2018 M-Enabling Summit June 11–13, 2018
The M-Enabling Summit, the conference and showcase promoting accessible technology and environments for seniors and users of all abilities, will be held on June 11–13, 2018, at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel, in Washington, DC. It is the annual meeting place for all who create and contribute to accessible ICT products, services and consumer technologies.
With its 2018 theme of "Accessible and Assistive Technologies Innovations: New Frontiers for Independent Living," the M-Enabling Summit sets the stage for focusing on next-generation innovation and breakthrough solutions for all in the accessibility field. It also offers a platform to network with accessibility professionals, organizations, and decision makers seeking to address compliance challenges and market development opportunities.
The Summit's program will focus on accessibility innovations, with over 120 speakers, private sector leaders, developers, policy makers, mobile accessibility experts and disability advocates sharing their knowledge and experience. Confirmed presenters include representatives of leading organizations facilitating the accessible technology market. Dr.
Jeff Jaffe, CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), will be delivering the opening morning keynote on June 12, 2018. The M-Enabling Summit will also host the FCC Chairman's Awards for Advancement in Accessibility (Chairman's AAA) on June 12th. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will address Summit participants in his evening keynote.
Highlighted Sessions and Topics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Aging in Place: Connected Health and Big Data for Activity Monitoring, Accessible Security, Identification and Privacy Protection, Digital Assistants, Autonomous Mobility, Consumer Technology Products and IoT for Independent Living, and Accessible Smart Cities, Higher Education & Workplaces
Due to the successful addition of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) Pre- Conference Session at last year's M-Enabling Summit; the IAAP Annual Conference has been integrated into the 2018 Summit, where it will be hosting technical and organizational training tracks throughout the 3-day event.
View the complete agenda at this link.
The M-Enabling Summit offers a discounted early bird registration rate through April 27. You can register at this link.
Bosma Enterprises Brings BlindSquare Technology to National Nonprofit in New York
The installation will help Alphapointe's employees adapt to its new 140,000 square foot facility in Queens.
Last March, Bosma Enterprises became one of the first nonprofit organizations in the nation to install BlindSquare, a mobile navigation technology designed to create a more accessible environment for people with visual impairments. After hearing about the positive impact the technology has had on Bosma's employees, Alphapointe, a fellow National Industries for the Blind (NIB) agency, decided to implement the wayfinding technology into its new facility with hopes of a similar outcome.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, Alphapointe has served people who are blind and visually impaired since 1911. Its mission is to empower people with vision loss to achieve their own goals and aspirations. Alphapointe operates in nine locations, in four states, with over 400 employees. The organization is the third largest employer of people who are blind in the US and also provides rehabilitation, education, outreach, referrals and job placement to nearly 5,000 people a year.
Due to escalating rent, Alphapointe recently decided to move its Brooklyn operations to a new, wholly owned industrial space in Queens' Richmond Hill neighborhood. The facility will house multiple lines of business including its warehouse operations, janitorial supplies production, plastics division and contact services. The move will create major savings and financial stability, sustaining the future of Alphapointe.
To make the move as easy as possible for the 230 employees who will work at the new location, Alphapointe called on Bosma for its help and expertise to install BlindSquare. Because the new 140,000 square foot location consists of 19 buildings, it represents a potentially difficult environment for people who are blind or visually impaired to adapt to. With the help of Bosma and BlindSquare, transition into the new facility will be made easier and more accessible for all employees.
Nationally, people who are blind or visually impaired face an Alleged 70 percent unemployment rate. Bosma and Alphapointe hope that by showing employers that adapting the workplace can be relatively easy and inexpensive, it may lead to additional employment opportunities for this overlooked population in the future.
BlindSquare is a mobile app for iOS devices developed by Finland-based MIPsoft. In outdoor environments, BlindSquare uses a mobile phone's GPS in conjunction with data from third-party navigation apps like Foursquare to describe the environment and announce points of interest and street intersections. The indoor version of the program, called BlindSquare Event, interfaces with a Beacon Positioning System (BPS) consisting of iBeacons located throughout the building. These are small, low energy Bluetooth devices that provide data on specific navigation markers, such as restrooms or meeting rooms, while guiding the user with audio queues about their surroundings.
"Being able to serve as a national model for how technology can create job opportunities and accessible workplaces for people without vision is something that Bosma takes huge pride in," said Lou Moneymaker, CEO, Bosma Enterprises. "We are excited to help another nonprofit like ourselves become a leader in advocating for technologies for those who are blind."
For both Bosma and Alphapointe, giving those who are blind the help and support they need in order to live independently is their main goal. Sharing this mission and advocating for policies that level the playing field for individuals who are blind or visually impaired makes for an impactful partnership and can serve as a model for other nonprofits.
"Having an organization like Bosma help us install this innovative technology makes us that much more confident in the installation process," said Clay Berry, director of rehabilitation and education for Alphapointe. "They get it. They're seeing success with the technology and learning what works and what doesn't, giving us high hopes for the potential success it can have in our new facility."
Canadian Vision Teachers' Conference 2018: Seeing Beyond the Horizon Visit Nisku, Visit Nisku, Alberta, Canada, May 3–5 for the Canadian Vision Teachers' Conference.
Get more information at the conference site.
- Hotel reservation – Special $99 room rate (see venue section of the website)
- An array of concurrent presentations from fellow professionals in the field
Pre-conference Sessions on May 2
- Matt Tietjen, MEd — What's the Complexity Framework? (working with students with CVI)
- Peter Tucic and Michel Pepin (Humanware) — BrailleNote Touch: the hands-on experience
- David Wilkinson (HIMS) — Up Close and Personal with BrailleSense Polaris
Keynote Speakers
- Dr. Kevin Stewart of York Region District School Board in Ontario
- Diane Brauner, creator of Paths to Literacy
- Molly Burke Motivational Speaker, YouTuber and Spokesperson … who happens to be blind
- Banquet Speaker: Lowell & Julie Taylor, formerly from The Amazing Race Canada
