RNIB developing "talking" TV menus

Collaboration with manufacturers

12 August 2009 10:32 GMT / By Duncan Geere

The Royal National Institute of Blind People has announced a collaboration with television manufacturers to develop a "talking" chipset which will allow menu, tv programme guides and digital displays to be more accessible to people with sight problems.

The initiative is also developing high-contrast colour schemes, variable sized fonts and help features for the partially sighted, as well as a remote control designed by the RNIB. Ocean Blue Software, ST Microelectronics and TW Electronics are all involved.

RNIB's Head of Innovation & Disability Access Services, Steve Tyler, told Pocket-lint: "We are really excited by this development as it has the potential to significantly improve the lives of nearly 8 million people in the UK alone. These include the blind, visually impaired, deaf, severely dyslexic and the elderly who can all benefit from this advance in technology".

The RNIB is also investigating how to integrate "talking" functionality into other technologies based around screens, such as DAB radios.

Via: sourcewire.com

Full tags

Hardware, Televisions, RNIB, Ocean Blue Software, ST Microelectronics, TW Electronics