The italian blind organization
UICI
(Italian Blind Union)
Federazione
FNICI
(School and
didactics)
Centro produzione
ausili
non informatici
(Non-electronics aids
distribution)
CNT
(Software and
Hardware
Aids Distribution)
Institutes for blind people
Garibaldi
(UIC Reggio E.)
Martuscelli
(UIC Napoli)
Chiossone
(UIC Genova)
CAVAZZA
(UIC Bologna)
CNT
(Bologna)
Centro
Produzione
(MdV)
Biblioteca di
Monza
(Braille books
Distribution)
A Few Historical Notes
•Founded in 1881 in Bologna.
•up to 1930 has offered an education of base to the young blind students and preparing them to
the works common in those years (rebottoming chairs, making brooms and brushes, etc.).
•From 1930 to 1978 were offered various avenues of studies: professional trades, as well as
studies in humanities and music.
•In 1979, thanks to a fortunate association with IBM, they began courses for professional blind
electronic developers.
•In 1992, the National Computer Centre for Production and Distribution of Computer Aids for
Blind Persons was established.
•Today, the Institute develops numerous activities relating to education. Programs for computer
analysts and technicians are provided, as well as courses for telephone operators, technicians for
insurance and financial services, and technology-related courses such as Windows operating
systems and other applications. The Institute also organizes numerous information and
awareness activities bringing people together to discuss issues relating to visual impairment.
About Institute
Board of directors
Direction
•Mario Barbuto, director
•Maura De Angelis, segretary
•Antonella Trebbi
Named by the minister of the Public education
•Pier Michele Borra, President
•Elio De leo
•Angelo Errani
•Giancarlo Pasquini
•Gualtiero Cavazza Isolani
•Aldo Costa
•Salvatore Romano
Formation
(didactics)
•Egidio Sosio
•Maria Assunta De Donatis
•Serena Cimini
•Vincenzo Bizzi
•Paola Gamberini
•Vito Lapietra
•Vainer Broccoli
•Francesca Indelicato
•Loretta Secchi
•Gianpaolo Rocca
•Margherita Giordano
•Lucia Iuvone
•Andrea Botti
•Marco Fossati
Services and products
•Marco Mattioli
•Paola Signaroldi
•Monica Zanzi
•Sabato De Rosa
•Alberto Benassati
•Giovanni Cellucci
•Fernando Torrente
•Giovanni Ciaffoni
•Federico Bartolomei
•Silvia Lelli
•Francesca Calia
• Stefania Migliori
•Francesca Zanni
Institute people (Direction)
President
Director
Secretary and
Viola (guide dog)
Formation (didactics)
•Courses for computer analysts
and technicians
•Courses for Telephone operators
• Technicians for insurance and
financial services
•The Anteros Museum holds
courses in Art History, and
interpretation methodology,
which are designed to teach both
blind and sighted persons
Institute people (Formation)
Courses for computer analysts
courses for telephone operators
Institute people (services)
Services and products
• Production and distribution electronic aids for blind people and visually
impaired
• Production and distribution software for blind people and visually impaired
Eg: VoiceGPS
• Middleware between navigational software and speech program;
• It runs on PDA (Microsoft Windows Mobile OS);
• Its main purpose is to provide an accessible interface to the blind user.
• The person is given directions about the path he/she has to follow to reach the
requested destination, using the information provided from the navigational
software;
• It can be used when walking on foot.
VoiceGPS limitations
1.
The gps system accuracy is not less than 10-15 meters;
2.
The GPS is limited to outdoor use (or when gps signal is
good enough).
3.
The available maps are not meant to be used by person on
foot and their accuracy is also not good enough.
Trying to overcome the 1) and 2)
Multiple bluetooth connection
• VoiceGPS modified to accept data from more
than one bluetooth device;
• System testing OK;
• Acquired data must be software processed