Talking Color Detector Types and Brands

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/01/17 - Updated: 2024/04/05
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Disability Visual Aids - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Information on Talking Color Detectors or identifiers designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low or poor vision. Color Detectors can be very useful in identifying clothing colors and products.

Introduction

Talking Color Detectors are color identifiers designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low or poor vision. The user can adjust the volume or select more than one language. Color Detectors can be very useful in identifying clothing colors and products.

The device can usually also announce the shades and tints of a color as well, such as dark brown, blue-green or pale pink. They work by interpreting saturation, hue and lightness to determine the correct color.

Main Content

Types and Brands

Color Talk

A color identifier designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision.

The user positions the device on the surface of the material whose color is to be identified, and presses a button. The sensor then identifies the color and speaks the color name.

Approximately 220 colors can be distinguished using 13 standard colors and qualifiers for lightness, saturation, and hue.

The unit calibrates itself when used, so the correct information for each color is given.

Colorino Talking Color Identifier

Device for detecting colors and identifying sources, and distinguishing intensities and natural from artificial light.

Speaks clearly at three volumes and has an earphone jack.

Uses two AAA batteries and can be connected to a computer for downloading software updates.

Color Teller

The Color Teller from Brytech Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada, is a talking color identifier that helps those who are blind or have a color vision impairment to determine the color of materials or objects.

Announces all the common colors, plus many tints and shades like pink, pale blue-green, dark brown and vivid yellow.

It is 6 inches long, about 3 ounces and is very durable.

Color Teller allows you to set up the unit to suit your needs. It has three volume levels, English, French and Spanish language selection, two levels of color announcement detail and operates with the single press of a button.

Speechmaster Talking Color Identifier

Identifies colors by naming the color and intensity (e.g., 'light green').

Speaks in a male voice.

Hold detector nozzle against the surface being examined.

Can also be used as a light detector. Ergonomically designed for right and left handed users.

ColorTest 150

A small pocket-size device that is rectangular in shape and fits quite comfortably in the hand.

On the front are two round buttons, quite distinguishable from each other because one is slightly indented.

At one end is a sensor that must be firmly pressed against the item you wish to examine. The sensor will translate the data it sees into speech, which then tells you what color it has just detected.

Cobolt Color Detector

Cobolt Systems recently released its talking color detector. Simply hold the unit against the color you wish to determine. Wait for a few seconds and you should hear the voice tell you what it has seen. The detector will repeat the color it has found until you turn off the device, or find something else to examine.

Talking Color Detectors are portable and can be used on various surfaces, including paper, cloth, wood, or plastic, and also on natural objects. In addition software is now available to add the features of a color identifier to many brands of camera equipped mobile or cell phones.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.