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Mataura Ensign, 23 July 1914, Page 3

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INVENTION FOR THE BLIND

It is now possible for a blind man to "see" t,o read by ear.

This is due to great improvements made by Dr Eournier d'Albe in ail electrical instrument which lie showed at the British Association meetings last year. In brief, the instrument transforms the action of light into sound. The principle of the invention depends oil the peculiar property of the element selenium by which the strength of electric current passing through it varies with the amount of light falling Oil the element. Suppose a plate of selenium is in electrical connection with a telephone receiver—ordinary speech is, of course, transmitted by electric current;'.. Then, according as more or less li"-ht falls oil the selenium, so will the electric current passing through the telephone receiver vary and also the sounds heard in the receiver. When the plate of selenium is in a strong light sound? are heard; when it is in the shadow all is quiet,. By the aid of the instrument it •is possible to differentiate by the different sounds the intensity of the light falling on the instrument. Eor instance, if the instrument is placed first before a large window and then before a small aperture 1 through which light is coming two different sounds are heard. By shining a powerful light- on the type of ordinary printed letterpress it is possible to differentiate between the letters by the different sounds in the receiver. When the instrument was shown last year it was necessary for (lie type to be about two inches in height. Now ordinary newspaper type can be read. The instrument is called the "typereading octophone."