Tech & Tools

Students with Disabilities Make Beautiful Music with New Technologies

2008-08-12T22:46:00Z

As students head back to school this fall, some innovative educators across the country are making strides in the need to serve students with disabilities, including those who want to pursue an education in the musical arts. That’s where a few innovative programs and high-tech tools are entering the picture; they’re helping to transform the way people learn, not only in the classroom, but in libraries, museums, and even cyberspace.

Music Programs for Students with Disabilities
The Music and Arts Center for Humanity (MACH) in Bridgeport, CT, hosts the Summer Institute for Blind College-Bound Musicians.

“Students from around the country come to attend this one-week intensive program to study Braille music, theory, and music technology necessary for the advanced study of music at the college level,” reads the program description. “After this immersion into an academic and musical experience on a school campus, students come away with new knowledge of resources, with a confidence inspired by practicing college living, and with a network of mentors and friends to turn to for help and encouragement as they continue their education.”

The Institute is a program of the National Resource Center for Blind Musicians, a division of MACH that groups music technology for blind musicians and students into two broad categories:

• Software that works with print or Braille
• Software that allows people to produce and manipulate music as sound, including for recording studio work.

Technology for Musicians
GOODFEEL® notation software is one such suite of programs from Dancing Dots that is designed to empower musicians to automatically convert several kinds of music files to Braille. To prepare and transcribe these files with GOODFEEL, musicians do not need to know how to read Braille music.

By combining programs like GOODFEEL with other technologies, schools can meet the varying needs of students in pursuit of a music education. For instance, teachers and transcribers who want to produce a finished Braille product can scan their music using a program called Sharp-Eye.

Next, they can edit the music with a program called Lime and produce the Braille copy with GOODFEEL. Dancing Dots also sells Sibelius, a sophisticated program that can produce publisher-quality print scores.

MusicShop is a program that displays graphic notations to represent pitch and duration. It uses colored bars of varying lengths instead of traditional music notation, which can be confusing. In short, MusicShop can relate sound to what music looks like—it’s no longer limited to what it sounds like.

Though the goal of achieving a truly inclusive educational environment remains a formidable challenge, these are just a sampling of the technologies available to give musicians with disabilities the ability to compose, arrange, and edit music; proofread it (in Braille when necessary); and produce a print version.

By putting these technologies to work, students with disabilities can express themselves, compose, score, arrange, practice, and become successful musicians. And while the access to technology is important in the sense that it enables students with disabilities to pursue careers in music, it also, quite simply, is another step toward independence and inclusion.

Communicating by Brainwaves

2008-08-12T22:31:00Z

For years my brother has been saying, "Wouldn't it be great if people could just think their messages to each other?" He believes technology might hold the key to a communication technique humans don't come by naturally.

Like most great thinkers, my brother has always been just a tad ahead of his time. But, the future may come sooner than later. Soon it may be possible for people to communicate with each other—and with machines—using an implant in their brain.

There are thousands of people who, due to disease or accident, are unable to move or communicate. Inside their bodies they are vibrant and alert. To the outside world, however, they are non-responsive.

A few years ago the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, told the story of journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man who suffered from Locked-In Syndrome following a massive stroke. The only muscle he could move was in one eyelid. Through painstaking trial and error, he learned to communicate one letter at a time by blinking as the alphabet was recited by people he was "speaking" to. The letters were written down, eventually forming words and sentences. The technique was exhausting for both speaker and listener.

Some people use voice synthesis devices (www.gusinc.com/Communicators) to simulate speech, but the user has to be able to type. The physicist Stephen Hawking, for example, uses the only muscles available to him, in one finger, to type messages. The device then speaks the messages.

New research by a German neuroscientist from the University of Tübingen may be on the threshold to improving on this procedure. Dr. Niels Birbaumer (www.mp.uni-tuebingen.de/mp/index.php?id=62) has developed a device that, to date, has allowed 11 patients to communicate with a computer through brain waves alone.

Birbaumer's Thought Translation Device translates low-frequency brain waves, called slow cortical potential waves (SLP), into computer instructions. It takes a good deal of practice, but initial test subjects have been able to use the implant and a modified EEG machine to answer yes/no questions, write sentences, and do searches on the Internet.

This was not the researcher's first foray into the use of SLP waves. In 1995 Birbaumer won Germany's prestigious Leibniz Prize for his work with epilepsy sufferers. With his help, subjects learned to control their seizure activity through manipulation of their brain's electrical current. The procedure wasn't a panacea. Not all seizure activity could be prevented using the device. But, the research was encouraging enough to give the researcher ideas for various applications.

In the future, it might be possible for two or more users of these devices to "talk" directly with each other through some form of augmented telepathy. At present, the process is much too slow for such communication to be possible. A hundred characters can take almost an hour to type. But, now that Birbaumer has opened the door for brainwave communication, research into the use of faster, more reliable brain-to-computer interfaces should be possible. One hump to get past is a lack of test subjects. Even totally locked-in patients are not always eager to have their heads drilled into so a device can be implanted.

Disability Author Releases Second Edition of Popular Title

2008-08-11T18:57:00Z

It all started with ergonomics. At least that’s how Gary Karp remembers his debut on the disability writing scene. “It was my writing on-line about ergonomics that attracted Linda Lamb, the original editor of Life on Wheels to me,” recalls Karp. “She dropped me an e-mail saying that she liked the way I wrote, and wanted to meet. A year later I had a contract for Life on Wheels.”

That was in 1999. Today Karp is ramping up for the release of the second edition of this popular disability resource. And although there have been advances in technology, research, and accessibility since the release of the first edition, the need for a comprehensive volume of disability resources, tips, and first-hand advice remains constant.

And Karp fills that need with this excellent second edition, appropriately subtitled “The A to Z Guide to Living Fully with Mobility Issues.”

Due to hit bookstores at the end of August 2008, the second edition of Life on Wheels contains updated information on everything from rehabilitation and seating options to home adaptations, research, and even travel. But it’s not just a rehash of Volume One; in fact Karp did a meticulous edit of the first edition to make sure everything was updated.

For example, the chapter on wheelchair selection includes information about things that didn’t exist or were in their infancy nine years ago; from power assist and the iBot, to frog legs caster forks, Natural Fit handrims, and alternative propulsion ideas like the Wigit.

But Life on Wheels isn’t just about equipment. Karp doesn’t overlook the human aspect of disability either, as there’s a chapter about dealing with disability on an emotional level and, of course, a chapter on sex and intimacy.

In fact, it’s hard to interview Karp without talking about sex, as he’s a regular speaker about sex and disability as well as the author of Disability and the Art of Kissing. And although he admits he often tires of questions about his favorite chapter or subject, it’s readily apparent that sex comes somewhere near the top of the list.

“The chapter on sexuality and intimacy probably meant the most to me,” admits Karp. “It is such an essential feature of being human, and I know that many people with disabilities have not had access to information—or supportive attitudes—that help them find their way to an integrated sense of their sensual selves in the context of their disability.”

Karp also freely admits he has changed since the first edition, as he so profoundly explains in the preface, “I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the disability experience through a wide ranging involvement in the broader disability community.” And that change is very evident in his writing.

In short, Life on Wheels is a must-read for all wheelchair users, as well as their friends and family.

Life on Wheels is available at www.lifeonwheels.org; with a special pre-release offer until the end of August. And while you’re there, sign up for Gary Karp’s great e-mail newsletter.

Adaptive Utensils: Where to Find Them

2008-08-05T22:15:00Z

A variety of adaptive eating utensils are available for a wide range of disability needs. Some are grip and tool utensils designed for people living with specific disabilities, while others are adaptive tools that can be added to standard utensils to make them easier for people with disabilities to handle.

For eating utensils there are four basic adaptive styles available that address issues such as limited grip, restricted motion and muscle control.

The first and most common style of adaptive utensil comes in the form of wide plastic handles that enable those with difficulties gripping to get a better hold on their fork, knife or spoon. These handles are often textured to prevent slipping and also help to enhance grip by providing a texture that helps stimulate response. For people interested in these grip-related adaptations, utensils can be ordered whole, but slip-on grips designed to work with standard cutlery are also available.

Also available in the realm of adaptive eating utensils are angled utensils. These come in right and left- handed versions and are ideal for those with a limited range of motion in their arms. These are also designed with thick handles in case grip is an issue. Lefties beware: most stores carry only a limited number of left-handed tools. Call or write ahead to make sure they are in stock if your order is time sensitive.

Meanwhile, weighted utensils, both with and without thickened grips, offer options for people living with Parkinson's and other disabilities that produce muscle spasms and tremors. These heaver utensils respond less to tremors and therefore help make dining a steadier experience.

Finally, in the realm of utensils there are grip assistance tools, which help to strap standard or adaptive utensils to the hand, further helping to compensate for grip problems.

Dining tools for people living with disabilities don't stop with utensils though. Also available are no-slip place mats, suction cups to help keep standard plates and bowls in place, specially designed cups to assist those who can't tilt their heads back or need to grip beverages with two hands, splash and spill guards and uniquely shaped plates and bowls designed to make it easier to get food onto your fork or spoon.

Thanks to the Internet, finding these adaptive utensils is easy. They are available from a range of retailers, including some online drug stores and Web sites geared specifically to people living with disabilities.

See Racheline Maltese's Disaboom member profile
See Racheline Maltese's Associated Content profile

Tongues Now Controlling Mobility Devices

2008-07-25T17:27:00Z

I'm sure everyone would agree the human tongue is an amazing piece of flesh. It does a great job helping us taste food. Some would even say that it is an integral part of a good kiss. For those who are paralyzed, however, a potentially more important job has recently been given to this small, flexible organ.

Using grant money that has been provided by the National Science Foundation and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a way for those with severe mobility impairments to use their tongues to control wheelchairs, computers, and potentially, a whole slew of other devices that were previously inaccessible.

Developed under the direction of assistant professor, Maysam Ghovanloo, the Tongue Drive is simpler and yet more effective than the sip-puff system used by many mobility impaired individuals. It requires less energy from those whose breathing capabilities might be limited. It also has the potential to offer users a wider range of commands than the on/off-type switching mechanism of the sip-puff system.

The Tongue Drive is different from previous control devices in one key way. It depends on the movements of a tiny magnet, which has to be glued onto the surface of the tongue or surgically implanted into the tip. That magnet is part of a three-stage system. Sensors mounted to a headset or worn as part of an orthodontic brace detect movements of the tongue and translate them into electrical signals. The signals are then transmitted to a portable computer, which in turn translates them into commands for the device the user wishes to control.

The system has to be trained, but it can learn and adapt to the needs and abilities of the user. In this way, touching a tooth could become one command while tapping the roof of the mouth could be another.

According to Ghovanloo, the tongue was selected as the optimal placement for the magnet because the nerves that control it are generally not affected by either spinal cord injuries or disease.

Presently only two devices are capable of taking commands from the Tongue Drive system: computer pointers and wheelchair joysticks. Future versions will allow access to communication tools, giving speech impaired users better interaction with the world.

Researchers are also looking into how to deal with potential problems that may arise from unintentional movement of the tongue (during sleeping and eating, for instance). Future versions will incorporate a "sleep" command to disable the system.

If this system proves to be as effective as researchers hope, users might be able to lead more productive and independent lives. No more need to ask for help turning on a computer. No more asking a family member to help move your wheelchair into a new position. And isn't independence everyone's ultimate goal?

Patrick Hughes, Creator of Inclusion Solutions Adds Access

2008-07-11T16:02:00Z

Patrick Hughes does not possess a disability himself, but he listens to people who do. Then he takes action through Inclusion Solutions, the company he created eight years ago. From voting to using the drive-thru lane at a fast food restaurant, Hughes' Inclusion Solutions has added access to the lives of people with disabilities. "We create solutions that meet the spirit of the Americans [with] Disabilities Act, to provide dignified access for people with disabilities," Hughes says.

Patrick Hughes was a fraternity member at the University of Kansas when he met a child who felt very isolated in an unusual sort of way. Hughes did not immediately realize that the young man was autistic. He simply responded by taking his friend with him to classes, sporting events and fraternity shindigs. Hughes saw good results and decided that other college students could take similar steps. He created Natural Ties, an organization that connects volunteers with adults and children who have disabilities. Within a few months, more than 250 connections were forged and Natural Ties expanded to other college campuses. This was just his first step to working for disability rights. He started looking for other ways to fulfill his vision.

Eric Singer, the owner and chef at Lucky Platter in Evanston, Ill., provided one of the first successes in Hughes' new direction of inclusion. Singer's restaurant is in a historic building that formerly had a six-inch high front step, preventing access for wheelchair users. Although Singer was willing to do whatever was needed to provide access, he did not own the building. Hughes worked with Singer and the landlord to get money for renovations, and developed his Big Bell product so that a restaurant patron with a disability can simply give notice at the front door.

Hughes next thought of voting rights, and this was when he formed Inclusion Solutions. He imagined the frustration of having a wheelchair that did not fit into a poll booth, or of being blind without a Braille ballot available. Therefore, he developed products that help local election clerks implement the 2002 Help Americans Vote Act, known as HAVA. Voters with a disability now have more access than ever before. Many polling places, such as churches, are not required to comply with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Inclusion Solutions offers help such as temporary ramps and matting for unpaved parking lots. Ballot Call works on a wireless alert system, allowing voters with disabilities to request assistance with building entry or curbside voting.

Hughes is always a forward thinker. He now is applying his Inclusion Solutions ideas beyond voter rights, into many aspects of everyday life. For example, the Fuel Call device is a simple retrofit to a gas pump that provides customers with disabilities the means to request assistance at the touch of a button. Order Assist helps people with hearing disabilities to use the drive-thru lanes at their favorite fast food restaurants. Patrick Hughes says Inclusion Solutions, with its various products, is more than just a business. He plans to continue taking surveys of people with disabilities in order to come up with more ideas. He can be contacted via www.InclusionSolutions.com or toll-free, 1 (866) 232-5487

Sources:
www.InclusionSolutions.com
www.disability-marketing.com/profiles/inclusion-solutions.php4

See Michael Thompson's Profile on Disaboom
See Michael Thompson's Profile on Associated Content

Assistive Gaming

2008-07-10T22:56:00Z

From Nintendo to interactive computer games, gaming is one of the world's most popular pastimes. However, if you have visual, auditory or physical disability, gaming can be inaccessible to you. Fortunately many gaming companies are beginning to develop assistive technology to make their games accessible for everyone.

Visual Disabilities
There are several assistive technologies that you can use to make video games accessible if you have visual impairments. The first assistive gaming technology that you can look for is a game that is compatible with your computer's reader or Braille interface program like VoiceOver. Next you can look for video games that allow you to adjust the size of the text used in the game, or that will allow you to adjust the color contrasts to make the images easier to see.

Auditory Disabilities
If you have an auditory impairment then you have a few options. Your first option is to select games that offer closed captioning. Your second option is to use a volume amplifier to help increase the volume to a range that you can hear. Your final option is to use a set of headphones that utilize background noise cancellation technology. This last option will help reduce background noise and auditory interference so that your video games are easier to hear.

Physical Disabilities
Physical disabilities can make video games inaccessible if you have difficulties gripping or if you have difficulties with fine motor skills. Fortunately, there are many modified joysticks that you can choose from. Some are designed for an easier grip, some are modified so the buttons are larger and easier to press, while others are designed to be operated with your mouth. If you don't have the use of your hands, feet or mouth, then there are special pointers that utilize your eye movements to guide the video game characters.

Finding Assistive Gaming Technology
The market for assistive gaming technology is still developing. However, there are several accessibility stores that offer a great selection of assistive technology devices including assistive gaming technology. You can also check out electronics stores and the gaming department of department stores to possibly find modified joysticks and accessible video games. Finally, if all else fails you can contact the game manufacturer to see if they also manufacture assistive gaming technology for their games, or if they know where you can find them.

See Eisla Sebastian’s Profile on Disaboom

See Eisla Sebastian’s Profile on Associated Content

Screen Readers Help Blind Computer Users

2008-07-03T16:57:00Z

Screen reader software for use by blind users has been around for quite a while. Programs like JAWS for Windows convert graphics and text on a screen to audible speech. They offer some keyboard shortcuts, reducing the need for a mouse.

They have helped blind people use a computer when previously they could not, but these programs have limitations. They can be expensive. They have to be installed on any computer the person wants to use. If you are at your friend's house or the library and you want to search the Web or check your e-mail, you can't easily do that. Additionally, most screen readers don't tell the user where a mouse pointer is on the screen.

What if a person could sit down at any computer in the world and within a few seconds be able to search the Internet without having to install new software first? This would be revolutionary! Well, let the revolution begin. IBM, in conjunction with Washington University, has just released WebAnywhere.

WebAnywhere is not platform specific. Use a PC or Mac. It doesn't care. Internet Explorer? Mozilla? AOL? This utility is friendly to them all. Want to surf while shopping at a store? Pull out your phone and log onto WebAnywhere. The Web site will run on most smartphones.

Log on as you would any other site. A "welcome" page pops up and is read aloud. Use this page as a launching pad, just as you might use AOL. WebAnywhere provides you with an address bar to type URLs or keywords. Each new page will be spoken, with links or other elements presented top to bottom and left to right. It's as simple as that! Don't want to waste time on a particular link or page? Skip around using the customizable shortcut keys. Text typed by the user is also spoken aloud. Page changes due to that input aren't a problem. It easily reads the new content.

These days users of speech-enabled programs, such as screen readers, are used to hearing pleasant voices. One potential problem with WebAnywhere is that it uses the robotic-sounding voice that was standard fare years ago. Sometimes that voice can be slow and difficult to understand. While some Web sites provide users with more pleasant-sounding voiceovers, usually it's difficult to access the feature, and only a limited percentage of the content is accessible in this manner.

As with other screen readers, WebAnywhere can be beneficial to people with dyslexia or learning disabilities. Because they read the text on the screen, users can avoid problems associated with word confusion.

Finally, Web developers can also benefit from WebAnywhere. If a developer is trying to create a new Web site or Web-based application with accessibility features, having a readily-available screen-reading program can help him understand where users might have difficulties.

Don't believe me? Check out the WebAim simulation to see how difficult it can be for a blind user to access your Website using a screen reader. Developers might include code that directs their application to interact with a "Talklet" server. Each page would be read, but users could not interact with or manipulate it.

Iron Men May Help Those with Disabilities

2008-07-01T00:29:00Z

For years U.S military contractors have been trying to develop an exoskeleton that would allow soldiers to carry greater amounts of equipment and weaponry. Three years ago the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a part of the United States Department of Defense, funded the development of a prototype, the Bleex 1. The suit gave soldiers the capability to carry an extra 70 pounds of equipment. But, power was limited to a mere 15 minutes, and soldiers could only move six feet per second. Engineers say that the next phase of development, Bleex 2, will be a vast improvement.

In the consumer market, things move a bit quicker. Two exoskeletons are about to hit the proverbial street. Neither will have the repulsor rays or flight capability of the comic book character Ironman. However, both will give their wearer strength and endurance benefits that will help in the performance of daily tasks. Moreover, both should help people with mobility impairments lead better lives.

Steve Jacobsen and the engineers at Raytheon Sarcos Incorporated have developed the XOS exoskeleton. The machine is in many ways more complex than the human body. We use electrical impulses, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints to move. The XOS has to mimic those in a way that will not put excessive strain on the relatively fragile human user. Sensors attached to the user's body send electrical signals to a central computer to detect force of movement. Much like our brain, the computer controls impulses sent to a series of valves, actuators, cables and joints to perform the actual movement. The sensors monitor the user's movements at a rate of thousands of times per second, then amplify his strength as needed to perform a given task.

It may be somewhat unnerving to learn that Cyberdyne Corporation, from the Terminator movies, is a real company. Furthermore, its engineers really do build robots. But fear not. These are not autonomous devices bent on taking over the world.

Operating for a maximum of five hours on a single battery charge, the company's HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) exoskeleton is an extension of the human body. It works in a similar way to the XOS. Sensing electrical impulses from muscles, a computer activates corresponding servos of the suit, causing motors to mimic a wearer's motions. But, it does more than that.

The amount of assistance the suit provides is adjustable and depends on the strength of the person using it. The weaker the person, the more assistance is given. In this way, this device may be able to help those with mobility impairments. There are real applications for physical therapy and strength training. Furthermore, because of its movement and strength-augmenting abilities, people with mobility impairments might find they can do more once they don the suit.

The company is betting on this and marketing to health care workers, hospitals, and people with disabilities. By the end of 2008, Cyberdyne hopes to be producing 500 suits per year. These will be leased to medical institutions and nursing homes. If you'd like one of your own, you can have it for about $40,000.

Finally, there are several other agencies attempting to develop exoskeletons to assist people with disabilities. These include Berkeley Bionics' Exoskeleton Orthotic Systems and the University of Michigan's Ankle Exoskeleton, and Argo Medical Technologies' ReWalk.

Tetra Society: Innovative Solutions for Independence

2008-06-18T17:41:00Z

Never underestimate the solutions that a group of dedicated volunteers can develop to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Take, for instance, 8-year-old Kyle Sorensen II, who became a high-level quadriplegic from a car accident. Volunteer engineers from the Tetra Society designed a unique sip ‘n’ puff controller that enables Kyle to play with an electric train set.

“Puffing into the controller moves the train forward,” explains Kent Redmund, who just last year agreed to head a new Salt Lake City Tetra Society chapter for a group of engineers from Autonomous Solutions. Additional puffs make the train move progressively faster. A sip slows it down, or backs it up if it’s at rest.

The project was a win-win situation for everyone involved.

“Kyle gets to interact and play with his friends, and we get the satisfaction of knowing we’ve been able to use our skills to make a difference in someone’s life,” says Kent.

The Utah chapter is just one of over 45 Tetra Society chapters throughout North America dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. Founded in 1992 by Sam Sullivan, a frustrated quadriplegic who yearned for more independence, last year Tetra Society volunteers created over 300 solutions to challenges faced by people with disabilities. Volunteers provide their services free of charge. Sometimes a materials fee is involved, but more often than not, local businesses donate the supplies.

While engineers and physical or occupational therapists make up many of the chapter members, people with all sorts of skills contribute to the organization. Projects range from the more spectacular recreational devices, such as sit skis or bicycles, to cell phone or cup holders that improve independence with activities of daily living.

“Sometimes the challenge for a person with a disability is how to brush one’s teeth or hold a cell phone,” explains National Program Director Pat Tweedie. “A more unique challenge was helping a boy with progeria—a disease that produces rapid aging—play recorder. The volunteers put extensions on the recorder so that the boy could play music with his classmates.”

The possible challenges—and solutions—are as endless as the unique individuals who ask for assistance: a cello bow guide; a sewing machine arm; a foot strap that enables a bocce ball enthusiast to play in the local league; an electronic easel; and a larger-than-average tandem bike seat are just a few of the projects that volunteers happily addressed. A nonprofit organization, the Tetra Society only makes assistive devices that aren’t available in the marketplace. And if they can’t come up with a solution, the Tetra Society refers people to other resources.

The Tetra Society is always looking for more people to assist as well as skilled volunteers to serve them. Just recently, Lana Zotman, who became disabled from working at a computer, started a new chapter in San Francisco. She and her engineer husband look forward to helping people identify how their lives can be improved and coming up with solutions.

“In many cases, people don’t know what they need, and their independence diminishes,” says Lana. “I feel it’s important to help people become less dependent and increase their quality of life.”

For more information, visit www.tetrasociety.org.

Everyday Technology for Your Disability

2008-06-13T20:02:00Z

Technology and disability may be linked, but technology doesn't always catch up to the needs of people with disabilities. Cell phones are a great example. Manufacturers of these handy devices only recently added features that allow easier access to people with poor vision.

What about MP3 players? None of them provide verbal cues for menu options, album or song selections. Moreover, the controls are so small that anyone with a dexterity issue has difficulty operating them. These are only two devices that are either difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to use; there are many others. A huge market awaits manufacturers that can provide alternate (enabling) means of interacting with these devices. Those alternatives are coming.

My cousin is a quadriplegic who has limited use of his arms and virtually no use of his fingers. All his electronic devices have been jury-rigged to allow him to grip and use them more easily. I recently discovered a television remote control that he could operate by voice alone.

TV/Cable Remote Control
The Surfboard Voice Activated Remote Control was developed for those with difficulty seeing or pressing buttons. With it, you can control all the basic functions on your television, cable box, or satellite (power, volume control, channel selection) by issuing a few simple voice commands. Up to 12 commands can be stored in the Surfboard's memory. Press the "Help" button. A voice will guide you through set-up instructions. It has a "learn" feature that allows the device to mimic the functions of the remote(s) that came with your video device.

Music/MP3 Players
“Wink your eye if you like this device, or if you want to hear a song.” Music players are all the rage in today's society. Almost everyone seems to be listening to one as they walk down the street. The trouble is that touch screens, tiny buttons, and lack of voice control make these devices difficult to use. Well, there is a solution coming, at least for those with mobility impairments.

A student at Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering Science is trying to perfect something he calls a "Temple Switch." The device uses infrared sensors to monitor skin movements around the eye. Those movements are translated into electronic commands to control a music player. Wink the right eye to skip to the next song. Close both eyes to pause or play your music. The device is still two or three years from consumer production, but the long-term goal is to be able to use this technology to control other devices as well.

GPS Navigation System
Now that you turned off your television and switched on your iPod, let's go outside. It's a good thing your brother bought you that GPS for your birthday. But wait a minute. To use those things you need to be able to see the screen and use your fingers to type in your destination, or do you? Navstar Technologies humbly disagrees. Their new VoiceNavigator allows you use your voice instead of your fingers to ask for directions to a destination and get verbal replies. With this device, you can plan a trip in advance, or let whimsy guide your steps.

Read more
See Lomak Keyboard Designed for People with Disabilities to find out exactly what it is and how it can help you.

For more information on gadgets, see Small-Talk Ultra: A Review of the PC for People with Visual Impairments.

Are you tired of boring cane designs? See Hot Fashions in Walking Canes: Exotic to Practical.

Small-Talk Ultra: A Review of the PC for People with Visual Impairments

2008-06-03T23:42:00Z

The Small-Talk Ultra is a technology device that students, professionals and other people with vision impairments need. This device is more than just a talking notetaker or a talking PDA, it is a full featured personal computer that will do everything that you need to do from surfing the web to utilizing high end software products. Its design makes it the perfect assistive adaptive equipment technology for the 21st century.

Product Description of the Small-Talk Ultra
The Small-Talk Ultra weighs in at less than a pound and has dimensions of 5.6 inches by 3.3 inches by 1.0 inch. It has a 1.5 GHz VIA C7M ULV processor and works on the Windows Vista Business operating system. If you prefer to upgrade your OS to Ultimate, then you can, however, this will raise the base price of this unit which is about $2,650. The hard drive for this talking computer is 60 GB, it has a 1 GB DDR2 SDRAW memory and it utilizes numerous graphic processors including a VIA VX700 with integrated GPU, an external display support for VGA and DVI monitors up to 1920 X 1200 resolution. Finally, this device is Bluetooth ready.

There are several ways to input data into this computer. First of all it has an 88 key keyboard with an embedded numeric keypad and 12 function keys. It can also be operated using its thumb keyboard which has 18 function keys and 58 regular keys. This device also accepts data via smart modifier keys and TrackStik pointing devices.

For people with visual impairments the audio features of the Small-Talk Ultra will be important. First of all this unit is AC97 sound system compatible, it has both an internal speaker and an internal microphone. It also has HD audio support. If you don't want to disturb the people around you while you are working with your computer then you can also use a one line in/line out port for a 3.5 mm headphone. Finally, the Small-Talk Ultra comes with Windows Eyes, which is a software program that reads the screen for you.

Why This Product is Cool
This is one of the coolest products that I have seen in a while. First of all, the design of this device makes it very portable so you can take it with you where ever you go without it being cumbersome. You can easily slip the device and its protective carrying case into your briefcase, backpack or purse, so you have it when you are in class, at work, at a meeting or traveling. Next, I love the power and versatility that this device offers.

While it is the size of a simple talking note taker, it offers you all the functions that you need for modern life including taking notes, surfing the internet, composing documents, playing movies, listening to music or running software programs. Finally, this product provides you with the adaptive devices and a docking station that you need to make using this technology easy to do.

Similar Products on the Market
The closest product on the market that compares with the Small-Talk Ultra is the Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile Personal Computer. This full featured ultra personal computer weighs in at 1.5 pounds, and offers 1 GB of memory and processors that run between 600 and 800 MHz. This product has many of the same specs as the Small-Talk Ultra, however, it doesn't come with Windows Eyes. The Q1 Ultra starts around $799 for the base model. Prices will naturally increase as you add on memory and increase processor spead.

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Alternative Wheelchairs That Help You Enjoy the Outdoors

2008-06-02T22:09:00Z

The weather is getting warmer. People are taking their activities outdoors. My brother likes to go hiking. My mother goes to the beach. I can't go along with either one of them, at least not easily. Since 1991, I have used a manual wheelchair to navigate through the world. Rough terrain and sand don't get along well with wheels. Fortunately, over the past few years, a wide variety of options have opened up to the wheelchair user. Many of them, though perhaps a little odd looking, have allowed people in my position more ability to explore the world.

I started writing about off-road wheelchair racing back in 2005. Back then the sport and the type of wheelchair that allowed people to participate in it were both in the early stages of development. Today, off-road wheelchair racers speed down mountains and swish through slalom courses the world over.

Times have changed. New materials and designs have made wheelchairs tougher. The evolution was inevitable. Wheelchairs have been called into service on many different terrains. As an example, take a look at the latest off-road hotrod, Grove Innovation's DH-X1 (www.sitski.com/dhx1.htm). To the untrained eye this beauty may not look like much, but it's been put through its paces by world champions like Scott Wilson. Wilson won gold in one at the NORBA World Cup Amateur Down Hill.

What if you wanted to don a swimsuit and hit the beach? A few years ago that might have seemed to be an impossibility. But as more and more wheelchair users have demanded access to our nation's shores, manufacturers have strived to meet the challenge of sand vs. wheel. One interesting model of beach wheelchair, the De-Bug, comes from Deming Designs Inc. (www.beachwheelchair.com/index.html). This chair features large, balloon-style wheels that allow maneuverability on the softest sand, castered rear wheels for easy steering, and an articulated suspension system that will keep you riding comfortably. And, perhaps best of all, you don't have to rely on a friend or relative to get you where you want to go. It's self-propelled (or should I say muscle powered?).

For those who relish the outdoors, there is the aptly named Tank Chair (www.tankchair.com). Instead of wheels, this funny looking chair is outfitted with the kind of tracks normally found on military tanks. Designed by Brad Soden as a means to allow his wife to continue enjoying the camping trips that were a family tradition, this behemoth of a power chair goes everywhere. Now in its second generation, users can take advantage of its two-horsepower, 127 rpm motor. With that kind of power, as you sit in the luxuriously cushioned seat, almost no hill or terrain is insurmountable.

With all these different wheelchair designs, not only will you be sitting pretty, but you'll also discover that the natural world has moved ever closer to being completely accessible. Now, if the man-made world would just follow suit, we'd all lead better, fuller lives.

Assistive Technology Product Evaluators Needed

2008-05-30T22:02:00Z

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is currently recruiting participants with mobility disabilities for product evaluations to be conducted on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta.

During a product evaluation we will first discuss any difficulty that you might have had in the past using similar products to the product under evaluation. We introduce the product and walk you through the procedure of using the product. This procedure allows us to collect detailed evaluation data that will help us to determine if a product is truly easy to use. The evaluation results are sent back to the manufacturer of the product so they can make design improvements if they are needed.

We test a wide variety of consumer products that you would find in the home or office. Each evaluation will take about 1 or 2 hours to complete. Participants will be paid for their participation.

If you have a mobility disability and would like to participate in a product evaluation at Georgia Tech please contact Liz Weldon at 404-407-8438 or email her at elizabeth.weldon@gtri.gatech.edu. Liz will ask you a few questions and then add you to our participant list. We try to match the products we test to the interests and the abilities of our participants. If we have a product that we think you might be interested in testing, we will contact you to see if you are available. Adding your name to the participant list does not represent any sort of obligation on your part.

Adaptive Equipment Makes Photography Easier For Those with Disabilities

2008-05-20T16:32:00Z

My father was a true artist. Whether with a brush or a camera, he loved to capture the world as he saw it. He had a natural instinct for framing a composition. When taking a picture he often would say he didn’t really need to develop the film. What was important was how the image was composed. His camera had to allow him to create the image he wanted; there was nothing automatic about the model he used.

In his later years my father developed Parkinson's disease, which made holding a camera and snapping the shutter difficult. I sit in a wheelchair. I know that sometimes it is difficult for me to keep the camera steady while framing a shot. My father went through similar problems. While he was alive, I wish we had both known about the many pieces of adaptive photography equipment currently available.

Fortunately, finding ways for the photographer with a disability to cope is fairly easy. Several companies have developed devices that clamp tightly onto the frame of a wheelchair and allow a camera to be positioned for a clear, steady image. Some of these devices are the Laird VGO (www.lairdtelemedia.com), Symmetric Designs’ Camera Mount (www.symmetric-designs.com), and Orcca Technology Incorporated’s Camera Mounting System (www.orcca.com).

Today's cameras are small, as are their control buttons. If you have poor dexterity or gripping ability, these cameras can be a problem. There are solutions. The Gentle-ed IR Remote Control (www.gentles.ltd.uk) is a shutter release extension that uses the infrared wireless control found on many newer cameras to trigger the shutter. Conceptus (www.conceptusinc.com), an Arizona-based company, makes switches for skydiving photographers. The best of these is called the Bite Switch; it’s perfect for those with limited arm/hand mobility. As its name implies, users bite down on it to operate the camera shutter.

Finally—and this may be a surprise to you—even those who have very poor or no eyesight can be photographers. I remember when I was a staff writer for a disability lifestyle magazine; one of the frequent contributors was a blind photographer. One advantage of today's digital cameras is their large LED viewscreens. For someone with low vision, the larger the screen the better.

But for those people who are completely blind and still want to take photographs, the best advice I can give you is to rely on your intact senses. For instance, when taking a picture of a sunrise, one would face the East and let the rays of the sun warm your face while pointing the camera in that direction. If you want a candid picture of people, listen to the direction of their voices. If your ears are sharp enough, you can even tell how far away from you they are; then a flick of your finger can adjust the camera’s zoom.

If you have questions about becoming a photographer, and you have a disability, the best place to receive valuable information is a worldwide organization called The Disabled Photographers Society (www.disabledphotographers.co.uk).