We will have pocket reading machines for the blind within a few years that read text ubiquitously — from signs, packages, menus, electronic displays, etc., says Ray Kurzweil.

“By 2010, these devices will be very tiny. You will be able to wear one on your lapel and scan in all directions. These devices probably will be used by sighted people as well, because they will allow us to get visual information from all around us. Such devices will also translate the information from one language to another for everyone.

“For the hearing impaired, we will have systems that provide subtitles around the world. We’re getting close to the point where speaker-independent speech recognition will become common. Machines will create subtitles automatically and on the fly…. We will also have listening systems that will allow deaf persons to understand what people are saying.”