Article by Patrick Young
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Technology is designed to make tasks more manageable and also improve the lives of people living with disabilities. Rather than lock them out of the workforce, technology is creating an inclusive environment for talented people with disabilities. Designers are now creating devices and websites with accessibility in mind. With the right assistive technology, someone with a disability can apply for a job, be successful in interviews, and work comfortably.
Talking Hands
This technology can help people with hearing and vision impairments. It enables users to communicate by pinching or pressing different parts of their glove to represent different letters. Indiegogo explains the dbGLOVE is based on a specialized alphabet and connects to a smartphone to support remote information exchange. This glove also supports document reading, web browsing, sending emails, and chatting, among other applications. It also makes it easier to learn than Braille. Ultimately, this unique glove enhances inclusivity for hearing- and vision-impaired people.
Smartphone Applications
There are numerous apps designed to help people with sensory, mental, and motor skills impairments. For example, the ColorDetect app allows users to identify colors in real-time through augmented reality technology. Digit-Eyes enables users with visual impairments to scan QR and barcodes when shopping. Do some exploring, because whatever you could use a little assistance with, there’s an app for that!
For a seamless app-integration experience, sometimes a phone upgrade is in order. Newer phones such as the iPhone XS Max have the power, memory, and speed to run apps to your heart’s content. What’s more, the XS Max offers ultra-fast face recognition, making accessing your phone a breeze. This phone also has a generous display to help you read and display text communications.
If you prefer Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is an excellent option. It, too, has a large, clear display, and there is easy access through a fingerprint sensor.
Glasses for People with Visual Impairments
Smart glasses are helping people with low vision or no vision to navigate the physical world. For example, NuEyes are smart glasses that run on Android and support magnification, color-changing, contract adjustments, QR and barcode scanning, and OCR to read printable documents. These glasses can be operated with a wireless controller or with simple voice commands.
Aira is another brand of smart glasses that uses a camera and an assistant to help those with visual impairments move around. Once put on, the user is connected to an assistant in real-time who describes the objects in front of them. It’s a chance to do everything from housework to job-related tasks with low or no vision.
Controlling Computers with Eyes
Degenerative diseases affect neurons leading to immobility. Professor Stephen Hawking, however, showed that with the right technology, anyone could contribute to knowledge in the world. Many of these diseases rarely affect the eye, which is the reasoning behind the creation of technologies such as Eyegaze Edge. This software uses Pupil Center/Corneal Reflection (PCCR) technology to enable the computer to work out precisely what the user is looking at. With Eyegaze Edge, people with limited motor skills can complete tasks on a tablet.
Real-Time Captions and Subtitles
PowerPoint for Office 365 can now accommodate live captions and subtitles. The feature transcribes words as they are spoken and displays them as captions or subtitles in the same language being spoken or in another language. This makes communication better for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or understand another language. As the user, all you need to do is plug in a microphone set to the device running the PowerPoint. You can then select the translation language and the position of the subtitles.
Skype is also using this feature to enhance communication. In the latest version of Skype, users can set live subtitles while making calls to friends, co-workers, and groups. The company also plans to include extra accessibility options to help deaf people or those who are hard of hearing navigate the subtitles separately, and to enable translations for more than 20 languages.
Assistive technology is enabling the inclusion of people with disabilities into the modern workplace. There is a solution to support nearly every situation. Consider what could help you in your career path, and look for the tech that fits.