Hollywood Honors Harris Corp. with Vision Award For New Technology That Enables the Visually Impaired to ``See'' Movies.Business & Entertainment Editors/High-Tech Writers NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo & Logo are available in a Smart News Release(TM) on Business Wire's Home Page at www.businesswire.com and at www.newstream.com BEVERLY HILLS Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 28, 2001 Harris Corporation Harris Corporation NYSE: HRS is an international communications equipment company that produces wireless equipment, electronic systems, and both terrestrial and spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :HRS), an international communications equipment company, tonight will receive a special award for an innovative new technology that allows the visually impaired to hear what sighted people see on television. The Vision Awards(TM) are presented annually to organizations and individuals who further the development of the creative arts for the blind and visually impaired. The award program is sponsored by Retinitis Pigmentosa Retinitis Pigmentosa Definition Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited disorders that slowly lead to blindness due to abnormalities of the photoreceptors (primarily the rods) in the retina. (RP) International, a non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. dedicated to fighting degenerative eye diseases for more than 28 years. Harris is being presented the first Outstanding Achievement Award for Technology for its adaptation of the Broadband Content Distribution System (BCDS BCDS British Contact Dermatitis Society BCDS Bulk Chemical Distribution System (semiconductor manufacturing ) at the 28th Annual Vision Awards, taking place tonight in Beverly Hills, California. The award is being accepted by Bruce Allan, president of Harris' Broadcast Communications business, at a star-studded ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Harris has been collaborating with TheatreVision(TM), a non-profit subsidiary of RP International, on the use of Harris' BCDS technology and TheatreVision(TM) technology. BCDS is a unique system for encoding and decoding of supplemental data, such as audio, into a video stream. For TheatreVision(TM), Harris developed a BCDS encoding system and a set-top box for television that decodes a TheatreVision(TM) descriptive audio track encoded within the TV program content. Through earphones, the user hears a narrative description of the action on screen. "This revolutionary new technology brings to the blind audience descriptions of what is occurring on screen - moments they would be completely left out of otherwise," said Helen Harris, president and founder of The Vision Awards. "There are 31 million visually impaired people in the United States, and many more around the world, who could benefit from this technology." Harris engineers developed the technology in the company's Government Communications Systems business in Palm Bay, Florida Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The city estimated its population at 107,538 on 28 July 2007;[3]; it is the most populous city in the county. . The business has more than 50 years of experience providing advanced electronics for the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies. Harris also is the leading developer of digital systems for the emerging era of digital television and HDTV (High Definition TV) A set of digital television (DTV) standards that offer the highest resolution and sharpest picture. Although some HDTV sets are available in standard (rather square) screen sizes, the overwhelming majority of sets are wide screen, which eliminates (High Definition Television). "BCDS was an outgrowth of the broadband technology that Harris has developed for sophisticated defense communications," said Rich Folio, director, Research and Development, Harris GCSD GCSD Groveland Community Services District (Groveland, CA) GCSD Government Communications System Division GCSD Gladwin County Sheriff Department (Michigan) . "I am pleased that we have succeeded in adapting the BCDS technology into a product that TheatreVision(TM) can use to help the visually-impaired enjoy a fuller movie-watching experience" Continuing its collaborative efforts with TheatreVision(TM), Harris also is adapting the BCDS technology for use in movie theaters. Individual theaters would download the appropriate audio from the Internet or via other channels to an on-site system that synchronizes the descriptive track to the movie being shown. Industry observers believe there are additional markets for this technology in delivering a variety of digital audio and video services. "Harris has a long history of technical innovation in both the defense and broadcast industries," said Mr. Allan. "We are especially gratified grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. that this technology will enrich the lives of the visually impaired, and we are excited by the potential offered by BCDS in other applications in the communications industry." Harris Corporation is an international communications equipment company focused on providing product, system, and service solutions that take its customers to the next level. The company provides a wide range of products and services for wireless, broadcast, network support, and government markets. Harris has sales and service facilities in more than 90 countries. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at http://www.harris.com. 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