Accessories
Welcome to our Accessories Page, where we feature various smaller products that can assist people with Sensory Impairments on a daily basis.
Many Persons who are Blind or have Visual Impairments require Accessories to assist them on a daily basis
The Accessories listed on this page are those small Assistive Devices that are used by Persons With Visual Impairments to become more independent. They include products such as Automatic Pill Reminders, Pill Splitters and Pill Organizers; Braille or Talking Tape Measures; Money Templates & Coin Selectors; Pen Friends; Talking Calculators; Signature Guides, Braille & Talking Watches & Alarm Clocks, etc. Some of these products have braille markings on them to make them easier to use by Persons who are Blind.
Below is a list of some of this equipment, which is available in South Africa from organizations and companies such as Blind SA, Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems.
Whatever your need, you are sure to find the Accessories to suite you and enable you to become more independent.
What Are You Looking For?
Accessories for Sensory Impairments
1. Pill reminder; Splinter and Organiser
2. Tape Measure for the Blind
3. Money Template and Coin Selector
4. Pen Friend
5. Talking Calculators
6. Talking Personal Scale
7. Talking Thermometer
8. Signature Guides
9. Talking and Braille Watches, Alarm Clocks
10.Telephone
View the information below to find further information on the products available and the companies that provide them.
Companies & Organisations that can Assist
There are a number of companies in South Africa who specialise in the supply of Accessories and Adaptive Equipment that assist persons with Sensory Impairments to complete these daily tasks with ease and without loss of dignity. These include Edit Microsystems; Blind SA and Sensory Solutions.
Most of these companies can advise you on which Accessories would best suite you.
Edit Microsystems (Pty) Ltd is an award-winning company that is devoted to finding alternative and state-of-the-art technical solutions to improve curriculum delivery in educational institutions and effective communication in business with a focus on high-speed functional connectivity and on-going support.
They have a proud tradition of innovation and are on the cutting edge of technological advances in education. Many of their products are designed to enhance interactivity in a classroom or lecture theatre.
Edit Microsystems are also a leader in finding and providing specially adapted hardware and software for Learners with Special Educational Needs throughout South Africa.
Edit Microsystems can be contacted on: 086 111 3973
Head Office: Cape Town – 13 Boy De Goede Circle, Table View, 7441.
They also have an online shop and branches in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng.
For more information: www.editmicro.co.za or email them at: info@editmicro.co.za.
Blind SA is a national Disable People’s Organisation (DPO) of the blind and for the blind. Established in 1946 as the South African Blind Workers Organisation (SABWO) and became Blind SA in 2004. Head office is situated at 5 Fuchs Street, Alrode, Alberton, however our services are rendered to blind and visually impaired in all provinces in South Africa
The vision of Blind SA is to do whatever is necessary or conducive to empower visually impaired people to become economically self-supporting and to live a full and meaningful life as citizens of South Africa.
The biggest challenges faced in our communities are the shortage of financial resources to enable our blind and visually impaired beneficiaries to reach their full potential as independent members of society.
The impact that Blind SA has had on the community is a more informed, empowered and enabled blind and visually impaired community. Because we have so many such people who are in serious need of our assistance, we would welcome the opportunity and resources to be able to reach more people with the view of creating a self-supporting, independent and informed blind and visually impaired community throughout South Africa.
“Our Purpose is to end the cycle of poverty for Blind South Africans, empowering them with knowledge and information through education, braille and developmental services and to break down barriers, provide opportunities and create answers that improve the quality of life for the blind community so that they can live the life they choose.”
Blind SA also stock and sell a variety of Assistive Devices to assist persons who are Blind, these include the Mali-Bhala, Tatrapoint Mechanical Brailler and Braille-Me. For any other requirements, contact Blind SA on:
Tel: +27 11 839 1793/4 or
Email: ceo@blindsa.org.za,
Jennine Pare – sales@blindsa.org.za,
Website: www.blindsa.org.za.
Address: 5 Fuchs Street, Alrode, Gauteng, South Africa.
Sensory Solutions is a South African company with considerable experience in the field of accommodating persons who are visually impaired, blind or partially sighted. We specialise in the field of providing Access Technology solutions for individuals, schools, universities, government departments and more, in order to make the environment more accessible for the visually impaired.
Sensory Solutions is at the forefront of the world’s leading Access Technology products and are in some cases the exclusive distributors. Sensory Solutions is a responsible employer which employs people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds as well as those who are disabled. Part of our mission is to advise individuals and institutions on the best solutions available for particular environments, to design such solutions and finally to implement them on site. As such, we are approved African distributors for a wide range of Access Technology products selected specifically for their suitability to the African environment and our specific situation
We are proud to be appointed exclusive and preferred dealerships for some of the world’s most leading Access Technology manufacturers. Our mission and ethos revolve around our fellow man, empowering them and making the playing fields level as far as we can make a difference.
Whether you are an individual, institution or company in need of information regarding Access Technology, we are ready to assist you.
Please feel free to contact us at our Head Office on: +27 12 664 7704
Email: info@sensorysolutions.co.za, khan@sensorysolutions.co.za or
Website at: www.sensorysolutions.co.za
Address: 226 Kruger Avenue, Lyttelton Manor, Centurion, 0157.
Accessories for Sensory Impairments
1. Pill Reminder, Pill Splitter & Pill Organizer
Automatic Pill Reminders, Pill Splitters and Pill Organizers are ideal for Persons with disabilities, so that they are able to organize, store and cut their pills.
The Pill Splitter Cuts tablets in half easily, while a Pill Organizer is a convenient way to organize and store your daily tablets.
These products come in a variety of different sizes and styles and are sold by various Organizations and Companies, including the South African National Council for the Blind who sell Pill Organizers.
Contact them to receive a quote or Contact Us if you have any questions.
2. Tape Measures For The Blind
Tape-Measures For The Blind enable Persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired to still be able to complete small tasks around their home.
There are two types of Tape-Measures For The Blind, which include the Talking Tape-Measure and the Braille Tape-Measure.Braille Tape-measures are available in South Africa from Organizations such as the South African National Council for the Blind, who sells a Meter long tape measure which has tactile markings at centimetres and inches.
Contact them to receive a quote or Contact Us if you have any questions.
3. Money Template and Coin Selector
In South Africa and in many other countries around the world, money has been designed and made to include distinct features so that Persons who are Blind are able to tell the different coins and notes apart. A coin for example has six distinct features by which it can be identified. Equipment is also available to help persons who are Blind to store their coins and distinguish them apart, this equipment includes:
i. Plastic Coin Selectors
Plastic Coin Selectors are also used for quick and easy reference, as the plastic unit has places for South African coins which enables you to handily store your coins in one unit. These plastic coin selectors are available from organizations such as the South African National Council for the Blind. You can contact them to find out more or to receive a quote.
New South African Bank Notes also have defining markings on them, so that they can be recognized. They have one, two, three, four or five raised diamond shapes in the middle of the bottom half of the notes, which enable Persons who are Blind to identify them as R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200 respectively. The notes are also different lengths and have geometric shapes on the front of the banknotes. Click Here to find out more about these and other Accessible Features that the Government has introduced. Money Templates are also available to assist persons who are Blind to distinguish between Bank Notes.
1.2. Money Templates
Money Templates are also used to measure banknotes, they come in various styles, including an aluminium device, which can only be used for identifying paper money and is available from organizations such as the South African National Council for the Blind. The other type of Money Template that is sold, is a cardboard one, which can also be used to store the banknotes, they are available from organizations such as the Guide Dogs Association of South African and Blind SA.
You can contact Blind SA or Edit Microsystems to receive a quote, or visit Blind SA to see how it is used.
4. Pen Friends
A Pen Friend is a electronic unit which allows for the identification of items by affixing a dot on to the item and the user speaks the specifications of the item.
This used is for later identification by holding the Pen Friend against the dot.
Pen Friends are available from companies and organizations such as the South African National Council for the Blind. Contact them to receive a quote or Contact Us if you have any questions.
5. Talking Calculators
A Talking Calculator is a portable electronic device used to perform calculations, ranging from basic arithmetic to complex mathematics and then to talk the answer back to the user in a clear voice.
There are a variety of different types of Talking Calculators available in South Africa, which are sold by organizations and companies such as the South African National Council for the Blind, Edit Microsystems and Sensory Solutions.
These include some of the Talking Scientific Calculators, A4 Talking Desktop Calculators and Talking Handheld Calculators featured below:
The Talking Scientific Calculator (pictured above) is an ergonomically designed unit suitable for use by both students and professionals. There is an earphone jack for private use, so that all keys presses and results are spoken and supplied through the ear phones for private listening. You can contact South African National Council for the Blind to find out more or to receive a quote.
Platon Scientific calculators offer all basic operations and combine many academic, scientific and financial functions in one device.
The input is via the large keys.
The supplied values are displayed on the 10 digit display.
This scientific calculator is especially designed for the visually impaired.
It comes in 3 flavours – Platon Scientific (speech output), Platon XL (extra-large display and buttons) and Platon XL Voice (extra-large display and buttons and speech output). Spoken functions are with a clear, natural language in 6 volumes. Power is supplied from AAA batteries.
Please feel free to contact Sensory Solutions for more information and to receive a quote
Double Check calculators include the basic arithmetic operations as well as the possibility to calculate percentages, extract square roots or raise a number to a given power.
This financial calculator combines commercial functions and conversion functions in one device. It is designed for the visually impaired. It comes in 3 flavours – Double Check (speech output), Double Check XL (extra-large display and buttons) and Double Check XL Voice (extra-large display and buttons and speech output).
Spoken functions are with a clear, natural language in 6 volumes.
Power is supplied from AAA batteries.
Please feel free to contact Sensory Solutions for more information and to receive a quote.
This A4 sized calculator talks to the user in a clear female voice.
The large buttons and clear display and announcements make simple calculating tasks more convenient and efficient for individuals who cannot see a standard display.
This product is suitable for low vision users and includes a square root function key,
Percentage key and Memory keys.
You can contact Edit Microsystems for more information and to receive a quote.
This Talking Handheld Calculator has an 8 digit display, an alarm clock, a percentage button and a large digit LCD display.
The calculator announces the input digits and totals in a clear female voice.
The announcements can be repeated at the press of a button and the volume can be easily adjusted.
The dimensions are 85mm (W) x 129mm (L) x 18mm (D) and it is powered by 2 x AAA batteries.
You can contact Edit Microsystems for more information or to receive a quote.
There are also various other types of these products which are available from companies such as Edit Microsystems, Sensory Solutions and the South African National Council for the Blind.
Please contact them to see what other types of these products they can supply.
6. Talking Personal Scale
Talking Personal Scales Keep Your Goal Weight in Sight. Everyone wants to be healthier and happier but if you have low vision, it can be frustrating when you can’t read the bathroom scale. Talking Personal Scales which give clean and crisp audio readouts of your weight, are available in South Africa from organizations and companies such as Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems, who sell the following:
This easy-to-use quality talking kitchen scale (pictured right) has a natural voice output. Due to the precise measuring accuracy (weighing in gram steps up to a maximum capacity of 5 kg), it can also be used very well as a diet or letter scale.
The shapely device stands safely on 6 non-slip rubber feet and is especially handy due to the special design of the housing. The large keys on the user interface make Heidi very easy to use.
All results are shown in addition to the voice output in clear digits on the large display.
With the repeat key, weighing results can be repeated as often as required.
The large weighing plate offers plenty of space to place bowls and containers of different shapes and sizes on it.
Key Features include a Measurement in gram steps; Maximum load capacity of 5 kg; Tare (weighing-in function); Large display: digit height 2.5 cm; Voice output with 6 volume levels; Repeat function; Headphone jack; Power: 4 x 1.5 V AAA batteries; Dimensions: 22 x 14.5 x 2.6 cm and a Weight of 588 g.
Please feel free to contact Sensory Solutions for more information and to receive a quote.
This talking scale is hands free and does not need to be switched on or off, you simply stand on the scale and it will speak your weight to you in a metric of your choosing, they are available in Kilograms, Stones and Pounds.
Speech is in a clear male voice and the volume is adjustable.
The dimensions are 290mm (W) x 315mm (L) x 36mm (D) and it is powered by 1 x PP3 battery.
You can contact Edit Microsystems for more information or to receive a quote.
There are also various other types of these products which are available from companies such as Edit Microsystems, contact them to see what other types of these products they can supply.
7. Talking Thermometer
There are also various types of Talking Thermometers available in South Africa, including:
The Talking Inside / Outside Thermometer
This Thermometer will announce the inside and outside temperatures in a clear female voice.
The measurement unit can either be Celsius or Fahrenheit and the unit has a probe that can be led through a window to measure the outside temperature.
The Talking Thermometer can be set to announce the temperature every hour or at selected intervals. An alarm can be set to warn of extreme temperatures and high and low temperatures can be stored on the unit.
These and similar thermometers are available from companies such as Edit Microsystems can ,contact them for more information or to receive a quote.
8. Signature Guides
Signature Guides are ideal for persons who have trouble seeing where to sign important documents, like a cheque, receipts, or even your tax return. It is a simple tool that helps you to sign on the dotted line every time. Signature guides are typically made of cardboard or plastic and work by using a cutout space or raised lines to help you stay in place.
These Guides are inexpensive and come in several sizes, so you can keep them in the places where you are most likely to use them, such as your home. office or wallet.
When you’re ready to sign, you just ask someone to put the window of the guide over the signature line, hold the guide in place, and sign in the area outlined by the window.
Signature Guides are available in South Africa from organizations such as the South African National Council for the Blind & Blind SA who recently launched Mali-Bhala – a money counter and signature guide – in association with the Disability Rights Awareness Month
9. Talking and Braille Watches, Alarm Clocks, etc.
Most people plan out there days based on the time of the day, they wake up at specific times, go to work and come home at specific times and eat meals at specific times.
We therefore rely on devices such as Alarm Clocks, Watches, Clocks and Calendars, to be able to wake up, tell the time and date.
Persons With Visual Impairments or who are Blind are no different, there are therefore a variety of different types of these Accessories which can assist Persons who are Blind or have Visual Impairments to be able to plan out there day and tell the time.
These Accessories range from Braille Watches and Clocks to Talking Watches, Alarm Clocks and Calendars.
Many of these products are available in South Africa and supplied by Organizations and Companies such as Edit Microsystems, they include some of the following products:
1. Alarm Clocks
Talking Alarm Clocks can assist Persons who are Blind or have Visual Impairments, to be able to tell the time and to be woken up. There are various different types of these products which are available in South Africa and are sold by Companies such as Edit Microsystems, who sell products such as the:
This talking Alarm Clock is a compact unit with a clear LCD display that is back lit in green.
The clear female voice speaks the time and the temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit.
The talking Alarm Clock has a large button on the top which will activate the back lit display, the speech and the temperature. The alarm function has optional snooze and an hourly chime.
Contact Edit Microsystems to find out more, or to purchase this product.
This small clock is ideal for carrying around in your pocket or in the carry case provided. The clock speaks the time, the day, the date and the year. Users can choose announcements to be made in either a male or female voice.
The time can be spoken in either a 12 or 24 hour format and it also announces the time of day. i.e. ‘In the morning’.
The daily alarm function has a choice of ten different alarm sounds.
The volume is adjustable and the function buttons are recessed to prevent accidental changing of the settings.
This product can therefore be used as both an Alarm Clock or a simple Clock which can be carried around with you.
There are also various other types of these products which are available from companies such as Edit Microsystems, contact them to see what other types of these products they can supply.
2. Talking Calendar Alarm Clocks
This Talking Calendar Alarm Clock is designed to be easy to use and quick to set.
It comes with a removable cover that completely covers the buttons to protect them from accidental operations. The talking calendar alarm clock has a range of features which include: A full reporting of the day, date and time and selectable reporting styles i.e. “Two thirty pm” or “Half past two”.
A selectable hourly report and adjustable speech and alarm volumes are also available with a high speech quality.
You can contact Edit Microsytems to find out more or to receive a quote.
There are also various other types of these products which are available from companies such as Edit Microsystems, contact them to see what other types of these products they can supply.
3. Braille Watches & Clocks
A Braille watch is a portable timepiece designed for persons who are blind, enabling them to tell the time through touch. The time is read by feeling raised markers or embossments on the dial. Braille watches are available in both analog and digital formats.
Analog Braille watches feature a protective glass or crystal cover that flips open when the time needs to be read. The hands are specially constructed to remain fixed in place when touched, allowing the wearer to safely feel their position without altering the time.
Digital Braille watches display time using raised dots similar to Braille script. As the time changes, the dot configuration updates accordingly. To use this type of watch, the wearer must be able to read the Braille alphabet.
4. Talking Watches
A Talking Watch gives verbal announcement of the time using tiny voice chips that produce a synthesized, natural sounding speech. Most talking watches have a female voice, but watches with a male voice and dual voices have been introduced on the market and are gaining quick acceptance.
There are a variety of different types and styles of these Talking Watches, which are sold in South Africa including the following watches which are sold by Edit Microsystems, contact Edit Microsystems to see what other types of these products they can supply.
10. Telephones
There are various different types of Telephones that make communication easier for Persons With Visual Impairments, these include various types of large button telephones as well as other types of phones including the Dect Photo Phone which is available in South Africa from companies such as Edit Microsystems.
Disclaimers and References
Simplified Summary
Accessories: This includes special equipment that help make daily life easier and more comfortable and includes things like special talking calculators, clocks and alarm clocks to braille tape measures, coin selectors and big button telephones to support independence.