Kenneth R. Ingham, Ph.D. - Adept1 - Free Software Adept1

[Kenneth R. Ingham]

Free Software Version of the Amazability, Inc. Adept1 Assistive Technology
Product

 

Amazability, Inc. seeks to provide persons with visual impairment and other
disabilities products which have the lowest cost possible and which meet
people's access needs.  We have been developing the Adept1 assistive
technology product since 2002.  Part of the work has been done with support
from the United States Department of Education, as outlined at
http://www.amazability.com/about.htm, and has included the design and
implementation of a series of applications and activities intended to work
with speech.  Command interaction may be done with a mix of voice
recognition and keyboard input with all activities designed to work in a
similar manner with a minimum of voice or keyboard commands needed to carry
out complex actions.  A word processor, email with address book, a web
browser, and an online library of books, reference works, and other items
are available.  The Adept1 may be used for all types of programming where
software can be developed, debugged, and run by those who wish to use the
Adept1 as a talking workstation.  See the Amazability, Inc. homepage
http://www.amazability.com <http://www.amazability.com/>  where there is a
link to a Google Tech Talk that includes, in the latter half, a
demonstration of the Adept1.

 

Amazability, Inc. is preparing to offer a free software version of the
Adept1 under the terms of the GNU General Public License - GPLv3 - as
described at http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html

 

Amazability, Inc. plans to provide the free software version with publicly
available speech engines while at the same time making its proprietary
version, described in the Company's website, available under dual licensing.

 

As the free software version is prepared for publication, we are soliciting
volunteers who would help in building a core group of developers whose task
would be to complete and add to the free software version.  Additional
documentation to insure the successful transfer of technology and the future
implementation of new features are near term goals.  Longer term goals are
to implement portable versions of the Adept1 and to provide a port of the
technology from Linux to the Windows and Mac OS X environments.  

 

Feasibility studies, focus group activities, and considerable beta testing
have been carried out.  This has led to the design of a product that our
testers find highly useful.  The Adept1 is readily learned and can serve the
wider population of persons, whether with disabilities or not, who have
little or no technical experience.  We hope that, by making the Adept1
freely available, persons with disabilities may be able to obtain an
assistive technology product that works for them.  

 

Those interested in participating in the preparation of the free software
version and in forming a support group or who simply have questions should
contact us through email at: ken at amazability.com