Accessible Tools for Work and Play
Long-time visually impaired people are likely to have many talking devices. Some of these items are no longer sold new but may be found on eBay, Blind Bargains or elsewhere. If there is a link, you can probably still purchase the item. We will not list kitchen and other items found in the mainstream market. Even if the model we mention has been replaced, this resource list should point you in the right direction.
May 2017
- ProTape 16-foot Home Contractor talking measuring tape
- 12-foot Starrett precision tape. This has a 6-inch tactile piece and periodic dots on the tape itself.
- One foot aluminum measuring stick
- ProLevel Home Contractor; has an audible mode.
- American Foundation for the Blind, (AFB), has many tools, kitchen appliances, and games that have been modified for use by persons who are blind or have low vision. AFB carries many specialized devices such as talking blood pressure monitors. They also run Career Connect for job searches and employment development, and publish Accessible World which reviews assistive technology and general market devices.
- ScripTalk for pharmacies to add RFID tags to prescriptions. The user has a special talking reader at home.
- ID Mate Galaxy, by Envision America, stand-alone barcode reader
- PenFriend, to add talking labels.
- Apple TV with VoiceOver. This is not actually a TV but a box that connects via a router to the Internet to provide audio/video content but not live or cable television.
- TiVo set-top box with iPhone TiVo app for full live TV and cable accessibility. We use Comcast. Make sure it is compatible with your provider.
- Slate and stylus with roll of dymo tape for labeling
- 6-Dot Braille labeler with optional USB QWERTY keyboard, original model discontinued but new model from ProxTalker expected out in 2014.
- Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote. Manufactured by Sendero Group, this program gives BrailleNote users location information, and the ability to plan and follow routes in either a vehicle or while walking. The display of street names and businesses in Braille shows how place names are spelled.
- Sense Navigation. Sendero GPS also runs on the BrailleSense note takers.
- Seeing Eye GPS. Sendero GPS is also available on the iPhone. Search for Seeing Eye GPS in the App store.
- Trekker Breeze. . The Trekker Breze is a portable hand-held GPS manufactured by Humanware. It is a basic GPS device with speech output.