US Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy announces $950,000 grant to establish Accessible Technology Action Center
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has announced a fund of $950,000 for grants that will be used to open and operate the Accessible Technology Action Center (ATAC), a new national resource that will facilitate and promote the use of accessible technology in the hiring, employment, retention and career advancement of […]
Smart911 for Callers with Disabilities
Recently, a deaf woman lost her home and three pets to a fire. It remains unknown as to whether or not she called 911, however, her neighbors say that she can be very hard to understand. Fire Chief Tom Jenkins mentioned the fact that if an emergency call comes in, the location of the caller […]
Device Lets Disabled Write or Draw Using Their Eyes
Jean Lorenceau of France’s CNRS research institute has built a prototype device that enables people to write or draw on a computer screen using only their eyes. Cameras mounted on headgear track eye movements and translate them into lines on the computer screen. Eye tracking technology has been around for awhile, but Lorenceau’s system offers more […]
Can E-Readers Ease Reading for People With Dyslexia?
Some studies suggest that e-readers may make reading easier for people with dyslexia. Instead of printing dyslexia-friendly special-editions, e-readers can allow users with dyslexia to determine their own settings to create a personalized text that is easier for them to read. A team of researchers from the University of Padova in Italy reported that extra-large […]
Aging In Place Center Uses Xbox Technology To Keep Seniors Safe
Some residents at the TigerPlace Aging-in-Place residences in Columbia, Missouri are taking part in a scientific experiment being conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri, who are using video game technology to monitor the residents’ health. The living quarters of sixty-five residents have been outfitted with motion detection sensors over each doorway, high-tech sensors […]
Timed Traffic Crosswalks Too Fast for Many Elderly: Study
A new British study published June 14 in the journal Age and Ageing found that the time given by automated crosswalks is often insufficient to allow older adults to cross the street safely. In the UK the average speed needed to cross a street in the time allotted by the cross walk is about 4 […]
Tactile Touchscreens
Two companies are developing different technologies that might soon make using your flat touchscreen a more tactile experience. Tactus Technology is developing buttons that rise up from the surface of a touchscreen, while Senseg Technology is working on using an ultra-low electrical current to generate the sensation of textures on a flat touchscreen.
AXS Maps
AXSMap is a crowd sourced accessibility map that allows people to share their reviews of the accessibility of local restaurants, stores, hotels, and other public venues. Once registered on the site, users can contribute their reviews of a location’s entry, ramps, elevators, restroom accessibility, Braille menu availability, signage, and other similar criteria. Users of the […]
Meet MIT AgeLab’s A.G.N.E.S
Ever met a youngster who complains more than an elderly person? The Age Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has created a unique suit called “Age Gain Now Empathy System” (AGNES) that gives the wearer an idea of what it might feel like to be limited in everyday tasks that may be taken for […]
Claire Lomas Finishes The London Marathon Using The ReWalk
In an astounding feat of endurance and perseverance, 32-year old Claire Lomas became the first paralyzed person to complete a marathon using the ReWalk, a bionic suit that allows any individual with lower body paralyses to stand, walk, and climb stairs. The London Marathon, sponsored by Virgin, is an annual marathon spanning 26 miles from […]