The ability to read and write is taken for granted by most of us. We consider the right to education as a basic right. The majority of Americans have access to proper education; however, around 30 million people over the age of 16 have reading skills that are no better than an elementary school child. Another startling statistic is that 18 million adults do not possess the adequate reading skills to earn a living wage.
In a day and age when information is available at your fingertips, the inability to comprehend written and verbal information is a social stigma; more so in the case of adults. Designer Sandra Brügmann has conceptualized an innovative solution that would allow adults to develop their language skills in a discreet and private manner.
Sandra has developed a reading and writing tool that is truly new age and would go a long way to help adults have proficient reading and writing skills. The abcDarian by Brügman is a text reader tool that features a two-sided transparent device that resembles a mobile phone. A touch sensitive interface allows users to access the writing tool.
Simplicity is the key feature of the abcDarian. Users need not be rocket scientists or gizmo geeks to understand the features and workings of the new age writing tool. It has been designed in such a way to offer maximum assistance to users in the simplest of manners.
If a user wishes to improve on their reading skills, they need to hold the device over a piece of text they wish to read and press the central button of the text reader tool. The line of text is highlighted followed by an audio output with phonetically correct pronunciation of the line of text. Users can listen to the audio output on a set of headphones connected to the text-reading tool. If the audio output is too fast to comprehend, users have the option of slowing down the audio output.
The abcDarian can also be used as a text-writing tool. There are two levels for the writing tool. A beginner’s level helps users write words by providing visual icons. At the intermediate level, users are provided with a tag cloud of alternative words. The user can select a word from the tag cloud, listen to it and learn the correct way of writing the word.
Sandra Brügman’s new age reading and writing tool is a concept that aims to help everyone read and write.
Learning would just take a different yet interesting turn with such gadgets. Also take a look at Printable Robot Tutor and Boggle Flash.
