The Freedom Reader

This is our original device.  It employs a microcontroller, a text-to-speech processor, and a barcode scanner as an input device.  The user scans the barcodes and the device "reads" the text encoded in the barcodes.  We are currently developing a new version of the Freedom Reader that employs SD memory.  This memory will allow the user to significantly expand the onboard memory and store millions of barcodes and associated text descriptions.  Potential uses include labeling household items and grocery shopping with complete independence. 

A custom word processing application that allows the user to type, edit, save, and load conventional text and then convert that text to barcodes formatted to be read by the Freedom Reader.  It also allows the user to print Avery labels to label household items.  This program employs a freeware font developed by Matthew Welch.  It would have been exponentially more difficult to do without Matthew's work.

This is a database application that we are currently developing.  It allows the user to create, sort, and print barcode labels to be used with the Freedom Reader.  We are adding functionality that will allow the user to update the SD memory onboard the Freedom Reader with barcodes.  Perhaps these barcodes could encode phone numbers, addresses, frequently purchased grocery UPCs with price and product information. 

We are undertaking to develop a suite of applications to be used with mobile devices.  We plan to include a screen reader, calculator, phone dialer, and other applications. 

There are currently only a handful of Freedom Readers available.  Once the latest version of the Freedom Reader is complete, we will offer it to visually impaired people for testing and comment.  Once we are sure that it will be useful, and we have made available a range of services on this website, we will find a way to make the Freedom Reader more available.  We are open to suggestions, to proposals for development.  Our goal is to get the Freedom Reader into the hands of as many visually impaired people as possible for as LITTLE COST as possible.