Are there any devices that can identify money and notify a blind person of its value?
There are electronic bill readers that can scan U.S. bills and announce their denomination out loud. However, unless the bill is entered exactly correctly, with the number facing up, the bill readers are unable to read the currency. It is like putting a dollar bill into a vending machine without looking at it; there are four possible ways to put it in, but the machine will only accept one of them. In addition, if the bill is at all wrinkled or bent the machine will be unable to determine its value. The machines cost approximately $250 and are too bulky (roughly 6 by 3 by 2 inches) to carry around wherever money might be exchanged. It’s unfair to require our blind citizens to use this expensive and cumbersome technology to gain full access to their money. Redesigning the currency would benefit people who do not own such equipment, including sighted people using cash in low light.
