robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Robert Jaquiss) (05/13/91)
Index Number: 15530
"WHERE YOU TOUCH IS WHAT YOU HEAR"
SKERFPAD SCREEN READER
A device for reading IBM-compatible computer screens
The SKERFPAD screen reader has been designed to give visually
handicapped users access to IBM - compatibles (PC/XT/AT) via a
synthesizer that speaks the letters or words on the screen. The
user touches a replica of a computer monitor screen that has
raised lines indicating which text on the screen is to be read.
The device opens many employment opportunities unavailable to
people who cannot see computer screens, and this ability is
increasingly important in the job marketplace. Although screen
readers are not new, most of them require extensive training and
often an aptitude for high-tech sorts of activity. With the
SKERFPAD, anyone can learn to read a screen in a short time and
thus be able to read inventories, prices, etc. - a frequent task
for workers taking orders on the telephone, for instance.
The simple learning process is very important in educational
settings since the problem of learning to use computers is not
further clouded by an arcane screen access system. Since no
modification of the employers' or schools' equipment is
necessary (other than plugging in the SKERFPAD components),
there should be minimum resistance to hiring or training people
who must use this device to read the usual data base, word
processor, and spread sheet screens so familiar in the business
and educational environments. The secretary could work with the
programs already in use, rather than special "blind software".
The order clerk or stock broker could give telephone quotes from
the existing company records, the student could use many
"educational" programs etc., etc.
The touchpad overlay, program, and a year's free updates may
be obtained for $50 from:
Bill Loughborough
400 N. Columbus #42
Goldendale, WA 98620
(509) 773-5958
This system requires an IBM PC/XT/AT compatible computer with
game port and an Artic model 200 internal synthesizer ($295) or
an Echo PC+ ($170) speech synthesizer. The touch pad is the
IBM/PC Analog (game port) version of the TouchWindow by Edmark
($250) - Edmark Corp. 14350 NE 21st St. Box 3903 Bellevue, WA
98009-3903.
(c) 1988 Bill Loughborough
SKERFPAD SCREEN READER
Instruction Book
The Skerfpad is used to provide access to IBM computer screens for
visually impaired people. The software provides simple means of
connecting the touch pad, computer, and voice synthesizer. The
equipment required is an IBM PC/XT/AT compatible with a game port
for the touch pad and an Echo PC (serial) synthesizer board
plugged into an appropriate port or an ARTIC SynPhonix 200 plug-in
voice synthesizer.
The touch pad overlay is divided into three main segments - a
vertical column at the left edge, a large central portion
representing the computer screen with 25 rows delineated by raised
lines, and an array of 13 areas delineated as boxes down the right
side of the pad. On the bottom frame of the pad are two push-
button switches.
The screen portion, when touched, causes the synthesizer to speak
whatever appears on the screen at the touched point. The left
column reads, when touched, the characteristic of the contents
of the selected row - "char" if the row contains alphanumerics
or punctuation, "boxes" if symbols of greater than ASCII 127
are encountered (used to find windows, etc.), and a beep for
blank lines. The left frame button switch causes the last
selected word to be slowly spelled. The right button stops
the speech when it is running on and on during page reads.
The "switches" at the pad's right edge are, from to bottom:
The left half of the top switch reads the four characters
preceding and following the cursor character. The cursor
character is read in between preceded by a "burp".
The right half puts the reader into "coordinates" which reads
the Row and Column numbers for calibration or familiarization.
The second switch from the top gives the positions of the
screen cursor (left half) and "voice cursor" (right half).
The left half of the third switch tells how many pushes of
the arrow keys are needed to move the screen cursor to the
voice cursor location. The right half "jumps" the screen
cursor to the voice cursor position, but this only works
with certain editors and word processors for various arcane
reasons.
The fourth switch is a three-way toggle among "page", "line".
and "unit". When in "line" the voice will read the balance
of the currently selected line from the touch point - for as
long as the screen is being touched. In "page" it will read
the balance of the screen from the touched point - whether
the screen is being touched or not - until the "shut-up"
switch is pressed.
The fifth switch toggles between reading a word at a time
or a letter at a time (automatically switches to "word"
when in "page").
The sixth switch left half toggles the keyboard echo on/off
The right half toggles the "Caps Click" - capitalized words
are preceded by a characteristic sound.
The seventh switch toggles the "Voice Filter" which changes
the voice characteristic for highlit, bold, underlined, etc.
The eighth switch toggles the "ASCII #" to read characters
above ASCII 127 by their number.
The ninth switch is slower on left, faster on right.
The next three switches are blanks for future functions.
The small switch at the bottom is to save the setup currently
in effect for the next boot-up.
(c) 1988 Bill Loughborough
ESTABLISHING PARAMETERS FOR A SCREEN READER
SUMMARY
Factors used in the design of the
SKERFPAD computer monitor screen
reader are discussed.
TYPES OF SCREEN READER
Screen readers for blind/visually impaired
computer users are generally in one of two
flavors; the software type that use keyboard
commands to determine what to read from the
screen buffer; or a hardware accessory that
is independent of the keyboard.
The argument against the latter is that the
user must move her hands from the keyboard to
access the screen, thus losing "home"
position. The problem with software access
is that one must learn the hundred or so
commands of the access program in addition to
those of the applications - and these are
sometimes duplicated, to the confusion of the
user, particularly a novice.
Until now, most people learning to use
computers have been largely concerned with
data entry, as in word processing, etc. As
vocational uses expand, there will be
increasing emphasis on data access - with
data entry being a one-time-only event. A
clerk who must access an inventory, schedule,
etc. need never enter data so the problem of
"leaving the home row" is non-existent. Even
people entering data might prefer not
learning over 100 commands to read a screen
if a means were available that was fast and
"intuitive".
THE SKERFPAD SCREEN READER
With input from the staff of Rehabilitation
Engineering Center at Smith-Kettlewell
Institute, the SKERFPAD screen reader was
made to fill these requirements.
A touch pad a bit larger than a typical (12")
screen with raised lines corresponding to the
25 rows on the IBM monitor permitted instant
access to any position. When one touches the
pad, the corresponding character (or word) is
read by the attached speech synthesizer.
This seems a very "natural" way to read the
screen and requires only a few seconds of
training ("You're not reading Braille - push
down very hard").
FUNCTION SWITCHES
The remaining design considerations were what
to include as switch options - words/letters,
keyboard echo on/off, spell last word
selected, speak last few characters typed,
and some control over the synthesizer speed.
It was also decided to include modes for
reading the rest of the line (from the point
touched, while touch is maintained), or the
rest of the screen (from the point touched,
until a "shut up" switch is selected).
In addition to the letters/words modes are a
"tones" mode in which a different tone is
assigned to each character type (upper-case,
lower-case, punctuation, number, space) and a
"coordinates" mode where the column and row,
rather than the character are spoken. To
assist in locating the cursor in word
processing applications, there are switches
to read the locations of the voice cursor and
the screen cursor.
Another important information channel is the
use of bright, inverse, underlined, or
blinking attributes for screen characters.
The SKERFPAD alters the voice quality to
indicate these things.
OVERLAY DESIGN
Special consideration was given to the
overlay to make it as informative as possible
for the user. The "switch" areas have
Braille labels, as do rows 5, 10, 15, and 20.
The raised lines used to guide fingers along
rows have bumps every 10 columns, for
vertical orientation and every fifth line is
further delineated by a "bump" in every
column.
The functions available from software screen
readers that have been (purposely) omitted
from the SKERFPAD include search/replace. In
general it was decided not to do anything
directly affectingthe application from the
pad. Since it is possible to have the pad
and a software access system co-resident, the
best of both worlds can be available. If
one, for example, wants to read any new
material that comes onto the screen, that
function is a typically available one from
software readers.
CONCLUSION
The SKERFPAD screen reader was designed to
afford access by naive users to IBM computer
screens. The goals of minimum training,
intuitive command set, and adequate tactile
help seem to have been reached. It is more
economical - actually selling for less than
many purely software systems and about a
tenth the cost of the best hardware system.
The first reports from users of the system
have been very positive, in fact
enthusiastic. As expected, the main positive
factors are the instant access to any point
on the screen, the absence of training
requirements, and the correspondence of the
pad to the screen. It is anticipated that
there will be many more units in use this
year, and it should be a major item next
year.