OSS Application for Blind
Open Source Software is developed in Indonesia with a variety of purposes. Included also to open access for the physically blind. This innovative work was exhibited at Ritech Expo 2009 which ended Monday (10 / 8/2009), coinciding with the National Technology Awakening Day.
Limitations, even the absence of sight, now is not a problem anymore in progress utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) in the form of computers and telephone systems and multimedia services are served multi.
This is possibly because the software system interface or interfaces and sensor systems that enable the physically blind using the senses of hearing and ability to communicate with perabaannya computer.
The work of innovation in the field of ICT-related system of human-computer interactive display that Yayasan Mitra Netra, IGOS (Indonesia Go Open Source), and ITS (Institut Teknologi Ten November) at the Expo 2009 in Ritech West Plaza Bung Karno Stadium.
At Yayasan Mitra Netra, two teenagers was busy in front of a computer screen. At their head is attached headphones that cover their ears. Apparently they were demonstrating the game or a ping-pong game for the blind called A-Pong.
The physically blind ping-pong game against the computer made possible through the voice guidance from the headphones. When the ball toward the left, the sound of “no” will be heard in the headphones on the left ear and vice versa. ”As if pointing to the middle of the table, the two headphones will read,” said Mahendra Hananta from Yayasan Mitra Netra.
The victory for the players depend on the skill or the speed of his fingers pressed the appropriate button to direct the ping-pong ball. The course of the game was also displayed on the computer screen.
Online game for the blind based on open source software. Added Kemal Prihatman, Assistant Deputy Development and Utilization of Information Technology Ministry of Research and Technology (KNRT), online game playing ping pong or table tennis, called A-Pong is the first in the world designed for the blind based on open source.
A-Pong game is developed by communities working in the field of information and communication technology (ICT), including students from ITB Sangkuriang incorporated in the Studio, which received support from KNRT, in the development of operating systems. A-pong is a derivative of the archipelago Visitors who have made the group before. This software can be accessed through the intranet and internet for free.
Nusantara Online is designed by researchers at the Laboratory of Computer Control System and ITB. Their work displayed on IGOS Stan. Nusantara Online is built on the machine named Angel (Another Game Engine Library) using open source programs. Angel capabilities equivalent to high-class gaming machine and able to create three-dimensional objects with a clear view.
Text Reader
On Campus Ganesh also developed a text reader technology operating instructions and documents on a computer screen or a screen reader called that will guide the blind people with access to information and reach a broad communications.
Innovation openbook called this helps blind people with access to the internet open, even to communicate and interact with Internet users through a global social networks, including Facebook.
According to Abhimanyu Mitra Netra Foundation, a text reader program has started to be developed in the United States in the 1970s, but the new entry to Indonesia in the 1990s, the version of JAWS is now up to version 9. Currently screen reader applications for visually impaired include OSS-based Ubuntu is produced, called Orca.
Only recently have efforts to guide and readings mengindonesiakan text. For that, Ario Bimo, researchers from ITB, modify JAWS version 7.10. In this prototype the scanned text and then converted by openbook, then the computer will read it word for word automatically. For that previously have entered into a computer from the dictionary vocabulary up to 10 billion words.
“Game” interactive
The development of interactive games are also made of students from Department of Electrical Engineering ITS, Hendra Hermawan, under the guidance of Pirngadi Harris, Chairman of the Laboratory of Sensor and Actuator ITS. To produce an interactive game simulator or game Tekken, they applied an ultrasonic sensor or transducer to the PlayStation controllers and limit switches.
Ultrasonic sensors to detect movement of the user reaction game. The limit switch sensors placed on each wrist and ankle motion detection is used as punching and kicking. According to Harris, this game will be developed further to the physically-based blind opensource.
