Students with visual impairment are often at a disadvantage in a typical classroom. They cannot see visual presentations (like PowerPoint slides) or writing on black/white boards, and are therefore unable to take notes. Many students with low vision and legal blindness are able to see at close distance if they hold up the materials a few inches from their eyes. The Note-Taker is a portable device designed for these students, so that they may clearly see presentations and take notes in the classroom–thus leveling the playing field with their sighted peers. The product consists of a high-resolution, autofocus videocamera with zoom, tilt & pan capabilities, and a tablet PC. The user can set this up on a desk in class, watch the camera feed on the PC and simultaneously jot down notes with a stylus. Audio/video data is recorded, synchronized with the handwritten notes and stored. The content is keyword searchable, and the video can be replayed by tapping at any point in the notes.

“Saw your creation. As a mother of a son that is legal blind with low vision I am interested in this product for him. He is almost 8 and with school, font will be getting smaller for him and will cause some struggles and aggravations. If we can keep this to a minimum with products like yours, that makes life easier and more effective for him.”