In memory of Dr. Sam Genensky, the grandfather of the Video Magnifier industry and founding president of the CCLVI (Council of Citizens with Low Vision International), HumanWare donated two handheld SmartView Versa’s on behalf of the CCLVI to two winning youths of the first annual Dr. Sam Genensky Memorial Award.
Dr. Samuel Genensky not only founded the CCLVI, he pioneered and adapted the use of a CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) to assist those with low vision. A CCTV as it is still called, or video magnifier, is a device that makes it possible for people with low vision to enlarge the viewing image of printed documents and other items needed for daily living. Having low vision himself in a time when you were either legally blind or not, Dr. Genensky strived for the recognition of the needs for the partially sighted, and founded the Center for the Partially Sighted in Los Angeles. With the CCTV or Video Magnifier, he revolutionized the possibilities for people with low vision to read print. To commemorate his death, on June 26, 2009, the CCLVI announced the first annual Dr. Samuel Genensky Video Magnifier Memorial Award.
HumanWare’s Ed Wikdall hands the Versa to Esai.
Under the Dr. Samuel Genensky Memorial Award, the CCLVI arranged to give Video Magnifiers to 2 students and 2 non-students with low vision in the US. HumanWare partnered up with the CCLVI for this memorial award, and donated two of the latest designs in handheld CCTVs, called the SmartView Versa, to the two student winners.
Esai Mora, a seventh grader from Compton, California, was the first to receive his SmartView Versa. Esai has Usher’s syndrome and as a result is hard of hearing and visually impaired. He’s a very sociable child and loves to go to school. Esai uses a cane and has talking appliances to help him get around, but he has trouble with reading his study materials from school. With the SmartView Versa, he will be able to read and learn all the things he wants to, wherever he wants to, on the go or on his TV at home.
Aiden is trying out the Versa with the help of
his mom.
The second SmartView Versa went to Aiden Stott, from Massachusetts. Due to complications at birth, Aiden suffers from low vision as well as hearing loss. His mom takes care of him and his two sisters, which both have special needs as well. At school, Aiden uses a CCTV, but he chose the Versa in order to be able to read his books and do math. He especially likes it, because he can take it with him, everywhere he goes.
The Smartview Versa is based on the technology that was used for the CCTV Dr. Genensky first developed and therefore HumanWare is proud to have been part of this award in his memory. Although Esai and Aiden were meant to be finalists with only one winner, they were both so deserving and enthusiastic about winning the SmartView Versa, that HumanWare opted to give one to each. They were very excited when they found out they had both won!
About HumanWare
HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technologies for the print disabled. HumanWare provides products to people who are blind or have low vision and students with learning disabilities. HumanWare offers a collection of innovative products, including the BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for the blind in education, business and for personal use; the Victor Reader product line, the world's leading digital audiobook players; the SmartView family of handheld and desktop electronic magnifiers; and myReader2, HumanWare's unique "auto-reader". For more information about HumanWare, visit www.humanware.com .
About The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International
CCLVI is an international advocacy organization which publishes the quarterly magazine, Vision Access. Vision Access has information on living with low vision and is available in large print, e-mail or computer disk to members. Their mentoring and peer counseling program, Project Insight, is for people who are newly visually impaired or losing more vision. Project Insight is available nationwide. CCLVI advocates for low vision issues, provides information and referral, as well as scholarships for college students with visual acuity less than 20/70 and some usable eye sight. Further information about CCLVI is available on their website: http://www.cclvi.org.
