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Movies for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Besides art, movies can also be another weekend activity for the blind and visually impaired. Here’s a snippet of how movies can be accessible to non-sighted movie-goers.

 

Video source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT5AsjzgIC4

Art for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Any plans for the weekend? Southern Methodist University’s Meadows Museum has brought art to the blind and visually impaired through touch, sound and taste. Tactile versions of paintings, objects that resemble what’s drawn and music that reflects the artwork’s era and place are some of the ways the museum uses to help their non-sighted visitors appreciate the artworks on display. A multisensory experience for all!

Read article here.

 

 

Image source: http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/museum-takes-art-to-the-blind-and-beyond/article_f7482a33-fcad-5670-9abd-1040cb2e3106.html#.UziQJ6H6xeg.twitter

People Who Were Born Blind Visualize Numbers from Right to Left

People who are congenitally blind tend to count numbers from right to left as they map the position of objects relative to themselves.

”Remembering and representing numbers is an important skill, and the foundation for mental maths. Visually impaired people are just as good, if not better at mathematics than sighted people - Georgian Maths Professor and Royal Society Fellow, Nicholas Saunderson as one famous example.”

Deemed the earliest discoverer of Bayes theorem, Saunderson may have been able to achieve this through his unconventional mental representation of numbers. A great example of how the blind view things differently, thereby creating or working in extraordinary ways.

Read article here.

 

 

Image source:http://www.bath.ac.uk/research/news/2014/03/28/mental-number-line/

Blind People See the World from Another Angle

Researchers from the University of Bath, in developing new solutions to facilitate operations of daily sight-related activities by the blind, have found that those with no visual experience at all view the world differently.

Read the article and watch this video for details.

 

Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEa5XCrh95w

Blind But Not Without Vision

“…he had already gotten it through his head that he couldn’t do these things because he didn’t have any limbs.”

A father recounts the preconceived limits his son imposed on himself, and how he showed his son that despite his physical disabilities, he can be like anyone else with a little improvisation. Similarly, innovative accessibility and assistive technology will enable the blind and visually impaired to lead their daily lives as a sighted person would. The blind can fulfill big dreams too.

Read the article and watch the video here

Being Blind and a Burden

Living as a blind person in a developing country is an entirely different experience from that in the US or Europe. In India or Nepal, losing one’s sight entails total dependency on someone as well as a loss of social standing and decision-making authority. Probably the most important and scariest thought of all: becoming blind means one is now a burden to the family.

“Technology may not do all the work, but it does create small wonders.” As with all assistive devices, we hope that the RAY smartphone will empower more people in developing countries who are blind or visually impaired.

Read article here.

 

 

Image source: http://www.cureblindness.org/world-blindness/

Google Glass for the Blind?

Sina Bahram and Arpan Chakraborty, computer science graduate students from North Carolina State University had the privilege to experience Google Glass first as part of the Google Glass Explorer Program. They highlighted the enormous potential of voice-based interactions in Google Glass that have yet to be tapped on.

How do you think Google Glass can benefit the lives of the blind and visually impaired?

Read article here.

 

 

Image source:http://gadgetmix.com/google-glass-what-it-can-do/

A Look at Cataracts - The #1 Cause of Blindness in East and Central Europe

Cataract is the #1 cause of vision loss in developing nations as well as East and Central Europe. By the year 2020, an estimated 40 million people will lose their sight as a result of this eye condition. What are cataracts and how do they affect you?

                                       

 

Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrAdQV67rnA

The New #1 Cause of Blindness - Macular Degeneration

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal has noted a reduction in prevalence of blindness and impaired vision in many developed countries by 50% and 38% respectively. Macular degeneration has now surpassed cataracts to be the #1 cause of blindness in these populations. Review our earlier posts on macular degeneration for a brief understanding of this eye condition that affects many aged 50 and older.

 

Read article here.

 

 

Image source:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140324200501.htm

Board Games for the Blind!

A husband-and-wife team from 64 Oz. Games have set out on a mission to make board games accessible to the blind. By fitting cards to transparent sleeves with Braille printed on them, or attaching longer descriptions to QR codes that can be read with a smartphone, any blind person can join in the fun now. Support this cool project on Kickstarter!

Read article here.

 

 

Image source: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/64ouncegames/board-games-now-blind-accessible

Apple Earns Patent for Accessibility Feature Invented for Poor Vision Users

Apple has been granted a patent today for the invention of its touch screen display which provides accessibility to the blind and visually impaired. Functions include the ability to recognize non-location based gestures and simple magnification of certain parts of the screen for comfortable reading. Who would have known that behind the gestures we use to activate zoom functions daily lie a set of velocity vectors and pre-determined ratios. Amazing!

Read article here.

 

Image source: www.apple.com, www.tuaw.com, www.padgadget.com

 

A Whole New World for the Blind - How Far Are We?

We envision a whole new world that technology can offer to the blind - but what are the challenges and how far are we from this future?



Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucPZxPEiKB8

Assistive technology is for everyone, not just students with disabilities

Assistive technology no longer carries the sole function of leveling the playing field between students with disabilities and the rest of their peers in mainstream education. Devices such as a text-to-speech tool that reads out questions in the exam, and a word-prediction software that aids in spelling have been incorporated into online universal assessments. With these tools, test scores will more accurately reflect a student’s capacity in the subject that is being tested. For instance, a child who is proficient in mathematics will not be penalized because of his inability to read and comprehend the question.

Probably the biggest advantage of all is the way assistive technology will be viewed from now on. “[Students with disabilities] used to say they didn’t want to use it because they’d be different. Now we know everyone learns in a different manner,” said Ms Kathy White, an assistive technology specialist.

Read article here.

 

Image source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_3VtoWbg83u0cVm580m-2gRg4pg3o9RzCLwXctIsdjsMVWvIym7b0W66li2LI1x5QpqyJU7Q3UYc2gqFaPG0d9EGwNdhR3DTIL3MFG4beB0k2Kz6XYWDhRvZdQvWRQEo9lkOeBYI-VI/s1600/photo.JPG

Losing Sight Suddenly - What’s the #1 Accessibility Feature that One Needs?

Learning to live without sight suddenly - how does one cope? What do you think is the #1 support that an individual needs in terms of accessibility?

Read article here.

 

 

Source:http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/11071166.Chorley_man_who_suddenly_went_blind_shares_experiences_at_House_of_Lords/?ref=var_0

Join us at CSUN 2014!

Will you be at the CSUN Conference on 19 - 22 March?

Do drop by Booth 323 (Grand Hall) which we are sharing with Maxi-Aids, and have a go at using our RAY smartphone.

Our CEO and founder, Boaz Zilberman, will also be speaking at the conference about mobility services for the blind and visually impaired. Come join us at Hillcrest AB, 3^rd Floor, Seaport Tower this Thursday at 3.10pm.

We’d love to meet and say hi!

Image source:http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2014/sessions/

Stem Cell Therapy for Blindness - Is it Safe?

Here’s a deeper look at how stem cells can restore vision, and why it’s taking a while to be used in humans.



Video source:http://www.ffb.ca/patient_resources/factsheets/stem_cells.html

Stem Cell Therapy Restores Sight in Mice - New Hope for Humans?

Yesterday, we shared the good news of a woman regaining sight after a pea-sized telescope was surgically inserted into her eye. Stem cell researchers may have discovered another cure when they successfully restored sight in mice after injecting them with immature retinal stem cells. Certainly another ray of hope!

Read article here.

Image source: www.myniceprofile.com

Apple Focuses on Accessibility for Low-Vision Users in iOS 7.1

Apple has launched a new iOS version 7.1 that aims to address the problems of its parent - stylistic transparency and poor contrast between buttons and the background have posed a major challenge for users who are visually impaired. Despite its efforts, there’s still room for improvement.

What else do you think needs to be fixed? Let us know!

Read article here.

 

 

Image soure:http://www.macworld.com/article/2107640/a-closer-look-at-ios-7-1s-accessibility-changes.html

Samsung Develops New Smartphone Accessibility Features for the Visually Impaired

Samsung has made its smartphone more accessible to people with low vision - an ultrasonic cover, optical scan application and voice label. What’s most interesting is the ultrasonic cover that is able to sense the presence of objects or people and guides its user away from them.

Read article here.

 

Image source: http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/14/5507720/samsung-accessibility-accessories-galaxy-core-advance