The Magnifying Glass Gets an Electronic Twist
From: New York Times - 05/25/2008
By: Anne Eisenberg

People who lose part of their sight to macular degeneration, diabetes or
other diseases may now benefit from some new technology. Several portable
video devices that enlarge print may help them make the most of their
remaining vision. 

Swipe one of the devices over an airline ticket, or point it at a medicine
bottle on a shelf, and all of the fine print is blown up and displayed in
crisp letters on a screen. 

Sturdy desktop video-based systems that magnify print have long been
available, but lightweight, portable devices have become popular only in the
past decade, as the size of consumer electronics products in general has
shrunk. The new hand-held models typically weigh 9 ounces or less and can
enlarge the print on closeby or more distant objects: users can pass the
magnifier over a menu in a dimly lit restaurant, for example, or aim it at a
grocery display on a store aisle. 

The tiny, high-resolution video camera within the device captures the image,
and the electronics bolster the contrast in the display, making it easier to
read words on the monitor. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/technology/25novel.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

Links:
High-Tech Tools Keep Elderly Safe from Afar
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/us/25aging.html?ref=technology

Quicklook Focus
http://www.freedomvision.net/

SenseView Duo
http://www.gwmicro.com/