The first dedicated hub for blind and visually impaired people offering its subscribers access to thousands of books, newspapers, podcasts, radio stations and information from a range of UK sight loss charities has launched.
The RealSAM Smart Speaker is a fully voice-controlled media player tool that you can subscribe to and use is with your existing Google Home or Alexa product. Utilising the latest in AI technology, the new RealSAM Smart Speaker is designed to improve the independence of those living with visual impairments and sight loss.
Hosting content from leading UK sight loss charities such as Henshaws, Galloways and Torch Trust, the platform is the world’s first smart speaker information hub for people with sight loss. Advanced sign-up is available now for £9.95 for an annual subscription for existing RealSAM customers, and an annual launch offer deal of £19.90 for new customers*. Users can search for information by category, title or keyword, then further search for articles, chapters, or specific episodes of their favourite podcast.
To access the RealSAM Smart Speaker content, a customer simply signs up to the subscription service to access either an Action that is added to your Google Home or a Skill that is added to your Amazon Alexa.
Louise Humphreys, UK Country Manager RealSAM said:
“We are committed to working with those with sight loss to build solutions that make a real difference to their day-to-day lives. The development of our new smart speaker solution was a direct result of customers telling us of their frustrations of needing multiple devices or applications to meet their needs. Utilising our clever technology and working with our charity partners we are now the world’s first news entertainment and advice platform for anyone with sight loss seeking accessible audio content on smart speakers.”
In addition to targeting customers with visual impairments, the team at RealSAM is encouraging UK disability charities to get in touch to discuss how their content could also be made available to a wider audience and placed within the home speaker skill or action. Any charities who are publishing, podcasts, web-based newsletters (then text to speech), upcoming events or general information and advice are encouraged to get in touch to discuss how their content can be added to the RealSAM Speaker subscription to reach the visually impaired community.
Humphreys added “we recognise that sight loss charities have limited resources and have had to adapt how they deliver support in 2020 and beyond, increasingly using digital means. Charities who are eager to access their supporters and beneficiaries through audio content can partner with us.
RealSAM AI technology goes beyond the voice controls normally used on smart speakers through its ability to be multi command controlled. This allows a user to ask a series of building questions – not just a single question and answer, a tool that is particularly useful for anyone needing to operate technology fully by voice.
The RealSAM Smart Speaker is the latest product to launch from RealSAM. The global leader in developing artificial intelligence powered solutions for the Blind and visually impaired community and the business behind the established accessible smart phone “RealSAM In Your Pocket” launched with the RNIB and O2 in 2017.
The RealSAM Smart Speaker subscription is available with advanced sign-up now for £9.95 for an annual subscription for existing RealSAM customers, and an annual launch offer deal of £19.90 for new customers. Currently available on Google Home, and on Alexa devices from Feb 2021. Ask your Google device to ‘Talk to RealSAM’.
Charities looking to find out more about the content partner programme should visit www.inyourpocket.net/meet-pocket/become-a-content-partner.
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