Tech enabling the disabled

Tech enabling the disabled

 

Technology can be deployed to help people with disabilities navigate their daily life. But it needs to be routed through better channels

 

Technology can be an ena bler as well as a challenge for people with disabilities.

In a country like India, with 100 million disabled people, and where physical infrastructure is rarely provided, technology can support people with disabilities to perform day-to-day activities that presently may be difficult for them to perform independently.

So how does a disabled person access the bank, read a book, visit the library, prepare for exams or even perform recreational activities?

While people with disabilities have the same needs and rights as others, the sad part is that technology only widens the gap; when in fact, it should serve as a tool to bridge it.That's because the channel to provide these technologies to persons with disability has not been built.

Let's consider government websites -for the first time, the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment has mandated that at least 50 per cent of all government websites be accessible to all.This has taken long, but is welcome.But why can't we consider the needs of people with disabilities at every point? A visually impaired person should be able to do everything a person with normal vision can and with the same amount of ease.

A starting point would be universities with Resource Centres to support students with disabilities and inclusive libraries which would be accessible to everyone.Here are five technologies, simple and effective, that must be a part of every library: 

1 EASY READER -ACCESS TO BOOKS AND DOCUMENTS: 

One of the biggest challenges that people with visual impairment and dyslexia face is access to books and documents. Now they can read an e-book, a digital talking book, a word document or even a web page, using a simple software called Easy Reader.The software is built to not only listen and read but also provide synchronised reading. It allows a user to lets them increase or decrease the text size to suit their reading style and also reads aloud books in English, Hindi and Marathi. 

2 TALKING LABQUEST -SCIENCE LABS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED: 

Did you know that very few visually impaired study science? The biggest hindrance for them is the inability to conduct experiments in the science lab. The Talking Labquest allows people with visual impairment to utilise sensors (it includes over 70 sensors) to conduct lab experiments and the findings are announced and recorded for the student to participate in class.

3 KINESIC MOUSE -HEAD AND FACE CONTROLLED COMPUTER MOUSE: 

Now you can control your computer with or head or your face if you have limited mobility. Kinesic Mouse allows a person to control your computer using your eye blink, or raising your eye brow, or opening your jaw.This device allows one to play games, write emails or even surf the internet, without any challenges.

4 BLUE2 BLUETOOTH SWITCH CONTROL YOUR MOBILE PHONE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY:

If you are unable to use a touch phone due to mobility limitations, use the Blue2 Bluetooth switch to activate and use the mobile phone and mobile apps by just pressing one or two buttons.

5 AVA -ASSISTS THOSE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS UNDERSTAND AND PARTICIPATE IN GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Those who are hard of hearing or deaf are generally left out in discussions. In addition, there are very few sign language interpreters available.With the Ava Mobile App, now group of people can talk to the app and the same will be converted into text. People can also type replies if they are deaf and contribute to group discussions. If communities and societies come together and set up these model resource centres, inclusive libraries and inclusive spaces in general, it would allow for equal participation for all. We always assume that technology for people with disabilities would be different. We assume that we would not be using the same technology. So, my questions to every developer who is making an app are: Are you going to think about making it disabled friendly?
Do you think that they will not need your app or your technology?

Makers of wearable technologies have already got the ball rolling by building gear which can help and empower persons with disabilities.Technologies like Le Chal (haptic shoes for visually impaired) or +me (a wearable to motivate autistic children to interact socially) have already found many users. Google just bought Liftware, the makers of a smart spoon with assists people with tremors to eat easily. Two simple yet ingenious technologies that caught my eye are;

BuzzClip:

This is a small and discreet wearable for people who are visually impaired or partially sighted. The device uses ultrasound to detect obstacles that may lie directly in the path. It then notifies the user of these obstacles through intuitive vibrations, allowing the user to safely navigate around any objects that they may encounter. A major pain point that needs to be addressed is detecting obstacles above the waist, particularly at the head level.Traditional aids such as a cane or a guide dog do not always address these issues.

Talking ATM Locator app:

This is the first of its kind speaking app which even sighted people can use.The app helps one easily locate an ATM, either by entering the pincode or simply the nearest ATM when on the move. Its database includes addresses of over 5300 ATMs from eight banks. Generally bank apps show only their own ATM locations.

The reality is that people with disabilities use the same technology as we do. They might use additional technology that helps them overcome some of the challenges but over time, we have seen that technologies like word prediction and speech recognition that have become so common today were actually developed to support people with disabilities. The power of technology is enormous and we can change the lives of people with disabilities in India by using technology to empower them.

--An Ashoka Fellow, Shilpi Kapoor is the MD of BarrierBreak, an accessibility technology company. 

Source | Mumbai Mirror | 9 February 2016