robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Robert Jaquiss) (05/13/91)
Index Number: 15523 What's New at Berkeley Systems? Berkeley System's most recent access product called outSPOKEN provides blind computer users first-time speech-based access to all but a few very graphical applications on the Apple Macintosh. It has been available for over a year now and has received very high marks in performance and user satisfaction. In June of last year, it was honored with the Computerworld Smithsonian Award for the innovative use of information technology and will be permanently showcased in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. We are continuing to build on this groundbreaking technology through a rigorous program of research and development that seeks to provide blind people all of the benefits that new generations of computers are bringing to sighted users. The focus of this effort is on the problems and opportunities presented by new graphics-based computers like the Macintosh and others that are on their way. Among these efforts are three special projects: 1) The first of these projects will provide access where outSPOKEN was found to be incompatible with certain computer applications and parts of applications. The most notable of these special cases is the popular authoring program called Hypercard which is provided without charge with every new Macintosh. 2) The second major project, well underway, seeks to use the human ability to detect the location of sounds around us in order to pinpoint where objects like words and the pointer are located on the computer screen. In combination with outSPOKEN, not only will words from text and icons be spoken, but will sound as if they are coming from different locations on the computer screen. For example, as a line of text is reviewed, the words will seem to float across the screen. The Sonic Navigator, as we are calling this new capability, is still in the early stages of development, but we are excited by its potential for expanding access to the new generations of computers. 3) Our latest project is an effort to open two-way channels between Berkeley Systems and blind computer users and providers. The objective is to inform more blind people and providers about available access to computers and new developments, and to learn from blind computer users what problems they are having, what they need, and what they would like to see in new or existing products. If you would like to joint us in this project that we are calling "outREACH," please call or write with your suggestions. (Provide address and phone number?) The latest version of outSPOKEN is 1.0P. The only change in this version over the original 1.0 release version is that 1.0P will work with the new Macintosh keyboard that came out with the release of the new line of Macs. Also, outSPOKEN 1.0P runs on the Mac portable, and continues to run on earlier Macs from the Mac Plus and up. Happy computing.