Océ launches ‘touch to speech’ technology at GC Live
Earls Court, London, 9 June 2009—A sophisticated talking multifunctional device from Océ developed to allow visually impaired employees do their job more easily gets its first official showing in the UK today.
The “Touch to Speech” technology combined with special Braille kits are among innovative features on the Océ VarioPrint 1055/65/75 & 2062/75 multi-functional devices (MFDs) that were launched today at GC Live, Earls Court London.
The application has been developed to make Océ devices more convenient for visually impaired people in performing day-to-day copying and printing tasks. Speech has been generated for selected copy settings (number of copies, original single / double sided, copy single / double sided, staple, reset settings and enlargement / reduction) and for error messages (for example jams, toner / staple empty etc.) directly from the device.
In combination with the VarioPrint's TouchTo Print application, users can access their digital mailbox, select the sent print jobs, print them and delete them from the mailbox with just one finger via biometric authentication. Tailor-made Braille panel overlays further increase the ease of operability.
This development has made the product compliant to the US “Section 508” regulations. (Section 508 gives guidelines on how a product should be adapted / developed in order to be user friendly for all operators). It was this “compliancy” that helped Océ win a large tender published by one of the largest US government bodies.
Since 2006, public sector organisations - local and central government, health trusts, hospitals and the NHS, schools and colleges, and police forces – have been under a legal duty to promote equal opportunities for disabled people. They must comply with the Disability Equality Duty (DED) that covers all areas of public sector, including policy making and services delivered to the public.
Ed Hudson, Océ UK’s Document Printing Marketing Manager, said: “Public bodies have to think through the implications of the legislation, and demonstrate clearly what they are doing as well as that disabled and non disabled people have been involved at the centre of their policies.”
“Initial reaction from the public sector to our specially adapted simple-to-use MFD has been extremelyfavourable. People know that these devices are helping public bodies comply with specific regulations laid down by the Disability Rights Commission.”
Océ’s VarioPrint 1055/65/75 & 2062/75systems become “personal production assistants” and include a raft of clever bolt-on features that help significantly boost productivity in print rooms and high volume office environments. These include Océ Copy Press, Océ Image Logic, scan-to-email and SMART Mailbox functions as well as full RoSH compliance, EPA Energy Star Certification and Blue Angel award.
Further information from Colin Harding,
Shaw Communications, tel + 44 7730 435400
About Océ
Océ is one of the world’s leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The broad Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and colour display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the world’s Fortune 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in over 90 countries and employs some 23,000 people worldwide. Total revenues in 2008 amounted to € 2.9 billion. For more information on Océ, visit www.oce.com