Münster (Germany), May 11, 2009

 

May 13 – 15, 2009, Sheraton Hotel Frankfurt Airport, Exhibition stand: G1

 

This week the recently established company elumo from Münster (Germany) is going to present their product TextScout, a new software which turns your phone into a mobile reading system for blind people. On Wednesday elumo is going to showcase the innovative reading phone at SightCity in Frankfurt, Germany‘s biggest exhibition for Aids for blind and visually impaired people.

This new reading software makes it possible to take pictures of a text with a usual mobile phone and to let it read to you via headphones or loudspeakers. Therefore visually impaired or blind people get the possibility of automatic text recognition even while being on the way.
TextScout offers various applications. For instance, the users are able to read brochures or leaflets in stores, offices or museums on their own. Magazines, which are just released in normal print can be studied without help or the delivered mail is to be handled autonomously. In supermarkets the users can read the product inscription and the price tags. Flyer, posters and markers can be recognized as well.
Elumo especially focuses on the auditory user interface, which is particularly designed to the needs of visually impaired people as the task menu navigation can be used by speech or tones. Additionally an integrated alignment assistant supports blind users to choose the correct angle for taking the picture through voice commands.

Due to being very expensive and only residentially applicable text recognition systems were only used in domestic environments and at working places, up to now.  TextScout offers these functions of stationary systems on a mobile everyday device. Thus blind or visually impaired people may now enjoy access to text in everyday life at any time, en-route and are independent from external help.

 

elumo

The young company based in Münster was founded in March 2009 by Christian Bott (26), responsible for product developing, and Martin Lautzas (27), sales manager. Since his graduation in Electronic Technology at the University of Dortmund in spring 2008, Bott engages in the developing of the mobile reading assistant, which has already been part of his diploma thesis. His associate Lautzas graduated in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Darmstadt last autumn.
For the development of their first product TextScout, a speech-empowered technology which transforms a usual mobile phone into a mobile reading system, they received the EXIST- founder- award. Amongst other things they were also awarded by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology on the CeBit last year.

In Germany TextScout is available since May 2009 and beyond that the company wants to enter the European Market from the end of the year on.

 

SightCity Frankfurt

 

The trade fair SightCity Frankfurt informs about barrier-free life through aids for blind and visual impaired people. They offer a forum with information and discussions for those who are affected or interested. There is a pick-up service for visually impaired visitors from the train station and the airport to the exhibition grounds every 30 minutes. The entrance is free.  

From May 13 - 15, 2009, Sheraton Hotel Frankfurt Airport, Stand: G1

 

 

Contact:

Martin Lautzas (Managing Director)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: +49 (0)251 - 980 242 - 1
Fax: +49 (0)251- 980 242 - 9
elumo GmbH
Mendelstraße 11
48149 Münster
Germany
www.elumo.net
www.textscout.eu