I will be learning from may 2nd weak. On 4/13/13, Zujar Shabbir Kanchwala <zujarbri...@gmail.com> wrote: > Seems I should learn Braille soon. This project looks promising. > Please help me with Braille training centers in & around Mumbai. > > On 4/13/13, avinash shahi <shahi88avin...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Sumit Dagar is a 29-year-old visionary who calls himself an >> 'interaction designer'. His technological skills, inventiveness and >> passion for design have prepared him for a place among today's young >> entrepreneurs. But there is one difference: he wants to put people's >> lives before profit. >> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/opening-door-to-new-technology-for-visually-challenged/1101487/0 >> In conversation with Purabi Bora of Indianexpress.com, Dagar talks >> about a prototype of an affordable Braille smartphone he has designed >> that will open the door to new technology: >> >> Q1. What inspired you to come up with the idea of developing a Braille >> smartphone? How do you intend to make a difference with it? >> >> A:During my student days (as an engineer and later as a designer), it >> was a long standing motivation to design solutions for minority user >> groups. Coming from frequent experiences with rural Indian population, >> I observed a vast gap between technological power of majority user >> groups and minority user groups (like rural population, disabled users >> et al). As I delved further into problem finding, I observed a >> negative trend in this gap, which seemed to be widening further with >> time. While mainstream users got increasingly more "superpowers" >> thanks to the technological innovations, minority groups were further >> left behind. >> >> One particular innovation stood out, recent (at that time) >> transformation of almost all the interfaces into touch-based systems >> meant that devices, which were normally usable by blind users were >> suddenly rendered useless. Ubiquitous devices, including phones and >> tablets were increasingly becoming reliant on touch/multi-touch >> systems. >> >> My motivation was to start solving this problem, and in parallel >> provide a perfect technological solution for the blind users. It >> should be a technological companion, which provides comprehensive >> features and is comfortable to use. Hence, the solution was to make a >> tactile touch screen-based phone -- a hand-held device that is >> feature-rich and as advanced as other mainstream competitive devices. >> >> Q. Why we need this and the difference it will make >> >> A:There are 300 million blind people in the world. Of these, 90% live >> in developing countries, with India having the highest number of >> visually impaired (38 million). Of these, 39 million are totally blind >> worldwide and 17 million in India. Of the assistive devices available >> for visually impaired, Braille display-based devices are usually the >> most preferred solutions. In comparison to speech-based devices, they >> are quiet and are more accessible universally, beyond limitations of >> language. These displays cost in the range of Rs 1,75,000 to Rs >> 7,50,000 depending on capability. Braille Notetakers, which are >> portable devices with typing functionality costs in the range of Rs >> 60,000 to Rs 1,50,000. With our first version of the product, we will >> look to redefine these numbers. This product family will bring upon a >> revolutionary change in accessibility for blind people. >> >> - It will be competitively priced (priced around Rs. 9000) >> >> - Its USP will be its capabilities and design. >> >> - It will also encourage increased designâled innovation in assistive >> technologies for all kind of handicaps. >> >> - At a penetration of 2%, we will look to sell about 3,50,000 units in >> India in first year >> >> - In following years, we will look to increase this penetration in >> India and abroad. Our second version product, and subsequent versions, >> will be one of its kind products that will be launched for global >> markets. >> >> Q. Give us a brief about your educational background? >> >> A:I did my schooling from various schools in Delhi and pursued >> engineering in ICT form DA-IICT, Gujarat. I followed it up with >> masters in Information and Interface Design from the National >> Institute of Design (NID), Bangalore. >> >> >> Q. You were chosen as a TED* fellow to present your Braille smartphone >> concept at the TED 2011 conference in the United States. How the >> experience was and what did you gain from it? >> >> A:It was the first time the project came to a world stage. It was a >> great moment of validation, not from the users but from the >> technologists and the thinkers. I got an overwhelming response from >> the audience; and continued to attract attention for the next four >> days of the conference. This led to immense international exposure for >> my work and a great talk online which conveyed the future needs of the >> project. >> >> >> Q. What are the difficulties, if any, you faced initially to make this >> unique concept a reality? >> >> A: "Difficulty" is a continuum for the project. But at the same time, >> that is the excitement which keeps one going. The technology is quite >> challenging, so we have to shift from all-technology-in-house model to >> collaborate-and-make model. From design front, this kind of project is >> a first of its kind for this particular user segment. So, we had no >> guidelines or best practices to refer to. We spent more than a year to >> conduct studies and devise our own guidelines (which we are happy to >> share). From financial aspect, raising money for a small user segment >> is anyways a problem. This being a cutting edge technology, effort for >> such a user group meant that we were in the dark for really a long >> time. The Rolex Award came in at the right time and further provided >> an impetus to the project. >> >> >> Q. When do you intend to unveil the final product? >> >> A:We are working to complete our first version product by end of 2013 >> and to subsequently unveil it in 2014. >> >> >> Q. Please explain the main features and apps which will be embedded in >> the device? Any tie-up plans with big corporate for the manufacturing >> of the smartphone? >> >> A:The device will be a completely capable smartphone, and even more so >> for its user segment. It will have a refreshable Braille display that >> users can touch-to-read. It will have basic functionalities like phone >> call, messaging, contacts, organiser, dictionary and more advanced >> ones like games, music, GPS, camera (yes you read it correct) etc. In >> context of user, it will have many more contextual innovations, most >> of which we won't be able to share yet but some of them are color >> identifier, currency identifier etc. >> >> >> Q. Do you intend to introduce the Braille smartphone in overseas >> market as well? >> >> A:Yes, very much. >> >> Q. How has Rolex Awards for Enterprise helped you realise your dream? >> How much of a help the title 'Young Laureate' is proving to you? >> >> A:Rolex Award has been the biggest milestone for the project. It has >> taken this work from a work of fiction to a tangible working >> prototype. As I noted before, funding had been a problem for the >> project which lacks any instant return-for-investment. For a reputed >> organisation like Rolex to come in and support our work so >> comprehensively (with funding, network, mentoring and spreading) has >> helped the project beyond our imaginations. We have gained from their >> dedicated and open-minded support. They have encouraged and allowed us >> to experiment and fail, which has further meant that we explored the >> field in its entirety. Not to miss, the recognition and credibility >> that has come since Rolex Award is irreplaceable. Our work is now well >> known, and is being looked upon by other initiatives. We would love to >> complete our product someday, and present the first one to Rolex. >> >> >> Q. Tell us about your other passion for making sci-fi short films? Any >> new project in the pipeline? >> >> A:As a designer, having spent most of my time pondering upon various >> aspects of design and life juxtaposition, I have developed an >> ever-growing interest in storytelling. Storytelling, I believe deeply >> connects one to another. As an individual, short-flims, designs and >> traveling are my mediums of choice for storytelling. I am almost >> always excited to explore any of these three mediums. Being from a >> technical background, I have been more inclined towards making science >> fiction movies. In fact, my first international award (Imagine Cup) >> was for one of my short films. >> >> From short film point of view, two of my films were in development >> till I got too busy with the Braille Phone work >> >> >> (*The TED Fellows program brings young innovators from around the >> world into the TED community in order to amplify the impact of their >> projects and activities. ) >> >> >> -- >> Avinash Shahi >> MPhil Research Scholar >> Centre for the Study of Law and Governance >> Jawaharlal Nehru University >> New Delhi India >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> > > > -- > Best Regards, > Zujar... > > An optimist laughs to forget, whereas a pessimist forgets to laugh! > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >
-- Ajay Minocha Mob : +91-7827188455 E mail : ajayminoc...@gmail.com ajayminocha2...@rediffmail.com Skype: ajayminocha2 Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
