In the era of online and telephone banking, there is a growing need for banks to remotely authenticate all customers during non face-to-face transactions and that includes the visually impaired customers.

Now, here is a device, ‘X.i.-Sign 4500’ that acts as personal authentication and signing tool based on the E.M.V. standard smart card designed specifically to meet the needs of the visually impaired banking users.

The device features a specific audio interface based on the patented ‘Chip-to-Speech’ technology of ‘XIRING’ (France), that enables the device to recite any text displayed on the screen in a clear-recorded voice, and which is accessed with a discrete earphone. Using this function, the device can ‘read out’ the one-time password calculated by the E.M.V. banking card, and also read back the transaction logs from the card so a user can audibly check the amounts charged to the card. The reader is portable and off-line so it can be used in any location as a means of on-line authentication.

It also features an oversize screen, displaying the authentication password in 7millimetre characters for the partially sighted persons. That represents twice the size of characters displayed on existing relevant devices.

When the device is turned on the first time, a special ’Discovery’ mode is activated which helps the user to learn the layout of the keyboard using audible indications, in order to memorise the position and the associated function of each key.

‘EMV’ is an acronym often referred to mean the specifications issued by EMVCo, LLC covering the operation of Smart card payment cards.