July 8, 2023

IEEE Spectrum: Students Develop Low-Cost Wearable Device for the Visually Impaired

IEEE Spectrum: Students Develop Low-Cost Wearable Device for the Visually Impaired . “Employing computer vision techniques, students from the Ramaiah Institute of Technology’s IEEE Computational Intelligence Society chapter in Bangalore, India, developed a device to assist people who are visually impaired. OurVision is a low-cost wearable that reads text out loud to users and helps them navigate their surroundings.”

Research & Opinion 0
November 23, 2022

Stony Brook University: Researchers’ App to Increase Quality of Life for ALS Patients

Stony Brook University: Researchers’ App to Increase Quality of Life for ALS Patients. “Patients suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS, experience limited mobility and communication, leading to less personal freedom and a lower quality of life. However, two Stony Brook University professors are working to advance a multifunctional eye-gaze-based app that can help ALS patients gain back some of their lost independence.” The app is currently available (it’s free) but I think it’s still in development.

Research & Opinion 0
September 24, 2021

TechCrunch: Google powers up assistive tech in Android with facial gesture-powered shortcuts and switches

TechCrunch: Google powers up assistive tech in Android with facial gesture-powered shortcuts and switches. “Making smartphones more accessible is always a good idea, and Google’s latest features bring quick actions and navigation to people whose expressions are their primary means of interacting with the world. Project Activate and Camera Switches let users perform tasks like speaking a custom phrase, or navigating using a switch interface, through facial gestures alone.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
March 14, 2019

Make: Learn How To Design And Print Assistive Devices With This Free Course

Make: Learn How To Design And Print Assistive Devices With This Free Course. “Items like can openers, easy to grip door handles, and other simple tools can make a massive difference in people’s lives. With modern 3D printing, creating a custom tool for someone that does exactly what they need is incredibly easy, or at least it can be. PrintLab and Makers Making Change have partnered to put out this free course in designing and printing assistive devices, complete with tips on design and even tips on how to interact with someone who you’re helping (the most important tip? Listen to them).”

Useful Stuff 0
March 13, 2019

Google Blog: With Lookout, discover your surroundings with the help of AI

Google Blog: With Lookout, discover your surroundings with the help of AI. “Now available to people with Pixel devices in the U.S. (in English only), Lookout helps those who are blind or have low vision identify information about their surroundings. It draws upon similar underlying technology as Google Lens, which lets you search and take action on the objects around you, simply by pointing your phone. Since we announced Lookout at Google I/O last year, we’ve been working on testing and improving the quality of the app’s results.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
March 13, 2019

Neowin: Microsoft updates Seeing AI, now lets users explore by touch, and more

Neowin: Microsoft updates Seeing AI, now lets users explore by touch, and more . “For starters, users are now able to ‘explore’ photos by simply tapping on an image on their touch screen. The description of the objects included in the image will be read out loud, while the spatial relationship between various such entities will be described as well. Photos taken on the Scene channel, stored in the photo browser, or shared on social media can also now be explored through a menu that will be accessible through other apps.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
November 16, 2018

Quartz: There’s already a blueprint for a more accessible internet. If only designers would learn it

Quartz: There’s already a blueprint for a more accessible internet. If only designers would learn it. “The internet was a welcoming place when [Vint] Cerf conceived of it. Email, for instance, originated as an assistive device that allowed the deaf to receive messages accurately. He developed its protocols, in part, to communicate with his wife Sigrid, who is deaf. Cerf often recounts the story about how she got the proper cochlear implants quickly when she communicated with doctors via email. ‘It’s a great equalizer in that everyone, hearing and deaf, uses the same technology,’ he said to the New York Times in 1998. But as websites got flashier, the experience has quickly become a source of frustration for disabled users.”

Research & Opinion 0

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