It's sometimes easy to forget that consumer electronics is about helping everyone, not just having an extra-sparkly bit of kit, so it's great to see innovations like Viable's video phone - designed for the deaf and hard of hearing - at CES Unveiled today.
The newly-established company's put a lot of time and money into developing the phone, which is completely portable and wireless. With a 10.2" touch screen, the unit has a USB port, audio and video inputs and outputs and the usual visual and audio alerts you'd expect for high quality two-way video conferences. At 30fps, it's not too shabby.
What's fascinating is the phone was developed by deaf people, for deaf people. Even the man on the stand telling us about it was deaf himself, and using sign language, communicated via a translator.
For more news about CES 2008, click here.
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I am a regular ShinyShiny reader, and I am also a video interpreter - we make it possible for deaf people in the United States to use their native language, sign language, to talk to hearing people on the phone. Let me know if you'd like additional information about Video Relay Services (VRS) or videophones as used by the deaf.