Increasing Access to Print On-the-Go with Neptune

Looking for lightweight, portable, easy reading on the go? Look no further than Neptune. A scan and read device, Neptune provides users with quick and accurate results. While it is not a magnification device like some readers, Neptune has a unique ability to produce correct readings of printed documents much faster than traditional readers. “That’s one of the things that makes Neptune a standout over some of the other things that are scan and read devices on the market- the accuracy,” said APH Product Manager Lee Huffman.  

The device itself includes a 13-inch lightweight screen, making the weight of the entire product only 4 pounds. With portability in mind, Neptune comes with a carrying case designed to serve multiple different needs of transportation. Fitted with a shoulder strap, crossbody function, and traditional handles, the case can be carried by users with varying abilities. The case also has a strap across the back that allows it to slide seamlessly over rolling backpacks or pieces of luggage. This device can be handled easily by students from classroom to classroom, adults entering the workplace, or older adults that want a scan and read option as they navigate their daily life.  

Users with varying vision levels can also utilize different elements of Neptune to support their specific needs. The screen, which comes with the device, is a high-contrast screen with adjustable font, foreground, and background colors to allow for easier reading. There are several high contrast color combinations, as well as adjustable font sizes. Along with visual screen adjustments, the reading speed can be altered. However, the screen is not a necessary piece of the device. The device can be used seamlessly without a screen for users who would not benefit from one. The display may add convenience if the product is being used around sighted parents or peers, but because it is not essential to the function of Neptune, users who are both blind or low vision may benefit. “The thing that makes this special is instant access to printed text. Especially if you don’t have another type of scan and read device, or if this is your first entry into these devices, it’s your first entry into material that you maybe have not been able to get to for a long time,” said Huffman. 

Neptune can operate as a tool for daily life, as well as one for learning. Alongside the adjustable reading speed, settings allow users to choose the granularity of the device’s reading. You can set your Neptune to begin reading at the top of the page and continue to the bottom, or to read by paragraph, sentence, words, or even individual characters. This allows students learning to spell or break down sentence structures an extremely close look at whatever language is on a page in front of them. While there is no internal memory on Neptune, it is compatible with a thumb drive. Therefore, students could scan entire textbooks to save on an external storage device and connect them back to Neptune as needed. In a classroom setting, for example, if a teacher assigns a reading, the student can attach the thumb drive, set the parameters of Neptune to cover only the sections which were assigned, and easily access their materials without having to sift through extra pages. 

A remote keypad is used to control the device. “The remote is one of the things during field testing that a lot of the kids liked. They felt like they had a PlayStation remote in their hand,” said Huffman. The remote was designed for easy navigation and comes in high contrast colors. It is magnetized, where it may rest on the back of the device to keep it from being easily misplaced. The battery life spans 10-12 hours with an automatic sleep mode when the product is not in use. Neptune is expected to be released in summer 2025 and will be available on our APH website!