With large, clearly visible buttons displayed on the screen, visually impaired people can quickly and easily navigate the ‘LiveReader’ menus using the touch monitor. When the user puts a document to be read or edited under an integrated digital camera, the system scans and processes the text within seconds and reads the words.

The 3M M170 MicroTouch as a interface for ‘LiveReader reading station’ helps people who are unable to read or understand material presented in text format, to benefit from otherwise inaccessible information. These include people with vision impairment, dyslexia, non-native speakers, those with low literacy, and other groups who have reading difficulties.

The MicroTouch monitor allows users to adjust controls such as contrast, colour settings and font size, which allows them to quickly and easily set-up LiveReader to meet their needs. For example, some visually impaired people prefer white text on a black background, and this can be easily set-up using the touch screen.

Patrick Hoffmann, Marketing Manager of Silvercreations Software said, “High contrast quality and readability were the most important features for visually impaired people, and the M170 delivers the best performance in each respect. The accuracy of MicroTouch, as well as its short reaction times, also enhances the performance and usability of LiveReader.”

Silvercreations Software A.G. (Germany) and Tagarno A.S. (Denmark) had chosen the 3M M170 MicroTouch to create reading station for visually impaired people and other groups with reading difficulties.