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Astronomers’ device lets people with vision loss ‘hear’ solar eclipse

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EXPERIENCE THE ECLIPSE WITH SOUND. THIS IS A CALLED A LIGHT SOUND DEVICE. IT’S A TOOL THAT WE DEVELOPED THINKING OF THE BLIND AND LOW VISION COMMUNITY TO AS A WAY TO EXPERIENCE A SOLAR ECLIPSE WITH SOUND. HARVARD ASTRONOMER ALLISON BURLEIGH SAYS THE LIGHT SOUND PROJECT STARTED WITH A PROTOTYPE FOR THE SOLAR ECLIPSE IN 2017. THE DEVICE HAS BEEN IMPROVED SINCE THEN, BUT THE BASIC CONCEPT REMAINS THE SAME A TOOL TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY, AND IT WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE DURING THE ECLIPSE ON APRIL 8TH. THIS IS A WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE SOLAR ECLIPSE ALTERNATIVELY, DIFFERENTLY. THAT BRINGS A COMMUNITY THAT SOMETIMES FEELS LEFT OUT IN EARLY ON AND NOT AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. AND I THINK THAT’S A BIG PART OF ACCESSIBILITY. WHILE WE CAN’T GIVE YOU AN EXACT PREVIEW OF WHAT THE APRIL 8TH ECLIPSE WILL SOUND LIKE, WE DID WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE PREVIEW USING ONE OF OUR TV LIGHTS. NOTICE WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE AS WE CHANGE THE INTENSITY. TAKE A LISTEN. TEAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE BUSY MANUFACTURING LIGHT SOUND DEVICES IN TIME FOR THE ECLIPSE ON APRIL 8TH, AND WE’RE BUILDING OVER 750 OF THESE, AND WE HAVE 1600 REQUESTS AS OF YESTERDAY. SO SO WE’RE WE’RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OUT TO ALL KINDS OF GROUPS. SO SCHOOLS FOR THE BLIND, UNIVERSITIES, LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS, ANYBODY THAT’S HAVING AN EVENT, WE’RE JUST TRYING TO GET THESE DEVICES INTO THE COMMUNITIES. THE DEVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED TO RECIPIENTS FREE OF CHARGE. IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP WITH THE ASSEMBLY, THERE’S A SOLDERING WORKSHOP SATURDAY AT NEW ENGLAND SCI TECH IN NATICK. NO PRIOR SOLDERING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY. REPORTING IN CAMBRIDGE TODD KAZAKIEWICH WCVB CB.

Astronomers with Harvard and the Smithsonian have created a device that can help those with vision loss “hear” the upcoming solar eclipse. Allyson Bieryla, an astronomer with the Center for Astrophysics/Harvard and Smithsonian, describes the Lightsound device.“It’s a tool we developed, thinking of the blind and low vision community … as a way to experience a solar eclipse with sound,” she said. Bieryla said the Lightsound Project started with a prototype for the solar eclipse in 2017. The device has been improved since 2017, but the basic concept remains the same: a tool to provide accessibility, and it will play a key role during the eclipse on April 8.”This is a way to experience a solar eclipse alternatively, differently, that brings a community that sometimes feels left out – in, early on, and not as an afterthought, and I think that’s a big part of accessibility,” Bieryla said.Teams across the country are busy manufacturing Lightsound devices in time for the eclipse on April 8.”We’re building over 750 of these. We have 1,600 requests as of yesterday. So, we’re trying to get as many as possible out to all kinds of groups. So, schools for the blind, universities, libraries, museums, anybody that’s having an event,” Bieryla said.

Astronomers with Harvard and the Smithsonian have created a device that can help those with vision loss “hear” the upcoming solar eclipse.

Allyson Bieryla, an astronomer with the Center for Astrophysics/Harvard and Smithsonian, describes the Lightsound device.

“It’s a tool we developed, thinking of the blind and low vision community … as a way to experience a solar eclipse with sound,” she said.

Bieryla said the Lightsound Project started with a prototype for the solar eclipse in 2017. The device has been improved since 2017, but the basic concept remains the same: a tool to provide accessibility, and it will play a key role during the eclipse on April 8.

“This is a way to experience a solar eclipse alternatively, differently, that brings a community that sometimes feels left out – in, early on, and not as an afterthought, and I think that’s a big part of accessibility,” Bieryla said.

Teams across the country are busy manufacturing Lightsound devices in time for the eclipse on April 8.

“We’re building over 750 of these. We have 1,600 requests as of yesterday. So, we’re trying to get as many as possible out to all kinds of groups. So, schools for the blind, universities, libraries, museums, anybody that’s having an event,” Bieryla said.

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Astronomers’ device lets people with vision loss ‘hear’ solar eclipse