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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