Independence Science LLC, an Indianapolis company based in the Purdue Research Park, has 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.

Independence Science 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.

The company is developing Talking LabQuest in partnership with Vernier Software & Technology LLC of Beaverton, Ore.; HumanWare Inc. of Drummondville, Quebec, Canada; and ViewPlus Technologies Inc. of Corvallis, Ore.

For more, see Inside INdiana Business.