How IPEVO document cameras are replacing desktop CCTVs as an assistive tool for the visually impaired
In recent years, IPEVO has been pouring much of its effort into creating document cameras that can double up as an alternative solution to desktop CCTVs for the visually impaired. And the most recent document camera of ours — the VZ-X Wireless, HDMI & USB document camera — is a result of that effort. Featuring high image quality, tactile buttons, small footprint, and wireless capability, coupled with an affordable price tag, we have seen an increased use of VZ-X as a replacement to traditional desktop CCTVs. Many TVI (Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments) used it in their classrooms to help their visually impaired students to learn, and many low vision users used it for their daily activities. And we’re glad to know that they’re loving it! Below are some feedback that we’ve received from them:
Neal Mckenzie, an Assistive Technology Specialist from the Sonoma County Office of Education, who used VZ-X as a distance viewing tool for his visually impaired student tweeted :
“Happy mail day! Already surprised with low lag time and ease of connection on the @ipevo VZ-X doc cam. Can’t wait to start testing with a few students as a #lowVision solution to greater classroom access.”
In his classroom, Neal first connected the VZ-X wirelessly to a tablet before pointing it at the whiteboard to live stream the writings on the whiteboard onto the tablet. In this way, not only could his visually impaired student view the writings clearly using the tablet but also zoom in, annotate, or take snapshots. What a great way to help visually impaired students to learn!
Next on, we have Stacey Garner, a TVI from the Coppell Independent School District. In her classroom, Stacey connected VZ-X wirelessly to an iPad to stream storybooks for her visually impaired student to read. The student can then use touch gestures on the iPad to zoom in on the text or move the text around the screen. As she shared on her Twitter:
“Using the @ipevo and @Apple iPad to introduce our new book bag books and check out facial expressions in our book of the month club book.”
Stacey Chambers, also a TVI from the Coppell Independent School District, used VZ-X to create a fun and engaging learning environment for her visually impaired student. She connected VZ-X wirelessly to an iPad so that her student can check out a paint job the class had done on a Lego piece using the iPad. As she tweeted :
“Checking out a custom @LEGO_Group paint job using our wireless @ipevo camera. How’s that for a fun Monday?”
Yue-Ting Siu, a TVI and assistant professor in the Program for Visual Impairments in the Department of Special Education at the San Francisco State University, used VZ-X for teaching her visually impaired student to draw. The small footprint of VZ-X allowed her to place it on the teacher’s table for wirelessly streaming the drawing process live to the student’s iPad so that the student can follow along and draw on his paper. As she shared on her Twitter :
“Thx @ipevo for making screensharing and video magnifiers so much more low profile in the classroom! Got the VZ-X next to teacher’s doc cam for wireless connection to kid’s iPad to see the board, and there he is drawing. Goodbye bulky desktop CCTV!”
Last but not least, we have Steve Famiglietti, a Blind Services Vocational Manager from the NEAT Center at Oak Hill. He placed a VZ-X in their lending library where their members can borrow it and try it out before making any buying decision. He liked the fact that he can connect VZ-X to an iPad and use the various tools available in the IPEVO Whiteboard app to annotate on the live images. He also liked that he can freeze the live images and/or save them as snapshots. Not forgetting to mention, he is also impressed by the image quality of VZ-X.
It’s really heartening to know that our document cameras are helping the visually impaired in many ways that benefited their lives. This is what brings smiles to our faces and motivates us to work harder! Thank you all!
