov. 29, 2010.
: http://bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/view.bg?articleid=1299495
: My commnet:
: (a) Please read a "Related Article" in the right c
: (以下引言省略...)

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