Tim Rees created an app that permits individuals to take heed to online news stories hands-free on Amazon Alexa good speakers. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media Staff)
Tim Rees on the home of David Black in Oak Bay. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media Staff)
Tim Rees on the house of David Black in Oak Bay. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media Staff)
Tim Rees on the house of David Black in Oak Bay. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media Staff)A Langford man’s expertise being legally blind has inspired him to create a smart speaker app that enables folks to take heed to on-line information stories hands-free.
As of Wednesday (March 15), stories on all the Greater Victoria Black Press Media information web sites and abbynews.com can now be listened to on Amazon Alexa smart audio system utilizing voice navigation because of Tim Rees.
“The spirit of it is attempting to make print media more accessible for individuals with disabilities,” Rees stated. “It’s ideal for somebody with visual impairment because you don’t have to touch a display screen.”
Rees was recognized with a degenerative eye condition when he was 10 years old. It progressed, and he was legally blind by his early 20’s.
“It has steadily gotten worse,” Rees mentioned. “I now can’t see from the centre of my vision very properly. I even have some limited vision around the peripheral. This app worked out so I could construct one thing that may be helpful for different people in my state of affairs.”
Users can launch the app by merely saying, “Alexa, open the Black Press News Reader.” Alexa will ask if you want to hear the obtainable information shops or you can read out the title of the outlet you need to hearken to. Users will then hear a list of just lately posted articles. The app also lets customers listen to any specific e-edition.
“It’s good having a speaker you’ll be able to simply yell at,” Rees said. “Anyone who can see properly can also use it like in case your palms are busy or you’re cooking and also you simply need to hear your native news. You can pause, make it communicate sooner or slower and all kinds of options like that.”
The Black Press News Reader app could be downloaded for free on the Alexa Skills Store.
Reese started engaged on the challenge alone in June 2021 and eventually employed some voice testers and a contract technical employee. He now has four full-time employees.
“We’ve seen a lot of development,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting. In a perfect world, the staff will continue to grow and we are going to keep building new voice apps.”
Rees found out in December 2021 he was the small business winner for section one of many Alternate Format Business Technology Challenge for his app proposal. After profitable, he’s receiving up to $150,000 in federal government funding for the venture.
“This challenge was looking for somebody guiding the project with lived expertise like visible impairment,” Rees mentioned. “It was sort of a no-brainer. I like technical things, computer programming and the information.”
Rees then reached out to Black Press Media CEO and chairman David Black to see if Black Press can be thinking about being concerned, and the rest is history.
“Right now Black Press is the one news outlet I’m working with,” Rees said. “It’s an ideal match.”
Rees plans to broaden to different Black Press web sites and presumably different information shops sooner or later. He’s also working on ultimately launching on Google Nest and other sensible audio system.
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