Archive for March, 2008
Monday, March 31st, 2008
CTIA Wireless has recognized a product that will aid the visually impaired community..
From Business Wire…
iVisit SeeStar offers persons who are visually impaired access to a remote sighted assistant. Using a camera enabled PDA phone visually impaired users can transmit live video to remote assistants on a desktop computer who can in turn provide audio guidance to describe the user’s surroundings, pointing the location of salient landmarks, pathways to destinations, or locating and recognizing objects and signs.
When any Access Technology product is recognized by the mainstream, this aids development for future products.
- Developers realize their is a market
- Programmers become interested in working on new technology
- Users receive a useful and affordable product ()If marketed to multiple segments of the population
Good luck iVisit! I hope to hear more about this in the future.
Sunday, March 30th, 2008
Sounds like people are beginning to pay attention to the dangers presented by quiet cars. Hopefully it won’t take a tragic accident to get the issue resolved.
From the L.A. Times article:
Concerns are growing that quiet-running hybrids such as the Prius pose a hazard to pedestrians, especially the 1.3 million Americans who are legally blind.
The article goes on to mention a study done to determine the distance at which a person can hear a hybrid car.
"Our preliminary findings could mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars, particularly at intersections and parking lots," said Lawrence Rosenblum, a psychology professor doing the study.
That’s what kills me, studies to prove something already known. Well, I guess it’s still moving in the right direction.
Read the article here…
Sunday, March 30th, 2008
Tune into ACB Radio tonight to hear Mary Ann Alexander and T.Reid discuss the MCCB initiatives to improve the voting process in Monroe County for people who are visually impaired and blind.
The show can be heard by going to the below link and selecting the appropriate media player.
Show startes at 9 PM Eastern on Sunday March 30th.
Follow this link to the Marlaina Show…
[Cross posted at MCCB Online.]
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
Bashir Ramathan lost his sight in 1995, but decided to continue boxing.
How does a blind person box?
From the article…
Both he and his opponents are blindfolded in matches, putting them on a more equal level.
…
"Boxers fear to compete against him blindfolded because Bashir can sense faster than others and is very sharp," Semboze says.
Read more…
Saturday, March 22nd, 2008
Now this Big Dog from the team at Boston Dynamics, is the guide dog for me.
- No scoopin’ the poop
- No Allergies
- No worries…
What is it?
BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads.
The project is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) which I presume means this will be a military tool/weapon.
If at some point these are used as service "dogs", well I am signing up.
Wednesday, March 19th, 2008
Shout out to 7-11 for committing to accessibility in their stores.
A recent press release states that the franchise has begun implementing tactile Point of Sales devices in all locations. Even further, they have committed to ATM accessibility.
From the press release:
Speaking for the organizations, ACB President Mitch Pomerantz praised 7-Eleven, saying, "Blind customers across the country will benefit from 7-Eleven’s decision to replace technology that cannot be used by customers who cannot see information on a flatscreen."
Let’s hope others follow suit.
Wednesday, March 12th, 2008
No, not me!
Following the resignation of Governor Spitzer, the Lt. Gov. David Patterson will take over the helm.
From his NY State home page;
In 2002, David Paterson was elected minority leader of the New York State Senate, the first non-white legislative leader in New York’s history. In 2004 in Boston, he became the first visually impaired person to address a Democratic National Convention. And 2006 saw Mr. Paterson make history again by being elected New York’s first African-American lieutenant governor.
Now add to his bio, the first African American and legally blind Gov.
This would normally be the part of the story where the writer would say something like – he has achieved so much despite his limitations.
Well you won’t get that from me.
Keep doing what you do, Governor!
Sunday, March 2nd, 2008
Check out Zip Car Sharing Service.
From zipcar.com:
Zipcars live near where you work and play. MINIs, trucks, hybrids and SUVs available by the hour or day—gas and insurance included.
With the climbing cost of fuel (said to be approaching $4 by summer) and the "Green" movement, this is a great option especially to those in cities.
The Zip team should think about offering chauffeurs as a way to extend their product into a growing market (non driver‘s)
- People with Disabilities
- Seniors
Offer accessible vans, additional chauffeur services like door-through -door assistance and I can see this being very valuable to many.
They could even market the service to fast pace business travelers and those who want to feel like they are Donald Trump for a weekend.
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