The first mobile phone that reads to the Blind and Visually Impaired and for those with Learning and Reading Difficulties.

K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., a company combining the research and development efforts of the National Federation of the Blind and Kurzweil Technologies, Inc., today unveils an exciting product line that will revolutionise access to print for anyone who has difficulty seeing or reading print.

The company’s world-renowned reading software has been especially designed for and paired with the Nokia N82 mobile phone to create the smallest text-to-speech reading device in history.

This truly pocket-size Reader enables users to take pictures of and read most printed materials at the push of a button. Blind or visually impaired users hear the contents of the document read in clear synthetic speech, while users who can see the screen and those with learning and reading difficulties can enlarge, read, track, and highlight printed materials using the phone’s large and easy-to-read display.

The combination of text-to-speech and tracking features makes interpreting text much easier for individuals with learning and reading difficulties. Using the state-of-the-art Nokia N82 mobile phone running on the powerful Symbion operating system with its integrated high-resolution camera, the Reader puts the best available character-recognition software together with text-to-speech conversion technology—all in device that fits in the palm of your hand.

The product includes Kurzweil's unique intelligent image processing software to enhance real-world images captured by a handheld device.