Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday 21 January 2020

Is it me or the MANI ?




After reading this blog, please decide whether it is me who is dumb or is it MANI


MANI is an App launched a couple of days back by RBI [  rbimani@rbi.org.in ],

and stands for “ Mobile Assisted Note Identifier

I was overjoyed, having suggested such an App in my following blog ( emailed to RBI ) :

Currency Notes for Visually impaired ?                       [ 10 June 2018 ],
-      where I wrote :

  SECURITY  THREAD :
   The  metallic SECURITY THREAD in the Currency Notes can be made to store the
   unique SERIAL NUMBER of each currency note , and a simple Smart Phone can read
   that number and transmit that data to any government agency ( IT / ED / CVC etc )


   This will be coupled with a Mobile App which will   SPEAK ALOUD  the denomination of
   a note held near the currency note, using NFC / BLUE TOOTH

   [ Exact working of the technology involved, is explained in detail in my blog ]

=======================================================

This morning, I tried to download MANI on my smart phone

With my eyes open, I had to :

Ø  Locate the icon for Google play Store
Ø  In search bar, type “ MANI RBI “
Ø  See the image of MANI
Ø  Click on that image
Ø  Next see button “ Install “ and click on it
Ø  Read ( or listen ) a long “ Installation Instructions “ and see following options – and choose one :
#  Manual ( comprising “Instructions / Scan Currency / History / Settings / Help )
#  Select language ( English / Hindi ) – using “ Voice Command “, if option chosen
#  Select Impairment ( Visually Impaired / Visually and Hearing Impaired / None of
     the above ), using  “ Voice Command  “ if option chosen
Ø  Next , I search the “ Settings “ icon on my phone, search the “ Talk Back “ option and enable it by double clicking “ On “ ( not sure if all smartphones have “Talk Back “feature inbuilt )
Ø  Only now , I can hear MANI speak aloud the denomination of the currency note , if properly held 6 / 7 inches away from the screen of the mobile phone


After going through this entire process ( with a few false steps and going back and forth ), I managed to get MANI to read the denomination values ( - notwithstanding a few errors )

But I have two , reasonably good EYES , which a blind person lacks

How does RBI expect a blind person to NAVIGATE this lengthy installation process ?

I wonder if RBI got some actually blind persons to do BETA TESTING of the app , before launch !  No mention of any such TESTS / TRIALS on Google Store
 !

Now , let us assume that a “ Seeing “ friend helps out by downloading / installing MANI on a blind person’s smartphone

But how will that blind person locate the icon for MANI on his phone’s screen ?  He cannot “ feel “ that icon , since phone does not carry Braille !


MY SUGGESTION for the DESIRED PROCESS :

Ø  Blind person pulls out a currency note from his pocket and lays it flat on the screen of his smartphone

Ø  Phone speaks aloud : “ This is a Rs One Hundred note / Yeh note sau rupiya ka hai “

That is not all !

If that note is a FAKE note, phone will speak aloud :“ This is a fake note / Jutthha note hai “


No searching for MANI on Google Store . No need for installation / activation  .  No need for any help from a friend


 Dear Shri Thaawarchand Gehlotji ,

[ Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment ]



Although not a rocket science, implementation of my suggestion may require requesting :

Ø  Sundar Pichai ( Google ) to modify Android Operating System

Ø  Tim Cook ( Apple ) to modify IoS

Ø  Pranav Mistry ( Samsung STAR Lab )for similar modification to Samsung OS

Ø  Following Indian StartUps for development of necessary software :

#  Beerud Sheth [ GupShup  /  +1-855-982-2997   /  beerud@gupshup.io  ]

#  Ankit Ratan    [ Signzy  / ankit@signzy.com / arpit@signzy.com  ]


With regards,

Hemen Parekh

=======================================================

Related Readings :

 RBI : how about an audible note ?                                              [ 23 mar 2019 ]

 

Technology  >

 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-many-gigs-are-you-wearing/

 

Innovator  >

 

A Beerud named BHIM ?                                                               [ 17 April 2017 ]

 

 

Copy to :
Shri. Nachiketa Rout , Director
National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with  Visual Disabilities


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