We Can Do Better On Winter Weather Accessibility
Exploring disability practices, policy, politics, and culture.
Buffalo officials plan for a future where cars drive themselves
Some day in the not-so-distant future, transit experts predict, Buffalo commuters will whiz to work in driverless cars that steer and park themselves.
The Physics (and Economics, and Politics) of Wheelchairs on Planes
Flying can be stressful, painful, or simply impossible for wheelchair users. Critics say it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you’re disabled, accessing transit can be like solving a puzzle with a lot of missing pieces
It used to take Michele Lee three hours to get to downtown Chicago from her suburban home. The trip required a mix of buses and trains, and missing one connection would throw everything out of whack.
Editorial: It’s been a bumpy ride for scooters here
Scooters might be a hip fad, but they have also cluttered sidewalks and raised issues about ADA compliance.
Disabled people want disability design—not disability dongles
At first glance, a high-tech stair climbing wheelchair might seem like a cool innovation. But for Liz Jackson, it’s another example of what she refers to as “disability dongle.”
Google Maps adds voice guidance for visually impaired
Google Maps launched a new feature on World Sight Day that provides detailed voice guidance for people with visual impairments.
MTA unveils new ‘accessibility laboratory’ in Brooklyn testing commuter ideas for disabled riders
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, Brooklyn (WABC) — A transit hub in Brooklyn is being used by the MTA as a so-called “test kitchen” to see which ideas work best for disabled riders.
Blind Man Develops Smart Cane That Uses Google Maps and Sensors to Identify One’s Surroundings
This electronic walking stick is revolutionizing the way that blind people can navigate the world. As a means of protecting people from low-hanging objects and obstacles above chest level, the WeWalk smart cane uses ultrasonic sensors to warn the user of nearby hindrances through vibrations in the handle.
As cities embrace new modes of transit, gaps in accessibility remain
How we get from one place to another can have a big impact on our lives. Conjure up the feeling of sitting in a hot car, stuck in gridlock, and compare it to taking a short bike ride to work or to meet a friend.