Assistive Technology for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Topaz Desktop Magnifier

By Sherlock Washington

The number of people with some degree of vision loss is growing rapidly. Many people are experiencing less than normal vision even with the most accurate conventional prescribed correction available. Cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinitis pigmentosa are some of the eye conditions that are responsible for Low Vision.

Now people with low vision can maintain control over the essential, everyday activities of life: leisure reading, corresponding with friends and family, reading contracts, bills, and prescriptions, enjoying needlepoint and other hobbies, and much more. TOPAZ is a desktop video magnifier, developed by Freedom Scientific™ for individuals who are experiencing low vision or anyone who finds reading small or even regular print difficult.

This easy to use device comes with 3 different screen sizes, 17”, 19” or 22” that can be adjusted to the individual user’s needs. Each device features easy to use push button controls that are conveniently located and distinguishable by both color and shape, thus providing ease of use for anyone with any type of visual impairment.

TOPAZ has the ability to display 16 different magnification levels on the screen , depending upon the level of print enlargement the user requires. It also has directed LED lighting to reduce the glare bouncing back from the image being viewed.

Additionally, TOPAZ has 28 text color combinations to provide users a variety of viewing options for the minimization of eye strain while working with this device. Some examples are:

The current TOPAZ model comes with an auto focus camera. This allows the user to put whatever he or she wishes to view anyplace on the large moveable reading table and the image will automatically zoom into the sharpest, clearest image possible. The reading table comes with a braking system that enables the user to maintain better control of the movement.

Two additional features of TOPAZ are the focus lock button along with a brightness control knob. The focus lock button will lock in the image making it easy to write and focus on the writing. The brightness control knob will increase or decrease the brightness shown on the written text. Both lend even more to providing optimum accommodation of the users’ personal preferences.

You can find TOPAZ in many places. From the classroom to the senior center; from the personal residence to the corporate office, wherever it may be, TOPAZ is a valuable, versatile piece of equipment for independence in today’s world.

“I have spent my life with vision impairment beginning with low vision, resulting in my being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 7 and gradually losing my vision completely. I know by experience, the value of assistive technology and how important these tools and devices can be in enabling independence and improving the quality of life.

For this reason, I receive a great deal of satisfaction and personal gratification whenever I can help others, who, like myself, have a need for the technical devices, appliances and aids that I am able to supply through the business I established in 1998, SW Unlimited, LLC.”

Sherlock Washington, Founder and CEO

SW Unlimited, LLC, the New Jersey licensed distributor of Freedom Scientific™ products welcomes the opportunity to assist anyone interested in finding out if TOPAZ or any of the other independence empowering products can meet their individual needs.

Some of the other magnification devices that we carry are OPAL, ONYX, MAGIC, SARA and our newest product, the SAPPHIRE. We carry blindness products such as JAWS, OPENBOOK, PACMATE PDA’S, and FOCUS BRAILLE DISPLAYS as well as products for individuals with learning disabilities and people who are deaf and hearing impaired.

Please contact us at: 1-732-290-1677

e-mail: Sherlock@swunlimited.com

Or visit us on the web: http://www.swunlimited.com