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Food
label reader makes shopping easier for the elderly and blind
By NICHOLA
WORKMAN
Scotsman,
August 20, 2001
A SCOTS inventor has found a state-of-the-art
solution to a daily problem faced by thousands of blind and elderly
shoppers.
One
in five Scots have trouble reading the small print on food labels and
medicines which warn of potential allergic reactions.
But
a group of Glasgow-based engineers hope to bring an end to the problem by
installing their futuristic invention in shops across the country.
The
Tele-Eye machine, currently operating on a trial basis in Scotland, reads
out the list of ingredients to the customer and warns of food intolerances
or allergies commonly connected with the goods.
Dr
David Carus, of the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, led the team of
engineers behind the technology. He said: "We designed the equipment
for use by shoppers who may be elderly, have visual impairments or
restricted mobility.
"For
many people, such as those with food allergies or intolerances, this is a
very dangerous situation.
"As
our ageing population is growing all the time, this issue really needs to
be addressed."
The
prototype, which has been installed in a Spar supermarket in Carnoustie,
Angus, has proved very popular with customers.
They
can scan their goods though the machine, which sits in a four-feet-high
box in the corner of the store.
It
displays a list of ingredients on the screen and warns of any potential
allergic reactions connected with the contents.
The
Tele-Eye also details the volume or weight of a package, translations of
scientific names, and calorie and fat content.
For
people who have difficulty with their vision, the technology reads the
lists and warnings out loud.
Dr
Carus said: "The customers like it because they feel the supermarket
is providing an extra service - it’s not just a food store.
"It’s
providing help and a service that other supermarkets don’t. It’s good
for the shops and the customers."
Colin
Landsburgh, who runs the supermarket, said: "Virtually every elderly
customer complains about product packaging, in particular the small-print.
This machine is perfect for them as it reads product labels out
loud."
The
technology was developed after a study for the Royal National Institute
for the Blind found that a fifth of Scots struggle to read food packaging.
They were funded by a European Commission group working to improve the
information on the labels on cans and packets.
Dr
Carus’s engineering team are also developing a smaller system which
could be installed in homes. "The machinery can be customised for the
individual, to deal with their specific dietary requirements," he
said.
"As
well as keeping a track of what they can and can’t eat, visually
impaired people can use the machine to identify food they can’t
see."
Professor
John Cummings, a nutrition expert at the University of Dundee, said:
"Tele-Eye really will empower customers. Unfortunately, the people
who most need access to nutritional information are often the ones who
can’t read the labels.
"Visual
impairment and special dietary requirements often go hand in hand, in
diabetes for example. Tele-Eye is a great development for them."
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