Free Currency Reader For The Visually Impaired

By JR MINOR

The US National Library Service for the blind and disabled has teamed up with the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing Office to provide a new currency reader called the iBill. The device is about the size of a small pocket lighter and runs on a single AAA battery. Weighing in at about 1.7 ounces with battery, the device will read any US Currency or Bank Note with an accuracy of 99.9 percent or better!

The actual size is 3.0” x 1.6” x 0.7” and it will read any US bank note inserted in any direction. It announces a note’s value in one of three ways: voice, pattern of tones, or pattern of vibrations.

Currency	Vibration Mode indicator	Tone Mode indicator
$1	1 short pulse	1 low-pitch beep
$2	2 shorts pulses	2 low-pitch beeps
$5	3 short pulses	3 low-pitch beeps
$10	1 long pulse	1 high-pitch beep
$20	2 long pulses	2 high-pitch beeps
$50	3 long pulses	3 high-pitch beeps
$100	4 pulses in short-long-short-long pattern	4 beeps in LO-HI-LO-HI pitch pattern
Error: three beeps of different pitch or a very long pulse

Or you can just choose a nice friendly female voice to smoothly announces the value, and in a loud enough tone to hear in a crowded room. The reader does not identify foreign or counterfeit banknotes.

iBill Reader can be carried in a pocket or purse, clipped to a belt, or attached to a key chain or lanyard. The initial reader does come with a standard AAA Battery but you may want to change it out for a longer lasting one for longer use time.

These new iBill Reader currency identifiers are being distributed at no cost to eligible blind and visually impaired people by the BEP. Print out and send in the applications below to apply for the iBill currency identifier.

Eligible individuals who wish to receive a free iReader device from NLS may download an application from the links below:

English [PDF: 154.19 KB / 2 p.]


Spanish [PDF: 210.50 KB / 2 p.]

Or contact them if you have additional questions or comments about the U.S. Currency Reader Program you may call (844) 815-9388 toll-free or email meaningful.access@bep.gov.