Interesting reading and wondering what company is going to provide the firmware package:
Wells Fargo, California Council of the Blind Announce Nation's First Plan for Talking ATMs
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 1999--Wells Fargo and the California Council of the Blind announced today what they believe to be the first plan in the nation for developing and installing talking ATMs.
The plan calls for Wells Fargo to pilot 20 talking ATMs in the Bay Area and Los Angeles and San Diego counties. After the successful completion of the pilot next year, Wells Fargo will begin to
install a talking ATM at each of the more than 1,500 Wells Fargo ATM locations in California.
The technology, still in development, will give voice instructions to users who cannot read information on an ATM screen, on how to deposit money, withdraw cash, transfer funds and buy stamps. The ATMs will have audio jacks to deliver voice information privately to protect the security of blind and low vision users.
''Wells Fargo has shown a tremendous commitment to the blind and low vision community, more than any other financial services company in the nation that we know of,'' said Catherine Skivers, president of the California Council of the Blind. ''They've worked hard with us to improve access to their ATMs for a very important segment of customers.''
''Our number one priority is customer service,'' said Terri Dial, Wells Fargo's head of retail banking in California. ''We've been following the development of this promising technology and we look
forward to testing and rolling out talking ATMs and to working closely with the California Council of the Blind to improve ATM access for vision impaired customers.''
The California Council, with 46 chapters statewide, is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Four blind individuals; the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Berkeley; the law
firm of Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak & Baller, Oakland; and the Law Office of Elaine B.Feingold, Berkeley; also participated in the planning.
In California, Wells Fargo -- a diversified financial services company -- provides banking, insurance,investments, mortgages, and consumer finance from more than 1,300 stores and other distribution
channels.
Contact:
Wells Fargo
Larry Haeg, 415/396-3070
Lainey Feingold, 510/848-8125
Leni Doyle, 510/763-9800 |
