They give tech vision to the blind

BENGALURU: Until three years ago, learning Braille was a tormenting experience for Poorna Chandra, who was born visually challenged. He was a very slow learner. However, things changed for the better when he was introduced to the Braille Writing Tutor (BWT), a tutoring device. Now, the nine year-old is familiar with Kannada, Mathematics and sounds of objects as any other child with vision.
The story of nine-yearold Chinmayee is no different. She had little interest in reading and writing due to her weak health and lack of concentration. It was BWT that made learning a cakewalk for her. “Now I don't need the aid of any external equipment. I can write Braille using an electronic slate and stylus,“ says an elated Chinmayee.
Both Poorna and Chinmayee from Bengaluru are among a few who got an opportunity to learn with the help of an electronic Braille tutor and `Speak Up' software, thanks to researchers of TechBridge World (TBW) of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). They have partnered with the Mathru Educational Trust for the Blind that specializes in teaching visually impaired children aged between 3 and 16.
“A child without vision or audibility can hear and speak only through sign language. But this language is difficult to learn through rote (memorization technique based on repetition) due to absence of one or two sensory elements in these special children. They need to be compensated with some external source. Only technology can augment this deficiency,“ said Gubbi R Muktha, founding trustee of the Trust.
Ermine A Teves, one of the 19 students from CMU who had come to India to guide special children, said: “Students at Mathru are exceptional. They sing beautifully, play cricket skilfully and can find their way around the school effortlessly. They are just as good at computers as we are.“