Institute R&D Director Relies on Well-Engineered Braille Products To Do Precise Scientific Work

SETI Institute Director of Research and Development Kent Cullers, Ph.D., works with complex scientific information in his daily work—the search for intelligent weak signals from the stars and a search directly for earthlike planets. Blind almost from birth, Cullers relies on highly engineered Braille assistive technologies from ViewPlus Technologies and Pulse Data International.

Kent Cullers, Ph.D., had a normal childhood, he says. "I rode a bicycle, jumped on a pogo-stick—essentially life was good." But life wasn't exactly easy from the start. Cullers was born premature. Immersion in pure oxygen saved his life, but left him totally blind.

Despite his blindness, Cullers developed confidence, scientific curiosity, and faith in his abilities at an early age. He began reading Braille at 6 years of age, was a straight-A student, a national merit scholar, class valedictorian, and in 1980 earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California Berkeley—becoming the first totally blind physicist in the United States.

After college, Cullers joined NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program which eventually led him to the SETI Institute where he is currently Director of Research and Development.

Assistive Technology Tools Essential for Precise Scientific Work

Culler's work involves, "the search for intelligent weak signals from the stars, as well as a search directly for earthlike planets." His tools of exploration are math and physics—his assistive technology includes BrailleNote by Pulse Data and the Tiger Tactile Graphics & Braille Embosser from ViewPlus Technologies.

Cullers considers his Braille tools vital to his work as a scientist. He also considers himself a lucky person who was in the right place at the right time as computer technology and assistive technology were developing. "The technology came along at the time I wanted to do physics. There was a perfect match between what I wanted to do and what the technology made possible. If you talked about doing physics as a blind person 50 years ago—the technology just wasn't there. You couldn't read your instruments; you couldn't do the mathematics—forget it."

Today, Cullers uses a Windows XP-equipped PC with text-to-speech technology in his daily work. "Speech technology is very good these days," he says, "but it can't read mathematics very well." For the long, complex, and precise mathematical expressions he deals with routinely, Cullers relies on Braille. In addition to its more routine Braille output Cullers is enthusiastic about the ViewPlus Tiger Embosser's variable-height punching feature which allows him to "view" graphics tactilely in 3-D, or to write in Braille on a detailed diagram. He is equally enthusiastic about BrailleNote products that perform all of the functions offered by a PDA for sighted people, are completely portable, and incorporate: a word processor, e-mail, a daily planner, a book reader, contact lists, scientific calculator, online help and a Web browser.

Listening to Customers Means Better Products

"BrailleNote and Tiger Embosser are spectacular technologies—they are well-designed and well-engineered products and they are effective," Cullers says. "They reflect the attitude of their manufacturers—Pulse Data and ViewPlus—people who have good ideas and who listen to their customers. They find out what the customer needs to do and what problems they might have with the technology and then they improve their products each product cycle."

Although Cullers relies on technology he calls himself "a proponent of high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech. I'm willing to do my "IO"—get the information in and out in whatever mode will work. If someone has to draw on my hand to help me understand, then that's the way I will get the information." Cullers is not a proponent of technology for technology's sake—"it must be useful, it must be cost-effective, and it must improve productivity," he says. He believes BrailleNote and Tiger Embosser are two products that do just that.

SETI Institute Supports Search for Useful Technology

Cullers says he has been well-supported by SETI Institute in his search for useful assistive technology. "I think that most business people who take the time to get informed understand what technology can do—they've seen it do magical things and I think they believe ultimately in technology and its power. The people at the SETI Institute are particularly well-informed about the usefulness of technology. And, although a non-profit, I think they are very representative of the profit-making sector—their needs are very much the same—they need efficient employees. In my case, they simply couldn't afford to have me sit off in a corner somewhere and be unable to communicate with my colleagues—it would be a complete waste of time and money."

"Although it may not be true that a blind person can do anything," Cullers says, "it's better to believe that than to focus on your limitations. The fact is, the technology is out there to allow you to do virtually any kind of job you want to."