Freedom Scientific Releases FaceToFace

Freedom Scientific announced the release of FaceToFace, a portable communications solution for deaf-blind consumers. Users of the PAC Mate BX and QX accessible Pocket PC can now immediately converse with a friend, colleague, or even a new acquaintance, without the help of a specially trained interpreter.

With FaceToFace, which applies mobile technology and Bluetooth connectivity, deaf-blind users can initiate two-way conversation with sighted individuals almost anywhere at any time. It works much like a TTY call without a phone line. The deaf-blind party uses the PAC Mate’s QWERTY or Perkins-style keyboard to write messages, and the sighted party types on an iPAQ Pocket PC. The entire conversation displays on both devices – visually on the iPAQ and in Braille on the PAC Mate. It’s easy to keep contextual track of conversations, as each party is individually identified. Conversations can be saved to text files, and text can be pasted right into a conversation for increased speed and accuracy. The two parties communicate wirelessly and can be up to 30 feet apart – virtually anywhere in the same room. A deaf-blind user can also communicate with another blind user running the application on another PAC Mate.

“The addition of FaceToFace now makes the PAC Mate a one-of-a-kind all around communication device for the deaf-blind,” said Brad Davis, vice president of Freedom Scientific. “Users can do email, instant messaging, and relay calls from any Internet connection, including wireless hotspots. With FSTTY they can place and receive phone calls over any analog phone line. And now, with FaceToFace, they can strike up a conversation with just about anyone, be they sighted or blind.”

FaceToFace costs $1,400 USD and includes the application, an iPAQ with thumb keyboard and a CompactFlash Bluetooth card. It can be run on a PAC Mate BX or QX accessible Pocket PC, available with either a 20-cell or 40-cell refreshable Braille display.

Source: Freedom Scientific