* Technology and persons with disabilities
I’ve just returned from the 20th annual international conference “Technology and Persons with Disabilities,” hosted by The Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge. This weeklong conference covers all sorts of solutions and technologies designed to help people with disabilities or age-related impairments live richer and more productive lives. I am blown away by the creative ideas people have to address all sorts of special needs.
While there are numerous unique devices such as Braille keyboards and closed circuit television screen magnification, today’s newsletter looks at just a few innovative technologies that augment and extend the use of a common device that many of us already have: a PDA. The next time you pull out your handheld computer to check your e-mail or jot down a note, think how it might be used by someone without vision, speech, or even hands.
Just like everything else in IT, the overall cost of an assistive technology (AT) solution can be kept down if the developer can build the product using standard components as much as possible. For the products discussed below, the standard component is the underlying platform, which in this case is an HP iPAQ Pocket PC running the Microsoft Windows CE operating system.
In recent years, the power and general capabilities of the Pocket PC have gotten so good that AT developers have a strong starting point, even before they add their own features and capabilities. And while the PDA might be a convenience for you, it is a godsend to people using the products below. Let’s have a look at them.
There are several products designed for people with low or no vision. VisuAide (https://www.visuaide.com/index.en.asp), now part of HumanWare Group, developed a navigational solution for the blind called Trekker. This system combines an iPAQ Pocket PC with a GPS unit and digital maps to help blind persons find their way in urban and rural areas. Trekker users can pinpoint exactly where they are, learn about area attractions, and find out how to get to specific destinations. Such information is “spoken” by the Pocket PC as the person walks along the street.
Trekker users can add another component from HumanWare and turn their Pocket PC into a general purpose tool. The Maestro tactile keyboard provides the vision-impaired user with the ability to access all the normal functions of the PDA, such as text and vocal note taking, agenda, contact directory and others. Maestro can operate independent of Trekker, or be a complement to it.http://www.cyranocommunicator.com). Called “an augmentative communication PC,” Cyrano is a handheld, portable software application designed to aid speech-impaired individuals communicate through a series of customizable images, text, and sounds. A person with limited or no speech function, such as a stroke patient or a child with autism, can click on customizable images or pictures on the PDA and give voice to his thoughts.
The Pocket PC, along with a little AT, is a great tool for people who need help communicating their words and thoughts. For example, One Write Company just released a solution called Cyrano Communicator (
Say-it! SAM from Words+ (https://www.words-plus.com/website/products/syst/say_it_sam.htm), is another Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) device that provides a voice for those who have difficulty speaking. It offers an extensive feature list, is very customizable, and is a tool of choice recommended by speech language pathologists.
Another handheld speech-generating device is ChatPC from Saltillo (https://saltillo.buyol.com/Group/U616H7K5N6Y8M86N.htm). It contains numerous features for adapting the vocabulary for the specific communication needs of the individual using the device. ChatPC is available in various versions, including a dedicated communication aid that is easily approved by the Medicare insurance program.
But what about the mobility-impaired person who can’t hold the Pocket PC in his hands, or use the stylus to input text or make selections? No problem, there’s always the pointing device adapter from the Neil Squire Society (https://www.neilsquire.ca/). This group has developed an adapter to allow a hands-restricted user to use his mouth to move the cursor and make selections on the Pocket PC. In addition to being a regular productivity device for e-mail and such, the PDA can wirelessly control the user’s environment, turning lights on and off, adjusting the room temperature and operating appliances. This type of solution can aid an individual’s independent living, despite having a disability.
It’s amazing what computers can do for us these days. For a view of how they can be vastly helpful to people with all sorts of disabilities or impairments, I encourage you to visit the Web sites listed in the “links” section below. Though you may not need these solutions for yourself, it’s good to know they exist if the time ever comes when you or a loved one needs a little help from technology.
Linda Musthaler is vice president of Currid & Company. You can write to her at mailto:Linda.Musthaler@currid.com
