Scientists Develop First Camera for Blind People

A woman gets an eye exam during a clinic at Key Arena, in Seattle, Washington, Oct. 28, 2016. AFP.
A woman gets an eye exam during a clinic at Key Arena, in Seattle, Washington, Oct. 28, 2016. AFP.
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Scientists Develop First Camera for Blind People

A woman gets an eye exam during a clinic at Key Arena, in Seattle, Washington, Oct. 28, 2016. AFP.
A woman gets an eye exam during a clinic at Key Arena, in Seattle, Washington, Oct. 28, 2016. AFP.

A team of researchers has designed a new camera named '2C3D' that enables the blinds to see. '2C3D' is a development and design of a tactile camera concept for the vision impaired.

The camera creates 3D photos and videos and has a 3D screen. The screen is built by numerous 3D pixels that shift depending on the photo to forms the 3D shot on the screen surface (giving the term 'touch screen' a new and more literal interpretation).

The user can touch the screen while photographing and feel what the camera is seeing, in real time. When users like what they see, they can click and save the photo. The saved 3D file can be felt again later. The 2C3D performs as a camera for the blind and as a physical-digital photo album, according to Orengeva website.

Design for unique needs communities such as the wide blinds community is practically challenging because the design should be extremely intuitive. The way of using the product should be simple and pleasant, and those are the values transmitted by the design, which combine the known and recognized elements with new and inventive elements in one innovative camera.



Google to Discount Cloud Computing Services for US Government, FT Reports

FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo is pictured on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair in Las Vegas. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo is pictured on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair in Las Vegas. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
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Google to Discount Cloud Computing Services for US Government, FT Reports

FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo is pictured on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair in Las Vegas. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo is pictured on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair in Las Vegas. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa

Google will heavily discount cloud computing services for the United States government, in a deal that could be finalized within weeks, the Financial Times reported on Friday, amid President Donald Trump's efforts to implement sweeping measures to minimize federal spending.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Oracle will offer federal agencies a 75% discount on its license-based software and a "substantial" discount on its cloud service through the end of November.

Google's cloud contract is likely "to land in a similar spot", the Financial Times said, citing a senior official at the General Services Administration, adding that equivalent discounts from Microsoft's Azure and Amazon Web Services are expected to follow soon.

"Every single of those companies is totally bought in, they understand the mission," the senior official told the newspaper. "We will get there with all four players."

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Google and the General Services Administration did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside regular business hours.

In April, Google agreed to offer a 71% discount till September 30 to US federal agencies for its business apps package that could generate up to $2 billion in cost savings if there is government-wide adoption.