For people with dyslexia, the ReaderPen can be an indispensable tool.
Not even the creators of Star Trek would have imagined that a seemingly magical device that can read words on a page could fit inside a ballpoint pen, much less, with Oxford Spanish and French language dictionaries as well. Yes, there was that pinnacle of technological advancement in the 1980s, the fax machine. At about one half of one percent the weight, there is the astonishingly compact C-Pen Reader-Pen.
Manufactured by C-Pen, a U.K.-based company, the Reader-Pen is device that looks like a writing pen. However, instead of dispensing ink, the tip contains a tiny scanner. The Reader-Pen reads the word aloud, either to a built-in speaker or via bud earphones (which are included). This feature can be a tremendous help to someone who is dyslexic or blind, as well as students of any of six foreign languages. C-Pen claims that, at 50 grams (1.75 ounces), C-Pen weighs half that of other portable pen scanners. Reader-Pen is both Mac and PC compatible; it hooks right up to a computer, no additional software required. The scanning pen contains a USB drive to store 1 GB of user text data, more than 200,000 pages of unformatted text. With this feature, a student can record text at a library and listen to it at home. Furthermore, the Reader-Pen can record voice from a conversation or lecture.
Looking Further
You can try out ReaderPen and other cool AT devices at our booth at the Abilities Expo!
C-Pen enables users with dyslexia and other learning disabilities to read independently, without an aide or a teacher having to read aloud. It can also be a useful tool for blind people.
New Jersey residents can learn more about Livescribe Smartpen and Echo, along with other AT devices, by stopping by our booth at the New York Metro Abilities Expo, at the NJ Convention and Expo Center in Edison May 4 through 6. As always, our Assistive Technology Center team is there to answer any questions.
