Renuka's Questions
My Dear People!!
Lovely to see you here!!!
Thanks alot for taking time to make yourself aware of this project ! I am very sure that at least one blind person's life and thus inturn many people around him/her would be positively changed through you! You now simply will ask even a stranger who is blind to contact AUXEL team in order to bring light and colors in that person's life! Thank you (in advance) for the same! :) Cheers!
Renuka Prasad sent some questions and thus this (AUXEL'S FAQ) Blog is alive again!!
This post (and I guess all other questions sent to me on my email omkar.nisal@gmail.com will be first replied to the sender.. and that reply will be pasted out here.. just like this one! )
Renuka: I've some questions.Plz don't mind for bad questions?
Omee: I love questions! so you actually made me happy with all the questions! (I dont believe there is any 'bad' question so please feel free to ask me more! I love them .. cuz not only they make one think.. but also .. new ideas can spring to life, even sometimes solving earlier problems! so keep them coming! )
Renuka: 1.How much it may cost per individual to train as wellas use?
Omee: The current (prototype) software is ofcourse free!and can be installed by any one on their pc .. (good size doanloading of some software and installation is required.. but these softwares are also free!)
We are planning to register this softare under General Public User's liscence. We are working to make the training software available for free on website ( to avoid any installation of software even!)
I personally will train people .. who in turn can train others,.. and my students can then even train their students to train yet others!
Well,in short ... training the fundamentals is very easy.. and probably take a couple of weeks only! also I dont believe there would be any expense doing this!
now about usage: we are working to make two prototypes
1> This prototype will involve using a camera enable java mobile phone ( mostly nokia 6020 which happens to be the cheapest camera phone which allows new java application to be run on it)
NOTE: We are looking for java programmers who can help us convert our original (PC based software) into mobile version.. for nokia phone(s) as well as for the mobile phones of other companies (sony/samsung/siemens/ etc).
This software which will use the live streaming videos from digital camera inside the phone... and use the headphones of the camera phone...
would be again ..
yes!!
you guessed it right..
FREE!!
:)
Although this software is basically being made (well.. it 'will be made' when we find some one to help uswith the mobile phone programming..) for the portable device prototype.. it can be used as a regular software by the user. and if they have a camera enabled mobile phone.. then well.. they do not need to spend a single $ to overcome their handicap!
Only time and effort is what will be needed from them! ( I believe which is very little price to pay for what they are getting in return)
2> now to the second part.. Independent hardware device...
now thats where our amazing goggle will come in picture!
**** How I wish I could give these 269 million goggles free to entire blind population of Earth ****
NOTE: If you happen to have a capacity to sponsor even ONE goggle (or even a part of a goggle) for some one.. Kindly inform us !! We will keep ur name in our database and let u know when we actually are ready with a prototype and estimate cost per piece! TOGETHER all of us can make a lot of difference indeed!!! )
Well, the cost of a goggle will greatly depend on :
1. the components used for making the circuitry
2. the quantity of pieces manufatured
3. help from NGOs and other global organisations
4. donations from people
5. mode and place of product delivery (try sending this goggle to remote corner of african desert... and yes.. in one piece! the transport, handling, packing, traning manual in their language.. etc..)
6. Add-on things: On our beautiful planet still there are places with no electricity.. God know how will they recharge the batteries! May be we will have to provide them with a solar electricity generation panels instead of glasses... :)
(actually I am thankful that there are still such places! Peace!! but from this point of view.. well... we cant email them u see.. forget email.. we cant even contact them via low tech.. outdated means of communications .. radios. Arent we are so lucky!! any way... coming back to the point..)
This all (and hopefully nothing else) will decide the cost of these devices!
OH ofcourse if anything else is going to reduce the price... Roll........... the red carpet!!! ;)
Well, the target is to price these goggles for about 10$ to 20$ ( roughly500 to 1000 Indian Rs)
(good target .. aint it!) ;)
Only mass production can do this magic!And trust me! It is very much possible!
But I would be even happy if it comes to.. about.. 150$ to 200$ (7,500 to 10,000 Indian Rs)
I dont think even 20$ is too much to pay for having your vision back! ( that too in so many colors!)
I just am hoping that this will reach the people in developing countries.. cuz 90% of blind people in the world are there!
Renuka: 2.Can u please put a video file capturing the training as well as usage of the goggle? ( It really makes people believe in u )
Omee: Goggle's video will take time to be made.. cuz first the goggle has to be made!
Training video... yes that can be arranged.... infact i was thinking of putting my smiling face before the camera and personally explain everything so that people can then sit back and relax while they know more about auxel project...
{HEY YOU PEOPLE! Who would u like to see on the introductory video? ME? or some cute looking gal instead!?? (There ofcourse are plenty of "jaws-drop-in-awe" kinda females around... but I hope I can get some one to do that this for you guys, if u vote for her!)
Does any one have Angelina Jolie's mobile phone number??? hehehhehehee ;) }
Thanks for your question on videos.... i will now take that up sooner now! and yes ofcourse the training video! ( HEY !! you know... blind people can not see the mess in my room.. at least untill they learn this language and start using their own devices so they are happy.. but the whole world ... well you sighted people can turn a 'blind' eye to it! ) Hehhheehheeh! ;)
Renuka: 2.Is there any mailing list to support its development activities?
Omee: thats a brilliant idea! i will make it! infact.... wait a minute... let me create a group right
now! lo! its created! you have been invited already! THANK YOU RENUKA!!! :)
any more suggestions on this lines... please tell me in details....
Guys, please send a blank email to auxel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
to keep urself updated!
Those who want to have a look at the group... feel free... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auxel/
(Currently nothing there.. but it will soon be alive with lots of activity !)
Renuka: 3.When it is started?
Omee: umm...
now thats a tough question!
infact that would involve asking ... what exactly would 'starting' mean...
it has been about 2 to 3 years now that i was thinking about doing this project, collecting information, finding out similar project globally,. and improving this idea mentally,
.... I actually started meeting people about a year ago, to get more info about technology and blind people to understand their thinking and attitude etc...
It has been about 3-4 months that I have started working on it full time!
Prototype software was ready and the training started this week!
Now what exactly which time frame were u looking for?
Take a pick ! (or ask me if u want to know anything else/any other time frame!)
Renuka: 4.what is the current status?
Omee: kindly visit http://auxel.blogspot.com/ and scroll down .. you will find the update
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am already you big fan! hehehehee
ok jokes apart...
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am putting your questions on AUXEL FAQs blog Now AUXEL FAQs blog was put off list cuz there were hardly any questions! Renuka, thank you ! you rekindled the life of AUXEL'S FAQ Blog! :D
GUYS!
I hope you liberally shower more and more questions! ( and encourage your friends to ask more questions too! )
Lovely to see you here!!!
Thanks alot for taking time to make yourself aware of this project ! I am very sure that at least one blind person's life and thus inturn many people around him/her would be positively changed through you! You now simply will ask even a stranger who is blind to contact AUXEL team in order to bring light and colors in that person's life! Thank you (in advance) for the same! :) Cheers!
Renuka Prasad sent some questions and thus this (AUXEL'S FAQ) Blog is alive again!!
This post (and I guess all other questions sent to me on my email omkar.nisal@gmail.com will be first replied to the sender.. and that reply will be pasted out here.. just like this one! )
Renuka: I've some questions.Plz don't mind for bad questions?
Omee: I love questions! so you actually made me happy with all the questions! (I dont believe there is any 'bad' question so please feel free to ask me more! I love them .. cuz not only they make one think.. but also .. new ideas can spring to life, even sometimes solving earlier problems! so keep them coming! )
Renuka: 1.How much it may cost per individual to train as wellas use?
Omee: The current (prototype) software is ofcourse free!and can be installed by any one on their pc .. (good size doanloading of some software and installation is required.. but these softwares are also free!)
We are planning to register this softare under General Public User's liscence. We are working to make the training software available for free on website ( to avoid any installation of software even!)
I personally will train people .. who in turn can train others,.. and my students can then even train their students to train yet others!
Well,in short ... training the fundamentals is very easy.. and probably take a couple of weeks only! also I dont believe there would be any expense doing this!
now about usage: we are working to make two prototypes
1> This prototype will involve using a camera enable java mobile phone ( mostly nokia 6020 which happens to be the cheapest camera phone which allows new java application to be run on it)
NOTE: We are looking for java programmers who can help us convert our original (PC based software) into mobile version.. for nokia phone(s) as well as for the mobile phones of other companies (sony/samsung/siemens/ etc).
This software which will use the live streaming videos from digital camera inside the phone... and use the headphones of the camera phone...
would be again ..
yes!!
you guessed it right..
FREE!!
:)
Although this software is basically being made (well.. it 'will be made' when we find some one to help uswith the mobile phone programming..) for the portable device prototype.. it can be used as a regular software by the user. and if they have a camera enabled mobile phone.. then well.. they do not need to spend a single $ to overcome their handicap!
Only time and effort is what will be needed from them! ( I believe which is very little price to pay for what they are getting in return)
2> now to the second part.. Independent hardware device...
now thats where our amazing goggle will come in picture!
**** How I wish I could give these 269 million goggles free to entire blind population of Earth ****
NOTE: If you happen to have a capacity to sponsor even ONE goggle (or even a part of a goggle) for some one.. Kindly inform us !! We will keep ur name in our database and let u know when we actually are ready with a prototype and estimate cost per piece! TOGETHER all of us can make a lot of difference indeed!!! )
Well, the cost of a goggle will greatly depend on :
1. the components used for making the circuitry
2. the quantity of pieces manufatured
3. help from NGOs and other global organisations
4. donations from people
5. mode and place of product delivery (try sending this goggle to remote corner of african desert... and yes.. in one piece! the transport, handling, packing, traning manual in their language.. etc..)
6. Add-on things: On our beautiful planet still there are places with no electricity.. God know how will they recharge the batteries! May be we will have to provide them with a solar electricity generation panels instead of glasses... :)
(actually I am thankful that there are still such places! Peace!! but from this point of view.. well... we cant email them u see.. forget email.. we cant even contact them via low tech.. outdated means of communications .. radios. Arent we are so lucky!! any way... coming back to the point..)
This all (and hopefully nothing else) will decide the cost of these devices!
OH ofcourse if anything else is going to reduce the price... Roll........... the red carpet!!! ;)
Well, the target is to price these goggles for about 10$ to 20$ ( roughly500 to 1000 Indian Rs)
(good target .. aint it!) ;)
Only mass production can do this magic!And trust me! It is very much possible!
But I would be even happy if it comes to.. about.. 150$ to 200$ (7,500 to 10,000 Indian Rs)
I dont think even 20$ is too much to pay for having your vision back! ( that too in so many colors!)
I just am hoping that this will reach the people in developing countries.. cuz 90% of blind people in the world are there!
Renuka: 2.Can u please put a video file capturing the training as well as usage of the goggle? ( It really makes people believe in u )
Omee: Goggle's video will take time to be made.. cuz first the goggle has to be made!
Training video... yes that can be arranged.... infact i was thinking of putting my smiling face before the camera and personally explain everything so that people can then sit back and relax while they know more about auxel project...
{HEY YOU PEOPLE! Who would u like to see on the introductory video? ME? or some cute looking gal instead!?? (There ofcourse are plenty of "jaws-drop-in-awe" kinda females around... but I hope I can get some one to do that this for you guys, if u vote for her!)
Does any one have Angelina Jolie's mobile phone number??? hehehhehehee ;) }
Thanks for your question on videos.... i will now take that up sooner now! and yes ofcourse the training video! ( HEY !! you know... blind people can not see the mess in my room.. at least untill they learn this language and start using their own devices so they are happy.. but the whole world ... well you sighted people can turn a 'blind' eye to it! ) Hehhheehheeh! ;)
Renuka: 2.Is there any mailing list to support its development activities?
Omee: thats a brilliant idea! i will make it! infact.... wait a minute... let me create a group right
now! lo! its created! you have been invited already! THANK YOU RENUKA!!! :)
any more suggestions on this lines... please tell me in details....
Guys, please send a blank email to auxel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
to keep urself updated!
Those who want to have a look at the group... feel free... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auxel/
(Currently nothing there.. but it will soon be alive with lots of activity !)
Renuka: 3.When it is started?
Omee: umm...
now thats a tough question!
infact that would involve asking ... what exactly would 'starting' mean...
it has been about 2 to 3 years now that i was thinking about doing this project, collecting information, finding out similar project globally,. and improving this idea mentally,
.... I actually started meeting people about a year ago, to get more info about technology and blind people to understand their thinking and attitude etc...
It has been about 3-4 months that I have started working on it full time!
Prototype software was ready and the training started this week!
Now what exactly which time frame were u looking for?
Take a pick ! (or ask me if u want to know anything else/any other time frame!)
Renuka: 4.what is the current status?
Omee: kindly visit http://auxel.blogspot.com/ and scroll down .. you will find the update
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am already you big fan! hehehehee
ok jokes apart...
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am putting your questions on AUXEL FAQs blog Now AUXEL FAQs blog was put off list cuz there were hardly any questions! Renuka, thank you ! you rekindled the life of AUXEL'S FAQ Blog! :D
GUYS!
I hope you liberally shower more and more questions! ( and encourage your friends to ask more questions too! )
posted by Fondly called as 'Omee' at 12:46 PM
<< Home