The Bucks Stop Here: Keeping Track of Your Cash
By McCarty, Michael; Fred's Head from APH,Publication Date: January 14, 2010
Article discusses techniques and assistive devices enabling blind and visually impaired individuals to identify paper money. (1) A folding scheme can be used to identify bills, for example by placing ones outstretched in the wallet, fives folded once lengthwise, tens folded once widthwise, and twenties folded once lengthwise and once widthwise; (2) the small, portable Click Pocket Money Brailler marks the corner of bills in denominations of 1 to 100 dollars; (3) the Noteteller 2, a handheld portable device, scans bills and announces their denomination in English or Spanish; a Canadian version announces Canadian currency in English or French, and both version feature adjustable volume and include a headphone jack for privacy; an enhanced model for hearing impaired users uses sequences of vibration pulses to indicate the denomination; (4) Buckscan, computer software which is part of the Open Book package, identifies bills, as does software in the K1000 package from Kurzweil; and (5) the battery operated iBill, about the size of a credit card, identifies all U.S. banknotes in circulation at the press of a button and recognizes them in any orientation; the denomination is announced by voice, tone, or vibration, depending on user preference. Also mentioned is BlindDollars.org, a website promoting Braille markings on U.S. currency.
Assistive Products Discussed: CLICK POCKET MONEY BRAILLER
KURZWEIL 1000
ENHANCED NOTE TELLER 2
NOTE TELLER 2
AN OPEN BOOK
IBILL TALKING BANKNOTE IDENTIFIER
Published by: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. (Website:http://www.aph.org/)
Link to text: http://www.fredshead.info/2005/11/bucks-stop-here-keeping-track-of-your.html
Link to audio: http://s3.odiogo.com/odiogo_listen_now_77x18.gif
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