Federazione FNICI

(School and didactics)

UICI(Italian Blind Union)

CNT(Software and

HardwareAids Distribution)

Biblioteca di Monza

(Braille books Distribution)

Centro produzione ausili

non informatici(Non-electronics aids

distribution)

Chiossone(UIC Genova)

Martuscelli(UIC Napoli)

CNT (Bologna)

Centro Produzione

(MdV)

Garibaldi(UIC Reggio E.)

CAVAZZA(UIC Bologna)

Institutes for blind people

The italian blind organization

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 directorsNamed 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

Direction • Mario Barbuto,

director• Maura De Angelis,

segretary• Antonella Trebbi

Direction • Mario Barbuto,

director• Maura De Angelis,

segretary• Antonella TrebbiFormation

(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

DirectorSecretary 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