Accessibility and Health Tech (or tech accessibility)

[Vivianne]

(So I talk about this stuff a lot, and accidentally hijacked the Victober thread, oops.)

(For the purposes of this thread, ‘accessibility’ will be defined as anything that helps a minority group.)

For those who didn’t see the Victober thread, I mentioned there that I’m getting switches to navigate computers (no, not Nintendo. Mine will be two large buttons.) and a software to maximize the usefulness of the switches.

There is a version of the software that uses eye gaze technology, which I was unsuccessful at using. I discussed my thoughts with one of my brothers, and he revealed some people he knows are working on the technology. He doesn’t think a solitary camera is sufficient to capture the nuances of eye movement, which made sense to me.

I also read that there are attempts to bring eye gaze to mobile phones.

I’m interested in how this technology works, and in the case of the mobile version, how it will be priced. Accessibility is really interesting to me, but I’ve frequently found it to come at high cost or have limited availability.

What interesting accessibility/health technology have you heard of or use? Do you do anything to make tech accessible to you?

[Lemon Cheesecake]

I have a friend who is paralyzed from his neck down and he uses his mouth to write with and a large stylist to type with. I believe the tablet is held in a vice near his head so he can press on it to navigate or type.

One of his friends is a beautiful artist and paints murals by dividing them into blocks and he paints with a paint brush in his mouth. He had some artistic ability before his injury but developed it once he became paralyzed. His paints are set up for him on a tray and someone has to help him to get set up or clean up etc. but the art is all him!

[Tandy]

I don't know much about computer accessibility equipment, but I know that handicap equipment in general costs a fortune.
I've had to buy a walker, handicap hand controls on my car, a scooter lift for the back of my car, and scooter batteries. Now I need an electric wheel chair, but I haven't managed yet because of the price.
It's expensive because so few people need it, but when they do need it, they need it badly.

[Vivianne]

Lemon - wow, they both sound incredible!

Is the tablet close to his face? It seems like that would cause eye strain.

And that’s a very resourceful way to continue making art! Amazing.

Tandy - Yeah, and I think there are even rules allowing for inflated pricing. And then when something comes along with great universal design and is later found to be problematic, like the plastic bendy straw, there’s a lot of backlash when the disabled community points out its usefulness.

I’m still annoyed over that.

I hope you somehow get your electric wheelchair. Will the scooter lift be able to be repurposed once you get one, or will you also need a special ramp?

[Tandy]

I had to get rid of the car, because I couldn't get into it any more. I don't want to go into details, but life has gotten very difficult.

[Vivianne]

I’m sorry to hear that. I hope there are still things that bring you joy and peace. If you ever need an ear, I try to be a compassionate listener even though I don’t always have the right words.

It’s very difficult for me to even be a passenger in a car. Driving was never a possibility for me.

[Tandy]

I'm sorry to here that.
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who has these problems. It's hard to accept what has happened, but someday it will stop bothering me.

[Vivianne]

My health declined rather gradually, then abruptly. I had time to adjust.

I feel alone sometimes too. It’s hard being visibly disabled. I’m a bit of a shut-in, but I’ve been trying to be more social, and I think I feel a bit better.

No matter what people may say, the path to acceptance is yours and you should feel comfortable along the way.

[MissAutumn]

Yay, you made a thread about it. Accessibility interests me - I work for a company that's run by a local vision impairment charity. We transcribe documents (bank statements, bills, etc) into large print, text to speech audio and braille - the profits go to the running of the charity. They help people going blind to learn to cope with it as they lose their sight. They teach them things such as braille and accessible tech. As well as support people who need it.

The mobile phone tech sounds really interesting. That would help so many people. It'll be such ashame that it'll be out of the price range of many.

[Lemon Cheesecake]

wow! Talk about fate connecting you two! Is there a vision impairment charity near you Vivianne that may be able to assist you?

[Vivianne]

Wow MissAutumn, the company you work for sounds amazing! Do you guys work with screen reading software?

Lemon - Right now, my eyes are some of the least of my problems. I do have nystagmus (jittery eyes) and I think I don’t look at things straight on, which makes glasses difficult to wear. I did have one of those poles blind people use to navigate, but it was to help me not trip on the ground.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable approaching a charity because there are so many people in need, and typically charities have limited resources.

I am planning for the possibility that I’ll become deafblind, though.

[MissAutumn]

We had screen reading software when we had someone with a vision impairment working there (and even a braille keyboard). We don't make that sort of thing for clients - that side is done in house or by specialists. We're very much paper and CD/tape based.

I know, and understand, that you'd feel uncomfortable about approaching one, but maybe you should considering you have the possibility of becoming deaf blind? They're there to help all people who need it, regardless of severity. If you wanted to give something back you could maybe volunteer or fundraise if you're able to?

[Vivianne]

Does Britain have a national library for the blind like we have here? I think ours lends Braille books and audiobooks.

Quite honestly, it’s far more likely that I’ll catch aspiration pneumonia and...well, die, than become deafblind. I’ve had a doctor in July estimate six months, and while I feel fine now, anything can happen. After we’ve adjusted to my new diet, I will better plan out for possible eventualities such as deafblindness.

I believe I know a couple deafblind people! They use computers successfully somehow.

Apple’s Zoom Controller was updated in iOS 13, and possibly for the worse. I have yet to try a device with it, so I’m unsure how it is, exactly.

[MissAutumn]

I believe RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) have one. I'd be surprised if they didn't considering how big they are.

Oh crap, that's awful to hear that Vivianne. I hope that doesn't happen to you. I hope the new diet does help you. Sending you love

The blind guy that used to work at my company was a trained engineer. So he could do the maintenance on the braille printers as well as fix them! He's been blind since birth so pretty amazing. He was also really into his computers too.

I feel that these accessibility features are probably designed by the able bodied. I usually hear about the issues of such tech more than how good it is.

[Vivianne]

It seems to be working! Mortality is an imperfect science. A lot of the statistics we have are outdated or come from small studies.

Oh, that is amazing! He must be really driven and intelligent! Fixing a printer with limited sight, if any, sounds really difficult.

I feel like a lot of things are designed by the able bodied to “fix” disability. Not everything needs to be fixed!

For example, cochlear implants are controversial in the Deaf community. A lot has to do with history and prejudices of the hearing against Deaf, but CIs also destroy residual natural hearing, and don’t always work besides.