Hyderabad, Mar 16: Dinesh Kaushal, a blind man in his 20s, can now hear the Hindi words that pop up on his computer screen. President A P J Abdul Kalam presented Kaushal on Saturday with the first version of a software that can translate an Indian-language text into speech. Kaushal, who is a computer professional despite being blind, has previously used such software to hear English-language text. The new software, developed by state-run International Institute for Information Technology, could help hundreds of thousands of India's blind to read, or learn, what they can't see on a computer screen.
The institute's director said the software, which now works for text in Hindi and Telugu, will cover all 14 major Indian languages.
“This is just beginning. The first software took a lot of time and energy because it involved mastering a new technology. But now we will be able to extend it to the other languages faster,'' said Rajeev Sangal, the director.
Bureau Report