Use of bar code and RFID for the visually impaired in educational environment

Abstract

Getting information from a bar code or from RFID tags attached to equipments or surroundings is a promising step for building an information ensured area for the visually impaired. For example one can obtain an operation manual (voice version) from the tag attached to some electronic equipment. The purpose of the project we report here is the construction of such information ensured environment in the college life. We present two concrete examples: getting voice access to announcement on the bulletin board by using bar code, and messaging system between students and teacher by using RFID. We show that data-carrier technologies are effective for information ensuring for the visually impaired. © Springer-Verlag 2004.