Smart Pens Help Blind See– Industrial Technologists

Design Smart Pen To Record What It Writes And Hears

(ScienceDaily May 1, 2008)By: Aaronice Smith

6th Period ITGS

Smart Pen• Ink pen, computer ,and camera

• Captures handwriting, records sound, and records what is written

• Uses special paper with special pattern of dots

• Recognizable by a tiny camera inside the pen

• the pen can replay by tapping on the paper

Examples:

• “If reviewing notes taken during a lecture, a student could find a diagram he had made, then command the pen to play back what had been said while he was drawing that

diagram.”• “A teacher could explain a concept while writing the accompanying diagrams on the pad, and then hand the pad and smart pen to the student. The student would then be

able to touch the pad, tap the pen in a spot, and in an on-demand fashion, listen to the

teacher˝s explanation.”

Benefits

• Open up more opportunities• Better employment (“visually

impaired have a 70 percent unemployment rate.”)• Improve learning

Drawbacks or Limitations

• It could not work for some people• It could be hard to use

• Some impaired people might not benefit from it

• Some impaired people may not be able to afford it

Hyperlink

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0509-smart_pens_help_blind_see.htm