Literacy Bridge
Functionality Improvements
Although audio content are easily distributed within villages from one device to another, we are working on two methods of broader content distribution:
- We will add the ability to connect Talking Books to the most basic, inexpensive mobile phones and enable users to upload/download audio content directly to the web. In areas where mobile phones are available and phone coverage is adequate, we will leverage the phone network for fast and direct retrieval of content.
- In response to interest from community radio stations, we will add a radio and “radio Tivo” capability into the Talking Book. Talking Book users will be able to record the radio programs of their interest and replay them as needed. Community radio stations will even be able to push content to the Talking Books to update them automatically.
Online Content Library
In the next year, we will begin enabling our partners to store their recordings online. Our partners will have access to an online library of their recordings, which they can access whenever they have access to the web. They will be able to browse, discover, and preview content in a Web browser. In addition, they will be able to upload and download recordings using the Audio Content Manager . We are working to make the offline and online experience as seamless as possible.
Our team of developers are already laying the ground-work for this functionality by paying attention to the metadata framework and using standards like Dublin Core. If you are a software developer who would like to help with this work, see our volunteer site for information about how to join our development team.
Talking Book – Version Two
We are also working on an entirely new version of the Talking Book made possible by the generous support of the University of Michigan’s Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department. This team of engineers is currently working with us to dramatically reduce the energy requirements and unit cost of our Talking Books.
Future Markets
After substantial market testing and when our device production allows lower unit prices, we expect to shift our focus to seeding a consumer market.
As resources allow, we will also work to bring the Talking Book to more developed countries and use profits to subsidize devices for poorer markets. Organizations that work with people who are blind/visual impaired as well other marginalized communities have shown great interest in the cost and flexibility of the Talking Book. We see great potential here and believe these revenue streams could help us increase our impact in an even more sustainable way.