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Free Money Identifier for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision: How Do I Get One, and Why?
At a conference recently, I received a free money identifier. What is this? How did it happen?
The saga is long and complicated. And, your real questions might be:
How do I get in on this?
But wait, what happened to the accessible money?
If you are reading this from another civilized country, you might be puzzled. Accessible money? What is inaccessible about money?
In the United States, the bills are all the same size and have no (OK, don't quibble, no practical) tactually discernable…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Technology, Helpful Products
On Driverless Cars, Bioptic Driving, and Alternatives to Driving
Ike Presley, wearing a bioptic device, at the driver's wheel of a 1929 Model A Ford Roadster replica
There was a recent NPR story (one of the many lately) on self-driving cars, and some of the profound impact this imagination-captivating technology might have on people's lives: Is There A Driverless Car In Your Future? As in most of these stories, the expert made no mention of the impact these cars will have on the current non-driver.
Why? Maybe because non-drivers are invisible.
On…
Author
Crista Earl
CD Players, Reluctant Technology Learners, and the iPod
Everybody who works with people who are blind or visually impaired knows those reluctant technology adopters, or complete non-technology adopters. When the Pew Research Center says 15% of Americans are not connected, who are these people? They're in my singing group.
Since I love technology more than singing, I at first found this puzzling. Technology is a tool to let me do things. I can listen to the songs I want to learn, record lessons and practice sessions, and listen to the key parts…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Assistive Technology, Arts and Leisure, Technology
Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Finding Good Examples
For today, Global Accessibility Awareness Day, I'll try to answer a question I get a lot: "What can I send this webmaster to give examples of how to fix a broken site?"
Here's what happens. You are a user of assistive technology, or a person who has low vision and benefits from well-designed, well-executed websites (have I described everybody? Who doesn't benefit from things being done right?). You visit a site that is important to you—your banking site, an e-commerce site where you want to…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Accessibility, Assistive Technology
Five Boroughs in Tandem...Cycling!
I like to talk about technology...but sometimes the outdoors just takes over.
Last Sunday was the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, a fabulous event here in NYC, in which about 32,000 people ride bicycles through the city.
I rode on the back of a tandem bicycle. See this great VisionAware article about tandem cycling to get inspired.
So, what technology comes into play when cycling? Let's start with the bike. I rode with a new group in town, InTandem, which provided about twenty of us with bikes,…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Social Life and Recreation, Assistive Technology, Health, Sports
Ai Squared and GW Micro Merge: Two Old Friends Join Forces
Big news today in Vermont and Indiana, and all points elsewhere: GW Micro and Ai Squared are merging into one, now Ai Squared. You can read all about it from the official Ai Squared/GW Micro press release and, of course, AccessWorld® Magazine will have much more very soon.
Quick Background: Who Are These Companies?
GW Micro is the maker of Window-Eyes, a major Windows screen reader, and has been around since the early 90s. Ai Squared is well-known for ZoomText, a screen magnification program…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Assistive Technology
Canine Translator—Future of Dog Guide–Human Communication?
I often discover new and useful apps for my iPhone or iPad by just randomly poking around in the app store. I really found an awesome gem this week. It needs some accessibility improvement, but I think you'll find it useful, even in its current version.
It's called Canine Translator 2020, and it claims to be the first interspecies automatic translator for home use. It's still in beta, and the makers caution that everything doesn't translate smoothly between humans and canines. Of course, dog…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Technology, Getting Around (O&M, Transportation, and More)
Marcus Roberts on 60 Minutes: Let's Look at Accessible Music Technology
Marcus Roberts was on 60 Minutes last night! Take a look, if you didn't get a chance to see it. He plays piano, he talks about music, and, my favorite part, they talked a little bit (too little to suit me) about the fact that he uses technology.
No question, Marcus Roberts' most important piece of technology is the piano. He is first and foremost a talented musician, composer, and entertainer (this is my blog, I'm allowed to have three foremosts).
But like any successful blind person, he uses…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
In the News, Arts and Leisure, Technology, Helpful Products
Alternative Interfaces to the Android: CSUN Day 3
Stopping at booths in the CSUN exhibit hall last week, I saw a lot of innovative problem-solving. One of the problems I saw companies trying to solve was, simply put, how to make smart phones more usable for people who are not really users of technology, and who are blind or visually impaired.
These solutions, in the exhibit hall this year at least, mainly centered around the use of the Android, with suites of applications "on top" of the usual operating system. Some of these solutions…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Assistive Technology, Conference Recaps
Tablets! Surface, Android, Nexus, iPad: CSUN 2014 Assistive Technology Conference, Day 2
Most years, there's a trend in the exhibit hall. A few years ago it was iOS — apps, hardware accessories, our old product now works with the iPhone, and so on. Last year it was STEM—science, technology, engineering, math (I know you knew that already) and every other booth had a solution — product, website, program, or new feature.
This year — tablets, tablets, it's raining tablets. There's a different tablet for every attendee. I would exaggerate if I said every booth showed tablets, but…
Author
Crista Earl
Blog Topics
Assistive Technology, Conference Recaps, Helpful Products