Two Chinese companies have manufactured a computer that allows the blind and those with eye diseases to access the cyberspace easily with a Chinese-braille keyboard, a mouse and ears, a report said on Wednesday.
The new Tongchuang blue sky computer is installed with a special input system that codes and decodes the Chinese and braille languages, as well as a voice software to read the screen for the users, said Chen Weigang, general manager of the E-times Co, based in Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province.
"It can read out texts, menus and names of icons wherever the cursor goes for the convenience of a computer operator," Chen was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
The computer is a joint product between Chen's company and the Tongchuang Information Industry Group based in the oil rich Daqing city.
"The blind do not fall behind those with sight in terms of intelligence, but have much fewer opportunities for training and employment," said Hou Qingyou, a teacher with a Harbin-based school for blind students who invented the Chinese-braille keyboard.
"With this computer, the blind users can learn to send and receive e-mails within two days," said Hou, who has poor sight himself.