Blind News Digest # 1193
Bill McGarry
Issue # 1193
Wednesday, January 03, 1996
Today's Topics:
******
Email address.
USING A BRAILLE N SPEAK TO ACCESS SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
AutoNet2 - Prizes, E-mail fun & resources for visually Impaired
Adapting to progressively impaired vision.
No Phone Book
New IRC Information
******
To subscribe to the Blind News Digest mailing list or have your
thoughts in the next issue, please send electronic mail to
Bill McGarry at any of the following addresses:
UUCP: uunet!bunker!wtm
INTERNET: w...@bunker.shel.isc-br.com
BITNET: blin...@ndsuvm1.bitnet
Fidonet: The Handicap News BBS (141/420) 1-203-926-6168
(300 - 28,800 baud, 24 hours)
Bill McGarry (Moderator)
(203) 926-6187
------
Subject: Email address.
From: p...@b2.hkstar.com (YIP MAU SHING)
Organization: Hong Kong Star Internet Ltd.
Hi All,
Anyone know what is the email address of NFB, APH and NAVH ?
Thanks
p...@hkstar.com
------
Subject: USING A BRAILLE N SPEAK TO ACCESS SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
From: rob...@tekgen.bv.TEK.COM (Robert Jaquiss)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR, USA
Hello:
If anyone is interested in using scientific instruments, The following
article will be of interest.
Happy New Year
Robert Jaquiss
Internet: rob...@tekgen.bv.tek.com
---------------------------------------
THE BRAILLE 'N SPEAK AS A LABORATORY TOOL FOR BLIND STUDENTS
by Margaret M. Gemperline, Angelo Sonnesso, and David Wohlers
Sixth Draft, December 14, 1995
Many instruments used today in educational science laboratories
provide data in digital format. Frequently these instruments
have an RS-232 serial port so that the digitized data can be
easily transferred to a computer in ASCII format for automatic
data logging. Many of these instruments also can be externally
controlled by sending ASCII commands entered on a keyboard or
computer connected to the instrument's RS-232 port. The Braille
'n Speak, a "personal data assistant" (1) for blind people,
manufactured by Blazie Engineering, can be used by blind students
as a means of independent access to the instrumental data and as
a means of controlling the instrument in such a case. We would
like to make readers of this list aware of the success we have
had in obtaining 2-way RS-232 communication between the Braille
'n Speak and the laboratory instruments listed below.
For readers who may not be familiar with the Braille 'n Speak, it
is a truly portable device which contains a speech synthesizer, a
Braille keyboard, serial (RS-232) port for interfacing
capabilities, and memory. Text entered on the Braille keyboard
can be sent out the RS-232 port in standard ASCII format. ASCII
text coming in through the RS-232 port can be immediately spoken
by the Braille 'n Speak. The Braille 'n Speak has long been used
by blind students and professionals as a note-taking device, and
more currently, as a speech synthesizer for a computer.
Although our interfacing experience only extends to the Braille
'n Speak, other Blazie Engineering products, namely the Type 'n
Speak and the Braille Lite, which are capable of 2-way RS-232
communication using standard ASCII code, also seem to be suitable
for this task. Besides the Blazie Engineering products mentioned
here, we are also aware of Braille note-taking devices from other
manufacturers which have serial RS-232 ports and which should
also be capable of being interfaced to laboratory instruments.
The list is too long to include here. (2)
In addition to the instruments listed below, the Braille 'n Speak
has also been interfaced to a Fluke digital multimeter equipped
with a serial RS-232 port. (3) Certainly that application is
also useful to blind science students. One of us (Wohlers) hopes
soon to extend the list below to include a digital pH meter. If
successful, that information will be the subject of a future
posting.
We have achieved 2-way RS-232 serial communication using the
Braille 'n Speak with the following laboratory instruments:
BALANCES
Ohaus CT200 top-loading balance, centigram accuracy (Gemperline &
Sonnesso)
Ohaus TP200 Precision Plus balance, milligram accuracy
(Gemperline & Sonnesso)
Fisher Scientific XT-400 DR balance, milligram accuracy (Wohlers)
Sartorius Analytical A 200 S balance, tenth of a milligram
accuracy (Wohlers)
Mettler PE3600 top-loading balance, milligram accuracy (Wohlers)
UV-VISIBLE SPECTROPHOTOMETERS
Spectronic 2OD Spectrophotometer, manufactured by Spectronic
Instruments, Inc. (Gemperline & Sonnesso)
FTIR SPECTROPHOTOMETERS
Perkin Elmer model 1600 Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)
Spectrophotometer (Gemperline & Sonnesso)
In order to use the Braille 'n Speak with this equipment you must
turn on the serial port (chord-34 & F), and use the Braille 'n
Speak as a dumb terminal. For specific interfacing information,
please contact authors Gemperline, Sonnesso, and Wohlers at the
addresses listed below.
This work was supported in part by National Science Foundation
Grant #DUE-9254330, David Lunney, Principal Investigator.
FOOTNOTES
1. Blazie Engineering Catalog of Products for Blind and Visually
Impaired People, Fall '94, p.7.
2. Dan Mackison, North Carolina Assistive Technology Project,
Greenville, NC office, personal communication.
3. T. V. Cranmer, "Accessing the Fluke PM2525/623 Multimeter,"
Smith-Kettlewell Technical File, Vol. 10, No. 4, Fall 1989.
AUTHORS' ADDRESSES
Margaret M. Gemperline, MS
Research Associate
Department of Chemistry
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
(919) 328-1648 (voice)
(919) 328-6210 (fax)
CHMG...@ECUVM.CIS.ECU.EDU
Angelo Sonnesso, Rehabilitation Counselor
Services for the Blind
404 St. Andrew Drive
Greenville, NC 27834
(919) 355-9016 (voice)
(919) 355-9019 (fax)
71237...@COMPUSERVE.COM
Dr. David Wohlers, Professor
Division of Science
Northeast Missouri State University
Kirksville, MO 63501
(816) 785-4625 (voice)
(816) 785-4045 (fax)
DWOHLERS%NEM...@NEMOSTATE.EDU
Dr. David Lunney, Professor
Department of Chemistry
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
(919) 328-1648 (voice)
(919) 328-6210 (fax)
CHLU...@ECUVM.CIS.ECU.EDU
--
Robertj Jaquiss (503) 627-4444 DS 50-454
** My opinions are my own and not those of Tektronix Inc.**
------
Subject: AutoNet2 - Prizes, E-mail fun & resources for visually Impaired
From: ju...@mville.edu (Judy Schwartz)
Bill et al. Thought this was interesting. A listserv with an option to
strip off the ascii art for those with voice synthesizers to read their mail.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 11:17:56 -0500 (EST)
From: Edward N. Schwartz <schw...@mville.edu>
To: Judy Schwartz <ju...@mville.edu>
Subject: NEW: AutoNet2 - Prizes, E-mail fun & resources for the visually
Impaired Community (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 21:57:11 CST
From: Ed McAdams <E...@eSquare.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list NEW-LIST <NEW-...@VM1.NoDak.EDU>
Newgroups: bit.listserv.new-list
Subject: NEW: AutoNet2 - Prizes, E-mail fun & resources for the visually
Impaired Community
AutoNet2 via a...@eSquare.com
Prizes, E-mail fun & resources for the visually Impaired Community
AutoNet2 is an additional version of the AutoNet TourGuide created
for the benefit of those who have their e-mail read to them by their
computers.
The original AutoNet TourGuide contains "ASCII art," which consists
of many text characters placed together to form text based pictures.
Unfortunately, these graphics can provide visually impaired readers
with quite a headache when their computers read off each and every
nonsensical character.
This graphics free version of the AutoNet TourGuide is a manual list.
To subscribe, please send a request to AllWrite Publishing at
a...@eSquare.com.
Below follows the full description for both versions of the
TourGuide.
The AutoNet TourGuide
What is the AutoNet? The AutoNet is not a thing, but is actually a
new way of using the Internet. The technology of autoresponders
makes it possible to link together vast amounts of resources and
information, in a way that is very similar to the World-Wide Web.
The big difference is that the AutoNet is accessible to everyone with
an e-mail account - no graphics capabilities, super-fast modems, or
full Internet access is necessary.
The AutoNet TourGuide is a biweekly newsletter published by AllWrite
Publishing. The TourGuide is designed to introduce the resources and
information available to _every_ Internet user. If you have an
e-mail account you can access everything featured in the AutoNet
TourGuide!
The TourGuide will also run contests on a regular basis and be giving
away some great prizes. Right now, anyone who subscribes to the
AutoNet TourGuide will be automatically registered to win a one
gigabyte hard drive! Runners up will win either Windows 95 or a Mac
upgrade to System 7.5.
To subscribe to the graphics free version of the AutoNet TourGuide,
AutoNet2, please send your request to a...@eSquare.com .
To subscribe to the original, "graphical" version of AutoNet
TourGuide send e-mail to
majo...@mailback.com with the following command in the body:
Subscribe AutoNet
Owner: Ed McAdams E...@eSquare.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: NEW-LIST announcements are edited from information
provided by the original submitter. We do NOT verify the technical
accuracy nor any claims made in the announcements nor do we
necessarily agree with them. We do not warranty or guarantee any
services which might be announced - use at your own risk. For more
information send e-mail to LIST...@VM1.NoDak.EDU with the command
GET NEW-LIST README in the body. mgh
------
Subject: Adapting to progressively impaired vision.
From: dw...@aol.com (Dw001)
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
I am looking for information, dialogue, etc. regarding visual impairment
and how to best adapt to it.
E Mail would be most welcome.
Dave
------
Subject: No Phone Book
From: phil...@netcom.com (Phil Scovell)
I am sorry to announce there will be no January the first phone
book. My 1 gigabyte hard drive on my bulletin board machine died
today and that's where I do all the editing of the phone book.
Yes, what a wonderful way to start the new year. It appears at
this time that the drive will have to be re-formatted which means
I will have to rely upon my back up tapes. Unfortunately,
tomorrow morning was my normal day to do a modified back up. In
short, the phone book for January the first is apparently gone for
ever. At least the December 15 phone book still stands. There
goes many hours of work down the drain. Let this be a lesson to
everyone and back up more often. You'd think after six years of
running a BBS I would know this myself but I'm simply not as smart
as I think I am. If you know how to pray, ask that I will at
least not end up with a trashed, unusable hard drive because I
don't have the means to replace it. Thanks and sorry for the bad
news. I just put the finishing touches on the phone book archive
updates this weekend and was going to email it out tomorrow
morning. So much for that idea. I'm kind of bummed out right
now, as you can probably tell, but I at least wanted to let
everyone know the reason for no new phone book.
Phil.
------
Subject: New IRC Information
From: phil...@netcom.com (Phil Scovell)
If the following information is offensive, simply let me know
and I'll drop you from the mailing list. Don't kill the messenger
just because the news is bad.
This is to announce three new internet chat groups on the irc.
Two are blind related and one is Christian.
For a number of months I have been hearing from some of you
wanting to know where the blind chat groups are on the internet
relay chat network or irc for short. Well, unfortunately, not long
after I recorded my tutorial on using the irc, the blink chat
channel all but disappeared due to lack of activity. Eventually it
was renamed to blind talk but still the activity was low. Several
have asked me if i would consider starting a new blind chat channel
on the irc but I frankly am too busy to try and keep something like
that active by myself. I have, on the other hand, begun showing up
on blindtalk off and on and even setting schedules with new irc
users to help them learn the irc chat system.
This message is to inform you that the undernet.org #blindtalk
channel is starting to show some activity during the evening hours
United States time. This message is also to tell you about three
new chat channels on the irc but under a different server provider
than the undernet where blindtalk has been for the passed few
months.
First, the name of the new server is called dal net and you
get to it by simply typing irc irc.dal.net and pressing enter.
There are other ways of getting to the dal net so if the command
string I just gave you doesn't work, email me and I'll explain
further. One easy way is by first logging on to the undernet, then
typing /server irc.dal.net and you will automatically be switched
to the dal net system from the undernet. Dal net is another irc
network but with many new features and services. Additionally, the
irc operators of dal net are very helpful and very friendly.
Dal net offers registration of any channel by anyone filling
out a simple registration. This allows total channel control by
both the channel operators and the dal net irc operators.
Additionally, if this isn't enough for some, bots can be employed
to assist in channel control, but the dal net chanserv system
itself serves this purpose quite well, so there is really no need
for a bot unless someone just prefers that type of irc operation.
Dal net also allows each user to register his or her nick name
so that no one other than you can use that specific nick name. The
nicks can be up to 30 characters in length if so desired.
Another advantage of the dal net system is that the lag time
is less. The undernet has been growing so much, the net splits and
lag time between transmissions has been getting worse. Dal net is
a smaller network, though world wide, and these problems are
currently minimal compared to the undernet and other such irc
servers.
There are currently two blind channels registered on the dal
net. One is just called #blind and the other is called #blindtalk.
Both are available for discussions of any kind including computer
related discussions. The channels were founded by Scott McCormack
from Fort Collins, Colorado who is on channel most evenings and
weekends. I am checking into one or the other most evenings
because I am a channel operator on both #blind and #blindtalk.
I have also personally registered a channel on the dal net
system called echurch which stands for The Electronic Church. This
is a chat group channel for Christian fellowship and chat.
Theological and doctrinal debates, however, are moved to other
channels if the discussion gets beyond the scope of the #echurch
channel policy. This channel is supported by a number of channel
operators who have banded together to share the Christian life with
others of like faith. The channel, however, is not limited to just
Christians or just Christian topics. Additionally, blind
Christians frequent the channel.
Echurch, or The Electronic Church on dal net, is also
supported by two electronic mailing lists on the internet. One
mailing list is called echurch-l and the other is echurch-ops. The
latter is for echurch channel operators only but echurch-l is
available for anyone and everyone interested in Christian
discussion. As is the channel policy of the dal net #echurch chat
group, you need not be a Christian to participate in the echurch
electronic mailing list.
If you would like to see the policy statement of The
Electronic Church chat group on the dal net or if you would like
further information on how to subscribe to The Electronic Church
electronic mailing list, please send me email and I will send you
the information.
I am normally on both #blindtalk and #echurch most evenings
for awhile so if you want to chat, join these irc channels on the
dal network. If you are unfamiliar with exactly how to use the
irc, let me know and I'll send back instructions but for now, just
type irc irc.dal.net at your internet prompt. When you are linked
to the dal network, type /join #blindtalk and it will log you in.
Take note of the number sign before the channel title and the slash
before the word join. If someone is there, begin asking questions
and we will fill you in on the rest. Otherwise, send me email and
I'll help you get started.
Phil.
------
******
End of Issue # 1193 of the Blind News Digest
******