AssistiveTechnology
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Researchers develop 3D printed objects that can track their own use
Researchers at the University of Washington have been developing a way for 3D-printed plastic objects to transmit data without the need for embedded batteries or electronics. Last year, they showed how their devices can take measurements of wind speed and liquid flow, and then transmit that information through an antenna that reflects ambient WiFi signals. Now, they're taking their work a step further, bringing the technique to assistive technology.
Hulu lawsuit centers on lack of audio options for blind users
While captions help deaf and limited hearing viewers enjoy video content, a separate audio track describing actions helps blind watchers understand what's going on. But not all content platforms have the latter feature. A group of blind and visually-impaired clients has sued Hulu for failing to both provide audio-description support for any streaming video in its catalogue and for making its menus incompatible with screen readers.
The software Stephen Hawking uses to talk to the world is now free
For almost 20 years, Intel has been building technology to help Stephen Hawking communicate with the world -- and now the company is making the same software the world renowned physicist uses to write books, give speeches and talk available to everybody. For free.
European researchers have created a hive mind for robots and it's being demoed this week
RoboEarth isn't as sinister as it sounds. It's not a special interest group advocating for a new world order with robots at its core -- not yet, anyway. The project, which is backed by the European Union and brings together researchers from universities in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, is actually more benign than that; it's being described as a "world wide web for robots." We know what you're thinking: What does that even mean? And what would a robot-curated Tumblr look like? The implications are ridiculous, but the reality is not. Simply put, RoboEarth is a four-years-in-the-making, cloud-based hive mind for robotics that aims to store and share knowledge among (you guessed it) robots. The end goal being that single-tasked robots will become a thing of the past. And now, its many collaborators are ready to show off what RoboEarth can realistically do this week. This initial RoboEarth demo, set to take place on January 16th at Eindhoven University in the Netherlands, will highlight the system's ability to offload real-time computational tasks in the cloud and then disseminate that knowledge to four networked robots working in a mock hospital. According to the BBC, these robots will be tasked with serving drinks to patients, assisting in navigation by uploading maps to the cloud and even helping to open pill boxes. The benefit of all of this shared data being that no one robot is limited to a specific task -- any robot can become multi-purpose. But there's another upside to this cloud processing that could impact the reality of assistive technology in the home and that's the potential for cheaper-to-produce and longer-lasting commercial robots. With much of the data computation being offloaded to the cloud, manufacturers won't need to create robots with top-shelf components, making them more affordable long-term investments for consumers. Which, in turn, means you'll be able to hold onto Rosie just long enough to consider her a member of the family.
How the iPhone helps the visually impaired see more than before
The New York Times on Monday published a fascinating article detailing how smartphones like the iPhone are opening up whole new avenues of opportunities for the visually impaired. In one profile, the Times details how the iPhone has helped Luis Perez, who is close to being fully blind, take professional photographs. In assistive mode, for example, Perez's iPhone will tell him aloud how many heads are detected in a photo, thereby ensuring that everyone who should be in the photo is, in fact, in the photo. The iPhone, of course, isn't the only smartphone that helps the visually impaired, but Apple has for years demonstrated a consistent focus on making its products and features more accessible to the masses. The Times adds: Apple's assistive technologies also include VoiceOver, which the company says is the world's first "gesture-based screen reader" and lets blind people interact with their devices using multitouch gestures on the screen. For example, if you slide a finger around the phone's surface, the iPhone will read aloud the name of each application. In a reading app, like one for a newspaper, swiping two fingers down the screen will prompt the phone to read the text aloud. Taking two fingers and holding them an inch apart, then turning them in a circle like opening a padlock calls a slew of menus, including ones with the ability to change VoiceOver's rate of speech or language. The iPhone also supports over 40 different Braille Bluetooth keyboards. The Times report also relays how the App Store helps provide the visually impaired with affordable tools that were previously too expensive or cumbersome to carry around. One such example is an app that enables the blind to determine the denomination of dollar bills. "In the past," the Times article states, "people with impairments had someone who could see help them fold notes differently to know which was which, or they carried an expensive third-party device." You can read more about the variety of accessibility features in iOS 7 over here on Apple's website. Switch Control in particular is a new accessibility feature in iOS 7 that is explained thoroughly in this post on the Assistive Technology Blog. Just as VoiceOver allowed the blind and visually impaired to access the iPhone, Switch Control now allows switch users to navigate and use their iOS device. Switch users are users who are only able to activate a few large buttons and who don't have the ability to interact with the complexities of a touchscreen. For example, a quadriplegic may be able to activate switches mounted on their wheelchair with their head. Switches come in all different sizes and configurations, but they give users who are unable to interact with the touchscreen the ability to control their devices.
Blind iPhone owners may get People Finder app
It's easy for two people to meet up at the mall. They just arrive at the appointed time and look for each other. This simple task is not so easy for blind people, who could be right around the corner from each other and not realize it. According to the BBC, this is a problem that Mike May from Sendero Group is trying to solve with his People Finder app. People Finder is a prototype app that uses GPS and Bluetooth to help you find someone nearby. It uses voice prompts -- near or cold -- to let you know if you are close to the friend that you are trying to meet. It also alerts the other person when you are closing in on their location, so they can start searching for you, too. Currently, 100 people are testing the app and May is looking for funding to help expand its reach. May was recently demoing the app at the CSUN accessible technology conference. You can read more about the project in the BBC article. Thanks, Chancey!
New pererro device for iOS offers switch access to the disabled
UK-based RSLSteeper makes assistive technology for use in the classroom and at home, for all age groups and a wide variety of needs. It has recently released the "pererro," which provides switch access to iOS devices for those with fine- and gross-motor control issues. At 30 × 28 × 9 mm, the pererro is roughly the size of Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit and attaches to an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch via a 30-pin connection. It features a standard 3.5mm mono jack socket, so it can accomodate a variety of switches, including the popular Big Red Twist Switch. RSLSteeper also notes that the pererro also works with "almost any VoiceOver-enabled app." Switch interfaces let users with motor impairments use devices like the iPad for communication, work and fun. I could not find pricing information on the pererro, but RSLSteeper asks interested parties to email or call with questions.
Backlit e-readers such as iPad help those with vision loss
A study presented on Sunday at the 116th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology says that tablets with backlit screens, such as the iPad and Kindle Paperwhite, help patients with vision problems due to eye diseases to read quickly and comfortably. In particular, the study points out that the millions suffering from conditions like macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy can read faster and with more accuracy thanks to the ability to change the text size and increase the contrast between page and text. At present, many people with low vision need to use lighted magnifiers or reading machines to assist them, and those assistive devices slow down reading speed considerably. Patients in the study with the poorest vision who used an iPad set at 18 point font saw an increase in reading speed of 42 percent. The study notes that just about any backlit reader can help low-vision patients achieve similar results. [via MacNN]
Research: iPod touch benefits workers with autism
We often hear about iOS devices being used in schools and in the workplace, but a recent study from researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University shows how the device can be beneficial for those struggling with autism. The study was recently published in the the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation and is part of a longer four-year study being conducted in conjunction with Virginia Career Support Services and the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. The researchers used the iPod touch with three working adults who were diagnosed with the developmental disorder. Each person was given an iPod that was configured with apps to help them perform tasks at their job. The apps included reminders, progress trackers and music to calm them when they got frustrated. The trio were followed by an occupational therapist and a job coach during their time with their device. In two cases, the people improved their job performance and required less assistance from their job coach. In another case, the individual was able to navigate safely to and from work. The study had a small sample size, so you can't pull out too many conclusions from the results. It does, however, suggest that an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch may be beneficial as an assistive device for those with disabilities. You can read more about the study in the article on Disability Scoop. [Via Disability Scoop]
Fleksy is an alternate text input tool for the visually impaired
Fleksy is an interesting take on alternate text input for the iPhone. Designed for those whose eyesight is bad or nonexistent, Fleksy records the taps on the screen and makes a guess based on your patterns. It then says the word, enabling you to quickly construct sentences without even looking at the screen. Does it work? Absolutely it does, and as proof I found it was far more accurate when I didn't look at the screen than when I tried to type quickly while looking at the "keys." Fleksy is simple enough, with a text area up top and modified keyboard below. As you type, it guesses what you're trying to type. When you go to the next word by swiping right, Fleksy reads the word it guessed, allowing you to delete it (swipe left to delete), ask for another suggestion (swipe down), or continue by typing again. What's incredible is the speed and accuracy of the app while not looking at the screen. If you're familiar with the basic QWERTY layout on an iPhone's screen, you can tappity-tap on the screen, pretending you're seeing the keys, when Fleksy is actually making several educated guesses about what you're wanting to write. Fleksy is free to test, and I highly recommend you do so to understand what's going on. My video below is but a tiny sample of how good Fleksy is at guessing your keystrokes. To unlock the ability to use this text outside of the app, it'll cost you $9.99. If you are visually impaired, it's a decent bargain, even though Apple continues to make iOS more accessible.
EyeRing finger-mounted connected cam captures signs and dollar bills, identifies them with OCR (hands-on)
Ready to swap that diamond for a finger-mounted camera with a built-in trigger and Bluetooth connectivity? If it could help identify otherwise indistinguishable objects, you might just consider it. The MIT Media Lab's EyeRing project was designed with an assistive focus in mind, helping visually disabled persons read signs or identify currency, for example, while also serving to assist children during the tedious process of learning to read. Instead of hunting for a grownup to translate text into speech, a young student could direct EyeRing at words on a page, hit the shutter release, and receive a verbal response from a Bluetooth-connected device, such as a smartphone or tablet. EyeRing could be useful for other individuals as well, serving as an ever-ready imaging device that enables you to capture pictures or documents with ease, transmitting them automatically to a smartphone, then on to a media sharing site or a server. We peeked at EyeRing during our visit to the MIT Media Lab this week, and while the device is buggy at best in its current state, we can definitely see how it could fit into the lives of people unable to read posted signs, text on a page or the monetary value of a currency note. We had an opportunity to see several iterations of the device, which has come quite a long way in recent months, as you'll notice in the gallery below. The demo, which like many at the Lab includes a Samsung Epic 4G, transmits images from the ring to the smartphone, where text is highlighted and read aloud using a custom app. Snapping the text "ring," it took a dozen or so attempts before the rig correctly read the word aloud, but considering that we've seen much more accurate OCR implementations, it's reasonable to expect a more advanced version of the software to make its way out once the hardware is a bit more polished -- at this stage, EyeRing is more about the device itself, which had some issues of its own maintaining a link to the phone. You can get a feel for how the whole package works in the video after the break, which required quite a few takes before we were able to capture an accurate reading.
Panasonic shows us its softer side, intros trio of high-tech robotic helpers
The infirm in Japan have nothing to fear when it comes to assisted care -- except maybe for a robot revolt. From the land that gave us the robo-care bear, comes three new compassionate tech solutions for elderly care taking courtesy of Panasonic. Shown off ahead of this October's 38th International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition in Tokyo, the electronics giant has updated its currently in residence medication monger with HOSPI-Rimo -- a refreshed design that links the "bed ridden [and those with] limited mobility" to doctors, family and friends via its HD interface. And just because you're staying at home, it doesn't mean the company's Hair-Washing bot can't help you get your hair did, and listen to you complain about how the kids never come to see you anymore. For the piece de assistance, Panasonic's also gone and modded a bed that's more than meets the eye -- literally, as it transforms into an electric wheelchair to scoot you about the house. We have to hand it to the tech outfit, our latter days are starting to look pretty cutting edge.
Omnifer adds Braille, makes iPad useful for the blind
Here's an interesting concept for a case meant to make the iPad usable for blind and visually impaired customers. The Omnifer almost covers the iPad completely, save for a small portion of the screen, and adds raised Braille buttons. What's really cool is that the Omnifer is more than Braille buttons slapped onto a case. Instead, gas stored inside the case raises and lowers the Braille characters, making different ones available, depending on what's on the iPad's screen. The gas pockets are filled with a chemical that expands when exposed to light. The portion of the screen beneath the buttons will light up as needed to raise the proper characters. In this way, a user could "stream" text for reading via Braille. It's very cool and, as we said, still in the concept stage. It's also a 2011 IDEA Award entry. Good luck to the entire Omnifer team. [Via Popgadget]
Apple enables 'Assistive Touch' features on iPad in latest iOS 5 beta
Apple has enabled a very cool feature for iPad users in the latest beta of iOS 5. "Assistive Touch" allows users to perform gestures and button actions on the iPad with one touch. Users can call up the Assistive Touch menu by tapping a designated corner of the iPad's screen. The menu itself is similar to the bezel overlay that appears when adjusting the iPad's volume. As noted by MacRumors, the Assistive Touch menu "allows one-tap access to all of the iPad's functions including rotation, shaking, volume changes and even gestures. Known gestures such as pinch and swipe can be recalled by a tap, and custom gestures can even be recorded and played back on command." Assistive Touch is primarily meant to help those who might have trouble using some of the gesture elements of the iPad's multitouch features, like the elderly. The feature's settings were present in earlier iOS 5 beta's but were not enabled until the release of iOS 5 beta 3 earlier today.
Macworld 2011: Expressive helps the speech impaired learn and communicate
Speech therapist Barbrara Fernandez founded Smarty-Ears apps last January and has since created over 15 apps for the field. I spoke to her about Expressive (US$29.95) an augmentative-alternative communication (AAC) app that at first seems similar to the much more expensive Proloquo2Go, but it serves two purposes. Like most AAC apps or devices, it allows those without the power of speech due to Autism, Downs Syndrome or even temporary verbal problems to communicate. Tapping on categorized symbols allow one to build phrases that are spoken. The app contains 450 pre-set symbols and more can be added. The second purpose of the app is to teach language and the relationship between symbols and words. Many children have a limited vocabulary and too many unfamiliar symbols would be confusing and overwhelming. "You can start out and delete everything and slowly build the vocabulary and specifically design the application to meet the needs of a student. I think that's the main concept here." Expressive helps with "limited expressive language communication skills," so it's appropriate for all levels of communication disorders. Expressive is meant to be used by speech therapists in conjunction with parents to build a child's vocabulary and communication skills. In its simplest iteration, you would start with a noun. When that has been learned, an instructor can add modifying words and build up from there. Although it may sound simple, seeing a picture of a ball and understanding that it represents all balls may not be obvious for some. There is an edit mode where symbols can be added or deleted and a user mode that doesn't allow changes. Without this, a child could inadvertently delete everything.
Rep. Giffords' recovery includes the iPad
As reported by Reuters earlier today, the ongoing recovery and rehabilitation of wounded Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has progressed very well since the tragic and deadly assault at her event 12 days ago. Dr. Michael Lemole, the chief of neurology at Tucson's University Medical Center, noted that Giffords has demonstrated several key skills: "She is beginning to stand with assistance, she is scrolling through an iPad -- these are all fantastic advances for her. They do show higher cognitive function," he said. While it's certainly possible to frame Dr. Lemole's reference to the iPad as merely an example of the sort of thing Giffords and other brain trauma patients are able to attempt in the days and weeks after their injuries, the other side of the story is that the iPad has quietly begun to turn the world of assistive/adaptive technology -- specialized software, hardware and medical devices aimed at improving function and quality of life for people with disabilities or challenges -- on its head.
iPads bring accessibility to the disabled at a far lower cost
It's only been half a year since its introduction, but the iPad has already become a major player in the field of assistive technology, helping disabled people communicate. A number of studies are underway (and many more are in the planning stages) to offer much-needed data on the effectiveness of the iPad and other iOS devices in this area. A few days ago, The New York Times ran a piece about the implications of the iPad to the disabled community. The Times tells the story of Owen Cain, a victim of a degenerative disease called spinal muscular atrophy. He acquired the disease as an infant, and there is no known cure for it. Although his parents bought him a number of computer devices to make his life more pleasant, they were all failures -- until he met the iPad. With his arms in slings, Owen was able to touch an icon on an iPad and run Gravitarium, an inexpensive app that plays soothing music while displaying colorful stars. It doesn't take lot of strength to swipe a page or tap a button on the iPad -- certainly less than if a device had hard buttons. Now, Owen is using Proloquo2Go to communicate, reading books such as Alice for the iPad (shown in the video after the break), and his repertoire of app-enabled abilities is growing. Interacting with the iPad has improved Owen's life to a large degree.
Proloquo2Go gets a major update
Proloquo2Go (US$189.99) is the most fully featured augmentative and alternative communication device (AAC) we've yet covered. It provides iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad owners who do not have the ability to speak well enough to be understood (and that number is estimated to be 2.5 million Americans alone) a fully functional and quite customizable solution that rivals stand-alone devices that can cost up to $8,000. This is a universal app, and as such, it takes full advantage of the iPad screen. It's really quite a marvel. Its developer, AssistiveWare, was one of the first to release apps for the assistive technology community, and they do a great job of listening to their customers and providing support. This attention has paid off with the first major revision to Proloquo2Go taking it to version 1.4, which was released earlier this month. The update includes many new enhancements and features, including: Optimization of over 7,000 graphic symbols to take advantage of the Retina display of the iPhone 4 and new iPod touch The addition of higher quality voices The ability to backup the user customized vocabulary through iTunes File Sharing on the syncing computer (as long as the mobile device is using iOS 3.2 or better) Faster conversion of text to symbols Much quicker uploading of the saved vocabulary from the syncing computer to the app via Wi-Fi. and many other under-the-hood bug fixes. These changes make a marked difference in the feel and flow of using ProloQuo2Go. It now seems quite a bit more responsive. The update is free and results in making an already remarkable achievement that much better.
Helping autistic children with iOS devices
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that, in some manner, plagues one out of every 110 children (according to the Centers for Disease Control). It's usually discovered by the time the child is three years old. Varying medical and scientific authorities characterize the condition in different ways, but scientists generally agree that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) manifest themselves in social, communication, and behavioral challenges. The SF Weekly recently wrote about a number of families with autistic children and how the iPad is proving to be quite useful in helping them. A number of studies have been done on the use of iPhones and iPods as aids for the autistic. One such study was titled iPod Therefore I Can: Enhancing the Learning of Children with Intellectual Disabilities Through Emerging Technologies, and it tracked the progress of 10 autistic children who were using iPod touches in Australia. The results were quite encouraging. In one case, a child who could not wash his hands was exposed to photos (combined with voice-overs) of a child doing it successfully. Through this method, the correct behavior was reinforced, and in short order, the child was able to wash his hands by himself. About 60 percent of the goals of the study were achieved. The results of this and other studies have been encouraging, but a major problem for 60 to 80 percent of autistic children is poor motor skills, including poor motor planning, which makes using the small buttons on an iPhone or iPod touch quite difficult. Because of the larger size of an iPad, it can be much more accessible to a larger number of autistic children.
Digit-Eyes identfies everything for the blind without breaking the bank
The Digit-Eyes Audio Scanner and Labeler (US$29.95) from Digital Miracles is a remarkable Assistive Technology (AT) app for the iPhone and iPod touch geared to the blind and visually impaired community. What it does is fairly straightforward once you get the big idea, but the implications of its uses are fairly mind-boggling. The app does three things. The first and simplest is, using the built in camera, scanning UPC and EAN codes found on most everything. Taking advantage of the VoiceOver accessibility capability built into the iPhone/IPod touch, it searches a database, brings back the results and reads it to you. There is also a button to search Google for more information. That's really no big deal since a variety of barcode scanning apps such as Red Laser can do roughly the same thing. You need an Internet connection for this since you are referencing the Digit-Eyes database. The second thing it does, is more compelling. Once you register for a free account on their site, you can create text labels for printing on over 50 sizes of standard Avery labels. Select a type of label and a template page is displayed full of empty boxes representing labels. In each box, type in up to 100 characters of anything you want the label to say. Once done, all your text is transformed into a .pdf page of QR (quick recognition) codes like the one shown in the upper right corner of this post. Print the page on the Avery label stock, and stick each on whatever you wanted the label to say. For example, if you typed in "Blueberries bought on July 31st", you would stick that corresponding label on a container of blueberries. Then using the Digit-Eyes app, scan the label on the container and the screen will display and a voice will read back "Digit-Eyes label read: Blueberries bought on July 31st". The database of what's behind each label is stored on your iPhone so you won't need an Internet connection to access the information. %Gallery-98575%
