Oregon-based companies Vernier Software & Technology LLC (Beaverton) and ViewPlus Technologies Inc. (Corvallis) have received a $500,000 SBIR Phase II award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop technology that enhances hands-on science learning for students affected by blindness and low vision.

The companies will use the award to further develop Talking LabQuest, the first portable scientific data collection device equipped with text-to-speech technology to help students in science laboratory classrooms.

Talking LabQuest is being developed in partnership with HumanWare Inc. of Drummondville, Quebec and Independence Science LLC of Indianapolis, Indiana.

For more, see Inside INdiana Business.