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In this issue we feature news on the following:
Pulse Data
and VisuAide Merge
As would have been apparent with the new logo, we have renamed our company HumanWare.
Pulse Data International and Canadian-based VisuAide, announced the merger of their companies at the end of January. Creating an exciting new organisation to serve the needs of people with impaired vision. The merged entity will be known as the HumanWare Group.
The HumanWare name has been widely used in North America since it was adopted as the name for Pulse Data’s North American subsidiary in 1989. The name has now been reborn to define a caring and people-focused global company, dedicated to providing innovative, technology-based solutions to enable people who are blind or visually impaired, access information.
Pulse Data International CEO, Dr Russell Smith, will head the new organisation. “Over the past few years, both Pulse Data and VisuAide have gained impressive reputations for providing outstanding products that enable visually impaired people to achieve equality of access to information. These successes have led to the strong growth of both organisations.”
“We recognised, however, that unifying the two companies would accelerate the achievement of the companies’ common vision and goals,” Dr Smith said. “VisuAide shares our dream of developing, manufacturing and marketing world leading products that enable people with sight related disabilities to attain their greatest potential.”
For many years, Pulse Data and VisuAide have shared a similar research and development philosophy and have invested heavily in ongoing product development. HumanWare is committed to retaining this focus on innovation and will maintain the existing R&D operations in both New Zealand and Canada. The combination of these units will create the largest R&D capability in the industry.
With a team of over 200 employees worldwide, HumanWare is one of the largest companies in the low vision and blindness industry. The parent company will still be based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
For those who don’t know the VisuAide name ….. VisuAide was founded in 1988 with the encouragement of the Institut Nazareth et Louise-Braille, Canada’s leading rehabilitation centre for the blind and visually impaired, to conduct research and development activities for such users. VisuAide is now recognised as the world leader in digital talking book reader technology with Victor Reader, its digital audio book solution for the print disabled. The company also manufactures Trekker, a GPS-based orientation and mobility product for the visually impaired and Maestro, the first accessible mainstream PDA.
It’s an exciting time for us all. Product innovation and speed to market is going to be revolutionised in HumanWare and we will certainly be able to offer you an even better range of services in the years ahead.
myReader
is here!
The NSW and national release of myReader was held at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday September 30th and what a night it was!
Leading industry figures from all round Australia attended the gala evening, including distributors and guests from New Zealand, Taiwan and Korea.
Key staff from our New Zealand head office and 70 guests enjoyed the very best that the Opera House and Sydney Harbour had to offer.
The Opera House launch was followed by a series of interstate release functions commencing at the Sheraton Hotel in Brisbane, followed by the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne, the Burswood Casino in Perth, and with heart-felt thanks to the management and staff of the RSBSA, at Knapman House in Adelaide.
All distributors have now been trained on myReader and many already have stocks, which they can use to demonstrate the massive advance in technology that the low vision auto-reader brings.
myReader is guaranteed to change the way you look at low vision forever.
One of the features people really love about myReader is the absolute portability of the product. We have designed an airport type suitcase on wheels, with a pull up handle specifically to protect myReader during transportation. This bag is fabulous for school situations, for students that are on the move continually and for the mobile professional.
Luke Eather joins HumanWare
I am really pleased to be able to announce that we have been successful in obtaining the services of an outstanding young man by the name of Luke Eather.
Luke joins our NSW team with a rich knowledge of Optometry, diseases of the eye and most importantly general people skills. After completing his HSC he undertook a Certificate in Optical Dispensing, then a Certificate in Business Marketing, was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Business Management from the University of New England and is currently studying for his MBA.
For the past 5 years, Luke has worked with leading Optometry practices in Sydney and Wollongong, then to Essilor, where he was a Key Account Manager.
Luke is primarily responsible for our Low Vision services within the state of NSW and as such promotes the SmartView range of video magnifiers and the new low vision auto-reader, myReader.
Already he has proven to be very popular with clients and staff alike. I urge you to make yourself known to him at the earliest opportunity. He’s a fine young man and a valued addition to our growing team. Luke can be contacted by phoning (02) 9686 2600 or by email at
luke.eather@humanware.com
Window Eyes v5.0 Release
GW Micro released Window Eyes version 5.0 on January 19, 2005. The new version rounds out its support of Microsoft Word, creating the most thorough and stable support for the popular word processing program. Window-Eyes 5.0 also offers a complete colour dictionary, and a lease-to-own program that allows a user to buy a full copy of Window-Eyes over several months.
There is also increased support for Word in Microsoft Works and beefed up support for the Mozilla web browser. With a lot of users switching to Mozilla, this is a great enhancement to Window Eyes.
In the lease-to-own program, a customer purchases a 30-day Evaluation copy of Window Eyes for $100.00. They then purchase a 30-day authorization for ten months at $100.00 per month. If the customer misses a payment, the copy changes to a 30-minute demo of the software. At the end of the payment schedule, the customer will receive a full-working version of Window-Eyes.
Using the BrailleNote
as a Keyboard - with Window Eyes
At HumanWare we not only supply our own excellent products, such as the BrailleNote family of personal data assistants, but we also distribute products on behalf of other companies One such product, is the popular screen reader known as Window-Eyes.
We have now developed a way for users of both these products to use them together. Still in developmental stages, we are making available an early version of our Braille input for Window-eyes. This feature allows you to Braille from your BrailleNote directly into whatever PC application you have running when it is in Braille Terminal mode. You also have full navigation of the Start Menu and can perform editing, copying and pasting functions, all without taking your hands off your BrailleNote.
If you would like to try this before we make it publicly available, please contact our BrailleNote Product Marketing Manager in NZ, Mr Jonathan Mosen, at
jonathan.mosen@humanware.com
We ask that you already be familiar with how to use Window-eyes with your BrailleNote in Braille terminal mode.
As explained in the documentation that comes with the Braille input support, the file goes in your Window-eyes user directory, which by default is c:\wineyes\users\default
If you do not have a copy of Window-Eyes on your PC, you could always download the demo copy of Window-eyes from
http://www.gwmicro.com With their great web support, overall flexibility and amazing new Office support coming soon, it's a jolly good time to take a look.
Age
Related Macular Degneration
Macular Degeneration or AMD as it is widely known, is the major cause of loss of vision reported by our many Low Vision clients. It affects approx. 30 million people and is the leading cause of legal blindness to people aged over 50 in the Western world.
AMD is a degenerative retinal eye disease that causes the progressive loss of central vision, leaving only peripheral, or side, vision intact. It affects the Macular, the central part of the retina responsible for clear central vision and needed for daily activities like reading or driving.
The progression of the disease can be slow or rapid, but the deterioration of the central vision generally occurs over a period of a few years. Faces may begin to blur and it becomes harder to distinguish colours. Distortion that can cause edges or lines to appear wavy may accompany or proceed blurred vision. Those with more advanced forms of AMD may begin to see dark or empty spaces that block the centre of vision.
The good news is that AMD rarely causes total blindness. It is recommended that people over 50 have an eye examination every 2 years, because early detection and treatment can significantly increase chances of an independent lifestyle. While there is no known cure for AMD, we can at least offer some help with the use of a SmartView or myReader.
Vision
Camp 2005
Lyn Winter is an Itinerant Support Teacher Vision in the Coffs Harbour area in northern NSW. She works with blind and vision-impaired children in primary and secondary schools.
Late last year Lyn wrote to me advising of the success of Vision Camp 2004, which attracted 140 children from all around NSW, ranging in age from 8 to 17 years. Friendships made at these camps are life-long and for many, it is the only time they get to mix with other students who are blind or vision impaired, and the only time they truly feel they belong to a group and are not different from the crowd.
For many, it is the only overnight excursion or camp they attend and so it is greatly appreciated.
A web site has been developed at: www.visioncampnsw.com and allows visitors to see the activities of the camp.
The 17th annual 2005 Vision Camp will be held at Narrabeen Sport and Recreation Centre on Sydney’s northern beaches from 23rd to 27th May.
The Vision Camp is looking for assistance and any support you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Cheques should be made payable to “Hastings Public School – Vision Camp” and posted to Narranga Learning Difficulties Centre, Robin St., Coffs Harbour NSW 2450.
BrailleNote
Feedback
I thought you might like to hear what sort of commendations we receive about “our Ramona”.
I’m sure the following will surprise no one who knows her!!
Hi Ron
I purchased a BrailleNote a few days ago. I would describe myself as having very limited technical experience or knowledge. In May this year I happened to be in Melbourne and arranged to meet Ramona Mandy. I had met Ramona before and interviewed her on radio a number of times. I had always found Ramona a lovely lady; very enthusiastic, most articulate, obviously well versed in her subjects, and having an unbelievable ability to put her knowledge into language everyone could understand.
I received my BrailleNote and a follow up phone call from Ramona. She then called subsequently to help me set up an Internet account. Her patience, expertise and that ability to get her message across, is as good an experience as one could hope for. I really think you should be made aware of how good Ramona is at her job. I'm sure you don't take her for granted, but she is truly remarkable!
I have had and still have some issue at how expensive equipment is for people who are blind or vision impaired, however, as far as after sales service is concerned, Ramona is, and I'm certain will continue to be, absolutely magnificent. It probably says something for employing someone who not just knows their products, but literally lives it!
Well done on finding this wonderful person!
Cheers.
Peter Greco, Radio 5 RPH Adelaide
Laughter
Thanks to the “Insight” magazine – from whom we ‘borrowed’ the following:
A Polish immigrant applies for a driver's licence and he has to take an eyesight test. The examiner shows him a card with the letters: CZWIXNOSTACZ
"Can you read that?" the examiner asks.
"Read it?" the polish applicant replies. "I know the guy!"
High Praise for myReader from Highton Eyecare
Clinic
Dr Alan Johnston is a former Reader and Associate Professor in the Department of Optometry at the University of Melbourne where he completed his Master's degree and PhD. Following a year as Assistant Professor at the College of Optometry at Ohio State University he commenced a six-year tenure as lecturer and Clinic Administrator at the Victorian College of Optometry.
He was appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Science of the University of Melbourne between 1992 and 1995.
In 1987 he was appointed to the United Nations Development Program in China to participate in the development of low vision services at the Tianjin Eye Hospital. He is now an Honorary Professor in the Department of Optometry and Ophthalmology at the Wenzhou Medical College and continues his consultancy work for the Hong Kong Society for the Blind. In recognition of this international work, Alan was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day honours list of 1999.
Not a bad CV is it? Imagine our surprise and pleasure at receiving the following testimonial from Alan after he had seen a working demonstration of myReader.
“It looks fabulous! It is a leap forward into the 21st century of innovative devices to assist our vision-impaired patients. It has the added advantage of helping those people for whom the task of moving the x-y platform was an impediment to efficiently using a conventional CCTV.
I wish to congratulate HumanWare for it’s continuing efforts in supporting ophthalmic and rehabilitation professionals with the manufacture of such a wide range of devices. You lead the field in providing well-designed and reliable electronic aids for Australian practitioners. myReader will prove to be the practitioner standard of electronic magnification for the foreseeable future.”
BrailleNote
PK Report
One new owner of a BrailleNote PK has found some terrific uses for it that will assist people who are deafblind in significant ways. He was so excited that he shared his findings with the BrailleNote email discussion list.
Here is what he said.
“I just received my BrailleNote PK yesterday and it is awesome!! I can't believe the size and power it has and ease of use!
I just had to try out attaching a regular QWERTY ps2 keyboard to the BrailleNote using the USB to ps2 adaptor cable. And it works! I went to the options menu and keyboard settings and turned on computer Braille and also turned on keyboard words and spell, so that the qwerty ps2 keyboard would work with the BrailleNote PK and also speak every letter that is typed and also speak the word when the space bar is pressed after the word is typed.
What this means, is for a deaf-blind person they now have a very easy way of one-on-one communications with the sighted/hearing world!
Now not only can the BrailleNote PK be used as a two way communication device for a sighted/hearing person communicating with a blind/deaf person, but everything that both parties type is recorded in a text document on the BrailleNote PK. You can save it and come back later to review what was said and also back up your memory with hard copy proof of what was said!
I can see this being used in the classroom of universities with a captionist sitting next to the blind/deaf person typing in what is said in the lecture room. The blind/deaf person can then immediately write questions or ask for clarification of what was said back to the captionist. Of course, the captionist would have an ear bud plugged in to the earphone jack on the BrailleNote PK.
There are so many options and opportunities that this device can and will be used to assist the blind/deaf person in knowing what is going on around them instantly!
Better yet, I bought a bluetooth QWERTY keyboard in anticipation that this would work. The dreams of a two-way communication device for the blind/deaf person came to fulfilment and are now reality as the BrailleNote PK. Many of us out here thank you very, very much. Wow!
Way to go HumanWare!”
Three Organisations Are Better Than
One
In South Australia, 3 well known organizations are pooling their resources to present a better solution for their clients. Congratulations to the RSB (Royal Society for the Blind of SA), Deaf SA and can do 4 kids (Townsend House) who have announced a new era in co-operation. Together these organizations have over 300 years of valuable community service and have released a Memorandum of Understanding designed to increase efficiency; provide a seamless transition and interface between services; a co-operative approach to training, research and a client centred approach to service provision. Well done!
Thanks for joining us for this issue of HumanWare Australia’s newsletter TechStyle.
We look forward to your company again for the
Winter edition.
Ron Hathaway
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