Kurzweil forecasts 'the end of handicaps'

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Kurzweil forecasts 'the end of handicaps'
Northridge, CA -- "Seeing machines" that provide
real-time, intelligent descriptions of the world
and "listening machine" sensory aids that convert
spoken language in real-time to a visual display
were among forecasts by Ray Kurzweil in a keynote
at the California State University of Northridge
(CSUN) "Technology and Persons with Disabilities"
2003 Conference. The keynote, "The End of
Handicaps," focused on "the accelerating pace of
technology, the handicaps associated with
disabilities, and the role of technology as a
great leveler in bridging the communication and
mobility challenges associated with sensory and
physical disabilities." The seeing machine will
be "like a friend that could describe what is
going on in the visible world," he explained. "A
blind user could ask the device (verbally or
using manual commands) to elaborate on a
description, or ask it questions. The visual
sensors of such a device could be built into a
pair of eyeglasses or pinned on the user's lapel.
These artificial eyes need not only look forward
they could also look in all directions." The
listening machine will be able to recognize a
large vocabulary (tens of thousands of words),
recognize speakers that the system has not been
trained on ("speaker independence"), and handle
continuous speech, he added. The listening
machine will also be able translate into other
languages, so people who are not hearing impaired
will want to use them. He demonstrated this
"translating telephone" in a video clip. A
video of Kurzweil's speech is available on Able
TV, "the First Global TV Network for people with
disabilities." Kurzweil is Chairman Emeritus of
Kurzweil Educational Systems, an innovator of
reading technology products for individuals with
learning and visual disabilities. He also spoke
at the company's first Kurzweil 3000 User Group
Meeting at the event. Kurzweil 3000 is Kurzweil
Educational's flagship product for struggling
readers and writers.
Ray Kurzweil is an internationally renowned
engineer, inventor and scientist who develops
state-of-the art technology designed to assist
people who are disabled. Many of his inventions
have received worldwide recognition and accolade.
Visit his web site at http//www.kurzweilai.net