This place is specially dedicated to ask and answer question
related to THE AUXEL PROJECT.

Thank you for your interest in this lovely project. .

NOTE: you may email me your questions, querries, suggestion on omkar.nisal@gmail.com

cheers and Thanks!
Omee

YES! Very much so!

We have already tested this method to be working and infact has so far deliverd the best results.

Yes, we have tested AUXEL to be working fine on the actual blind people!

(many people ask this (and many similar) question(s) when we tell them about the project..
well.. the list of the names would be very big moreover, who remembers the nay-sayers anyway? ) ;)

Renuka's Questions

My Dear People!!

Lovely to see you here!!!

Thanks alot for taking time to make yourself aware of this project ! I am very sure that at least one blind person's life and thus inturn many people around him/her would be positively changed through you! You now simply will ask even a stranger who is blind to contact AUXEL team in order to bring light and colors in that person's life! Thank you (in advance) for the same! :) Cheers!

Renuka Prasad sent some questions and thus this (AUXEL'S FAQ) Blog is alive again!!

This post (and I guess all other questions sent to me on my email omkar.nisal@gmail.com will be first replied to the sender.. and that reply will be pasted out here.. just like this one! )

Renuka: I've some questions. Plz don't mind for bad questions?
Omee: I love questions! so you actually made me happy with all the questions! (I dont believe there is any 'bad' question so please feel free to ask me more! I love them .. cuz not only they make one think.. but also .. new ideas can spring to life, even sometimes solving earlier problems! so keep them coming! )

Renuka: 1.How much it may cost per individual to train as wellas use?
Omee: The current (prototype) software is ofcourse free!and can be installed by any one on their pc .. (good size doanloading of some software and installation is required.. but these softwares are also free!)

We are planning to register this softare under General Public User's liscence. We are working to make the training software available for free on website ( to avoid any installation of software even!)

I personally will train people .. who in turn can train others,.. and my students can then even train their students to train yet others!

Well,in short ... training the fundamentals is very easy.. and probably take a couple of weeks only! also I dont believe there would be any expense doing this!

now about usage: we are working to make two prototypes

1> This prototype will involve using a camera enable java mobile phone ( mostly nokia 6020 which happens to be the cheapest camera phone which allows new java application to be run on it)

NOTE: We are looking for java programmers who can help us convert our original (PC based software) into mobile version.. for nokia phone(s) as well as for the mobile phones of other companies (sony/samsung/siemens/ etc).

This software which will use the live streaming videos from digital camera inside the phone... and use the headphones of the camera phone...

would be again ..

yes!!

you guessed it right..

FREE!!

:)

Although this software is basically being made (well.. it 'will be made' when we find some one to help uswith the mobile phone programming..) for the portable device prototype.. it can be used as a regular software by the user. and if they have a camera enabled mobile phone.. then well.. they do not need to spend a single $ to overcome their handicap!

Only time and effort is what will be needed from them! ( I believe which is very little price to pay for what they are getting in return)

2> now to the second part.. Independent hardware device...

now thats where our amazing goggle will come in picture!

**** How I wish I could give these 269 million goggles free to entire blind population of Earth ****

NOTE: If you happen to have a capacity to sponsor even ONE goggle (or even a part of a goggle) for some one.. Kindly inform us !! We will keep ur name in our database and let u know when we actually are ready with a prototype and estimate cost per piece! TOGETHER all of us can make a lot of difference indeed!!! )

Well, the cost of a goggle will greatly depend on :

1. the components used for making the circuitry
2. the quantity of pieces manufatured
3. help from NGOs and other global organisations
4. donations from people
5. mode and place of product delivery (try sending this goggle to remote corner of african desert... and yes.. in one piece! the transport, handling, packing, traning manual in their language.. etc..)
6. Add-on things: On our beautiful planet still there are places with no electricity.. God know how will they recharge the batteries! May be we will have to provide them with a solar electricity generation panels instead of glasses... :)

(actually I am thankful that there are still such places! Peace!! but from this point of view.. well... we cant email them u see.. forget email.. we cant even contact them via low tech.. outdated means of communications .. radios. Arent we are so lucky!! any way... coming back to the point..)

This all (and hopefully nothing else) will decide the cost of these devices!
OH ofcourse if anything else is going to reduce the price... Roll........... the red carpet!!! ;)

Well, the target is to price these goggles for about 10$ to 20$ ( roughly500 to 1000 Indian Rs)
(good target .. aint it!) ;)

Only mass production can do this magic!And trust me! It is very much possible!

But I would be even happy if it comes to.. about.. 150$ to 200$ (7,500 to 10,000 Indian Rs)

I dont think even 20$ is too much to pay for having your vision back! ( that too in so many colors!)

I just am hoping that this will reach the people in developing countries.. cuz 90% of blind people in the world are there!

Renuka: 2.Can u please put a video file capturing the training as well as usage of the goggle? ( It really makes people believe in u )

Omee: Goggle's video will take time to be made.. cuz first the goggle has to be made!

Training video... yes that can be arranged.... infact i was thinking of putting my smiling face before the camera and personally explain everything so that people can then sit back and relax while they know more about auxel project...

{HEY YOU PEOPLE! Who would u like to see on the introductory video? ME? or some cute looking gal instead!?? (There ofcourse are plenty of "jaws-drop-in-awe" kinda females around... but I hope I can get some one to do that this for you guys, if u vote for her!)
Does any one have Angelina Jolie's mobile phone number??? hehehhehehee ;) }

Thanks for your question on videos.... i will now take that up sooner now! and yes ofcourse the training video! ( HEY !! you know... blind people can not see the mess in my room.. at least untill they learn this language and start using their own devices so they are happy.. but the whole world ... well you sighted people can turn a 'blind' eye to it! ) Hehhheehheeh! ;)

Renuka: 2.Is there any mailing list to support its development activities?
Omee: thats a brilliant idea! i will make it! infact.... wait a minute... let me create a group right
now! lo! its created! you have been invited already! THANK YOU RENUKA!!! :)
any more suggestions on this lines... please tell me in details....
Guys, please send a blank email to auxel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
to keep urself updated!
Those who want to have a look at the group... feel free... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auxel/
(Currently nothing there.. but it will soon be alive with lots of activity !)

Renuka: 3.When it is started?

Omee: umm...

now thats a tough question!

infact that would involve asking ... what exactly would 'starting' mean...

it has been about 2 to 3 years now that i was thinking about doing this project, collecting information, finding out similar project globally,. and improving this idea mentally,

.... I actually started meeting people about a year ago, to get more info about technology and blind people to understand their thinking and attitude etc...

It has been about 3-4 months that I have started working on it full time!

Prototype software was ready and the training started this week!

Now what exactly which time frame were u looking for?
Take a pick ! (or ask me if u want to know anything else/any other time frame!)

Renuka: 4.what is the current status?

Omee: kindly visit http://auxel.blogspot.com/ and scroll down .. you will find the update
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am already you big fan! hehehehee

ok jokes apart...
ps: since u asked such lovely questions.. I am putting your questions on AUXEL FAQs blog Now AUXEL FAQs blog was put off list cuz there were hardly any questions! Renuka, thank you ! you rekindled the life of AUXEL'S FAQ Blog! :D
GUYS!

I hope you liberally shower more and more questions! ( and encourage your friends to ask more questions too! )

What will you earn out of this?

Aaaah! We love this question!

:)

Our target is to make AUXEL so cheap and easily avialable that blind person should prefer it than getting a white stick or any other aid, anywhere and everywhere in the world!

Also, we know and TOTALLY trust laws of Nature! "What ever we give to others .. we will have more of it!"

We know that we are giving new life to others. We know that blind people will be more confident, loved, have lots of freedom, be independent, and ofcourse be much much much better off with our offering.

Since we are doing something worthwhile we are sure that the entire world would take care of us! :) More money than we will ever need or want will always keep coming to us!

and lets also consider the WORST case scenario..

if no one care to even thank us,
if no one asks us what our dreams are,
if no one asks if they can help fulfil our personal dreams,
if no one share their material fortune with us,
if no one even remebers us,

well...

in that case....

We can always smile and say "SO what!?? " !!

:)

Life is already so amazing, and we and those around us are so proud and respect us just while working to make a difference in someone's life!!

And after we do! We know we will be on seventh heaven!

In fact we already are celebrating and having so much of fun!! :)

Some one said: "Most of the blind people might never meet us.." Well I hope this does not happen! We do hope to meet most of the blind people!

and of course those blind people and their loved ones who do meet us...

will see our super-wide-smiling faces.. of course with some happy tears rolling down our cheeks!

:)

By the way.. Isnt that greatest of all kinds and amounts of earnings?

(Enquirer of this question requested to withhold her name)

Crystal's Questions

rystal : Do let me know if there is anything i can do from my side.

Crystal : Do let me know how & when ud like me to chip in.

Omee: Well u can start today! You can help :
1. find blind people any where in the world! all are welcome!
2. find java programmers (and/or mobile phone programmers)
3. you can learn the language and teach it blind people yourself!

Crystal :there's this blind beggar iv been seeing since so many years who religiously goes upto a certain spot at a certain time every day & goes back to wherever he's come from. will he qualify??

Omee: ofcourse he does! He is blind.. he qualifies! How does it matter what he does!??? (What he has done in his life so far is his business!and similarly what he does for living is his business too!) Ofcourse we are literally opening thousands of new possible activites for him to do and make a living doing them! He will have lots more choices after learning AUXEL language .With our (all of us, including you and me!) encouragement, guidance, education and suport, I believe he might not choose to beg there after! :)

Crystal : What are they able to do once they'v learnt ur program??

Omee: well he can do everything that you and me (sighted people) can do!:) probably not at the same speed or accuracy, probably not everything ( he may not be allowed to be a commercial driver or a pilot for example) but I believe that if some one determinded enough to do it... even that can achieved. I know it sounds too far fetched but yes it CAN be done with lot and lots and lots of hard works. It is not IMPOSSIBLE! :)

Renuka's Questions Part #2

enuka: 1.Any personal buisness stratergy involved in this project?
[ yes/no with explanation ]

Omee: oh yes! strategy is involved for sure! but I dont know if I should call it 'business' .. I will let YOU decide.. cuz any way you want to judge!

You read about the law of nature.. didnt you? "What you sow is what you reap"

I am working to give to the people something that will help them make their personal dreams come true.( They currently might not even know that THIS is what will make their dreams come true!)

And I totally believe that .. this SOWING of dreams and making difference is DEFINTIELY DEINITELY going to reap me super rich rewards as HARVEST. So my personal dreams will automatically come true!

Now if you ask me.. how.. then.. well, I too dont know! and I dont even want to know! (uncertanity hold INFINITE potential and possibilities u see!)

I am sure that it will change my entire life! (In fact it is already changing at surprising pace!)

All said and done... even if I 'sell' the devices for some price.. I will 'sell' it at no-profit no loss basis. and even if some 'profit' is taken from people who are well off (with their conscent ofcourse) ... then this profit will be used to supply these devices to people who may not be able to afford it.

So if u were a venture capitalist and if THIS was my 'business strategy' I am sure you would have stayed as away from me as possible! :P

My gf married some one else just because I am much more interested in helping others than helping myself! She did not believe in that law of nature and probably ran out of patience!

Renuka: 2.Is ideas,software code(infact everything) going to be kept open &
anybody can access at any point of time[ like gnu opesource license]?

Omee: Its open to all .. already! I guess half of the world might have the code already! and if any one wants.. feel free to ask for it! I dont know much about GNU license.. one of my friends said its good to do it.. so well believing in him I can say.. cool .. lets get it!

Any way I dont think any sane commercial company will spend time,and resouces trying to first make and then sell something which is freely available. ... and any way.. a newer different electronic circuit can any time be designed at dirt cheap price!

If for example any company even decides to make these devices and market them better than what we can, then .. boy Hats off to that company! I would willingly HELP them make profit for themselves! Our world definitely needs such efficient companies! And they would be doing a great cause any ways! well.. and I can move on to the next challenge! (There are so many areas where this creativity and talent can be of use!)

Renuka: 3.What personal benefits ur expecting frm the outcome of this project(apart frm name, bcause almost everyone wants this)?

Omee: oh lots of it! like I said earlier.. I dont know HOW!
I can already see money flying to me in increasing quantities from all parts of the world!!! Just as gift, or token of appreciation or simply a reward for my good work!

(Some blind girls are INSISTING me to put a price tag on the software and hardware.. infact they were even asking me to put it on training too! Thinking and looking around obviously proves that price tags make things easier.. but I personally dont like putting price tag on it! So I havent. I wont. )

Now, I dont know if I will make use of my fame for any commercial benefit... But even if I do.. well.. I dont think any one in their right frame of mind .. should mind it!

You know, its my dream to walk on the best ramps of the world.. and when some one invites me to do it.. I surely would do it ! and when they pay a hundred thousand dollars for a weeks work,I dont think I will refuse the money! ;)

I know I will be getting lots of gifts in various various forms from people for doing good work.

People have already started to invite me to their homes! People are also ready to sponsor my visit to their home places so that I can help blind people there! and well.. if you want to call these and such entities as 'personal benfits'!

Well yes I will be getting alot of them! Infact they have already started to come .. and boy I did not expect them to be coming to me so soon or increasingly more and more.. so fast! :) I am of course thankful for them all!

Most importantly... I believe my MOST IMPORTANT 'personal benefit' is the loving and kind treatment I get from every one who knows that I am toling to make a difference in peoples live. One can take away from me all the material things if one want.. I would not care! But no one can take away from me these intangeble things that are so splendid and make up for a wonderful life on Earth!

Renuka: I really support for u with one thing in mind:
"The dream of product should be a deliverable to blind people at rural masses with affortable cost[as u said, max 1000 Rs ] giving light to their darkenlife".Ofcourse, if it is really not possible, u can expect support from others.

Omee: oh its impossible do ANY thing alone! let alone any a lofty target!

All possible sources in all possible people can make all possible difference!
:)

Renuka: Really sorry if the above questions hurted ur feelings.

Omee: naaaah! infact I had fun answering them!
:) hope u had fun too!
Let me know if u havent understood any part of it or are confused..

Gargi's Questions

Gargi: it's not that i dont see what u mean but any third person or laymam/comon man will think that how can u manage it without getting anyhing n working full time on it, after all everybody needs to fulfil it's needs. i think renuka also wanted to ask something like this. so see if u can put something for that, i donno if i'm clear, or if i'm too straight, just try to take rt out of it.

Omee: Let me try to rephrase my answer and lets see if it is easier to understand....

ok here it is:

1. "Our family manufacturing business and investments are good enough to support our family and probably even my kids and my brother's kids, and that is one MAJOR reason I am not worried about money. My parents and my brother are currently looking after it.. and if need arises I too would join in it. I am already a legal partner of the company, but I am focusing my time on this project fully."

Ps: Neither of us are even married yet! [ So no kids either! :-) ] and I am happy being single! :P

2. I look around and study ultra successful people... I find that ALL of them they have one thing in common:

They find a need and fill it with a serving heart. I met many successful people and also met with people who are doing/have done this study. All of them agree on it. Most of the ultra successful people dont care about the results (although they know that results WILL be there in their life some day or other.. but they are not workign for results) ... they are simply enjoying the process of serving. LOT OF people are a lot better because of their service/product.

3. Honestly, I am just copying their thinking and their wonderful attitude! :) I am sure you see me doing the same thing!

Ofcourse I had to do lot of soul searching to find out what it is that I love doing.. and when I finally found out that "Helping people" is what my life is all about! Then I had to be specific... so
"Using technology to help people, especially natrually/accidentally challenged people" is "it" !

and THATS precisely what I am doing! :)

4. I started for visually challenged people, soon there is a solution for people who have difficulty hearing, as well as those who have difficulty hearing as well as hearing.

So you see its the PROCESS of doing what I love to do, thats marvellous and enchanting!

Who cares if I dont get money out of this!?? may be some people do! NOT ME! :) most people dont even know how much joy it is in DOING dedicately what one really really really loves to do!

5. One more important thing:
I am just happy that I will have millions of friends all over the world!

Just imagine... there are disabled people in almost every nook and corner of the world!
I know I can make a tremendous positive difference to their lives, permanently!

Let me ask you a simple question:

Assume that you are in my place... and you have a choice to

1. Make yourself a millionaire by selling this and having a millions of customers.

or

2. befriend millions of people... ( and they are so wonderful creations of God!)

What would your choice be!?

Well.. that is YOUR choice! (whatever it is! I am happy for you! cheers! )

I have lived with lots of money.
I have lived with out money.

I have lived with out any friends.
I also have lived with lots of friends...

Money does not matter when I dont have any friends.
Little money does lots of wonders when I am surrounded by noble friends.

my PERSONAL pick is #2 .. I want friends everywhere I go!

:)

Gargi : n secondly what i think is anything given for free has no value in peoples mind. so if u can charge something may b for fund raising for future production of goggles etc. or some work share promise as further progress of trainers chain if not money, or some form of input instead of getting it free.
anyform of help as per who has what best to offer, but not free as far as possible.i hope u get me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bye. tc. [:)]

Omee:
Take a deep breath and exhale slowly..... feel the air you exhale on your had....
Drink a glass full of water, listen to the birds singing., relax under a tree in shade, smile, gesture encouragingly..
it wont cost you or the reciver anything.

Best things and essential in life are usually free. :)

....alrite we pay taxes/charges for water supply.. but its for filtering the water... and to get it in ur homes... not for water by itself. ;)

[Infact I plan to work for/with/help/make organisation for making basic necessitites of life free for all .. every one on this planet! Thanks to Archis Gore for introducing this concept to me! So that atleast our future generations whould not have to be worried about SURVIVING on this lovely planet!]

About the future projects, and fund raising for goggles.. : (this would be the first instruction with goggle)

"Dear ___ (reciver of the of goggles) ... you surely are not paying anything for this device, BUT this does NOT mean that it is free!

You are recieving this goggle because some one has already paid for it on your behalf!

If you would like to share the gift of vision you have just recieved, then simply help others get this device too."

HOw does this sound to you? :) Nice! isnt it!

Well, people are basically kind hearted. They like to help others.

And what could be a better service for me and all AUXEL team members to do, than giving people more and more opportunity to people of serving others!?

Trust me people really want to help others!

( Hey look at yourself for instance! :) you wont be reading all the way though this write up unless you are so eager to help! so dont worry! )

:)

"Value in people's mind" is indeed that! Its the level of importance in THEIR MINDS!!!
and only they themselves have control on it! Others can merely suggest / inform!
Price tag may help to increase the percieved value in general public's minds....

There are at least 100,000 people who are visually challenged.. who simply might can not afford basic
living expense... forget about the hardware.. forget about the software in this hard ware!

I pray to God to enlighten the understanding of the people who can not value something that is going to benefit their own life .. just because it is available free! I dare to call such people ignorant.

I rather work to reach out,help and care about these 100,000 people ( I some how believe that there just might be many more people like that) ... than trying to knock some sense in ignorant people's heads!

and any way.. even if ONE person in the world was to be benfited by this project. I would still do it. (yes free!)
JUST to see that radiantly graceful smile on his/her face! :)

about help from others

You know.. a wet noodle is far too difficult to push ... and its far too easier to pull! Have you noticed this!?

Simliarly.. its terribly terribly difficult to make some one help others!

And why even bother doing that when we have soooo many amazing people all around us who are
so eager, enthusiastic about helping other. Most of them usually and frequenty go out of their way and help others!
Time and again this has been my experience as well as that of most of my friends!

Yes 99% of people are basically nice and and remaininig 1% although may not appear to be nice.. they are indeed human being with messed up thinking... and once that thining is cleared out.. they too realise that they are nice and start behaving nicely. (For more details on this.. kindly contact Guruji on www.srisri.org or http://www.srisriravishankar.com/ )

http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/feb/20inter1.htm 'The overwhelming problem is terrorism' & 'Basically people are good'

There are so many people eager to help in various forms from all over the world. Money, guidance, some want to learn and teach it to other, some want to help blind people contact auxel team, some want to help install the software, some want to buy them a mobile phone (or even the hardware when its ready) , some want to help create the software, some want to help by telling this to as many people as they can, some want to help in project for deaf people, some helping me use better words ("Avoid using the world 'blind' instead say 'visually challenged'), some want to simply thank me and auxel team , some want me to come to their home and help me help the people in their area, some want to .. list in endless.. and ever growing!

WOW!

Life is so wonderful! !!!

Lets celebrate life!!

:)

I am so very glad that you have already started celebrating and enjoying it with us!

cheers
Omee,

On behalf of,
Auxel Team