Is it possible that the blind may one day utilize the internet?

Question

will the possibilities be a nightmare for technology or do we have the capability now?

Answer 1

The blind have had access to the internet for a long time. Macintosh is really the leader when it comes to creating software and new technology for the blind PC user. Here is a great quote that describes what a blind person surfing the net experiences while using a Braille Keyboard:

"Moving your fingers across a Braille keyboard is a little like caressing a wrinkled face; it's slightly itchy, almost a tingling sensation, as if you were running your fingers over a bunch of pinheads. Your fingers lead the way through a labyrinth of bumps, accompanied by a robotic voice. Impersonal and yet reassuring, the voice guides you through the darkness, describing what your fingers are reading. Like notes in a piece of music, the computerized voice and the labyrinth of dots come together, in your mind, to form words and images. In that moment, you "see" what's onscreen: a website."

I bet the internet can seem much more beautiful to the blind, then it ever will for those of us who actually see it every day.

:)

Answer 2

There are current technologies built into web pages to help the disabled use the internet.
One of them is when you scroll over a picture, sometimes you see a box with a caption pop up (usually yellow). That is there for the blind.
And there currently exist all sorts of technology that can "read" text out loud (that's been out for probably 15 years in some form).

Answer 3

As long as we have no way to display\transmit large amounts of data at once (other than a monitor) it will be impossible. But if some way to stimulate ones brain in order to simulate a display or transfer information would be invented, blind people might be able to browse it.

I guess it would be possible for a monitor which creates heat spots that make up the brail language, then by touching and feeling the heatspots one would be able to read the writing, browsing however would prove more dificult.

Answer 4

I haven't researched it extensively, but there's supposed to be software that can "read aloud" the words in a computer document (like a .doc file). An http file is somewhat different, but much of what's on many web pages is at least very similar to words though it's not necessarily identically equal to text (as in word-art or hypertext links).

Speech recognition software has existed in some form for a while, but I remember seeing/hearing someone on television say her name, Gina, to the computer, which perceived the word "cheetah."

I also haven't extensively researched free audiobooks, but surely there are at least some.

Answer 5

I think one day there will be cure to blindness, let alone using the internet.

Answer 6

We have the capability now, but It's probably very limited.

Answer 7

I have a saying for the impossible...

...with infinite time and infinite resources the infinitly impossible becomes possible.

Answer 8

there already are,,,, both programs to help with the internet and programs to help with office etc,,,,, a digital voice is one thing used

Answer 9

I thought they were already doing it. Talking computers, voice operated commands.