Posted on 09/12/2017 6:49:26 AM PDT by Jagermonster
Working Together - Single-purpose, assistive devices have given way to more accessible – and affordable – apps. Perhaps just as valuable is the glimpse into the capable lives of people with limited vision that apps like BlindWays offer.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2017 —When asked how technology might improve the lives of people with vision impairments, Joann Becker presented a deceptively simple challenge.
“Well,” the tech specialist recalls saying, “I’d like to be able to find my bus stop.”
Navigating Boston’s transit system can be challenging for any commuter. But for blind riders, like Ms. Becker, each bus stop and train platform presents a unique challenge.
GPS technology is only accurate to within 30 feet or so – not a problem for sighted commuters, but that “last 30 feet of frustration” could mean missing the bus entirely for those who are blind or have low vision.
Funded by a $750,000 Google Grant, Becker and her colleagues at Perkins Solutions, the technology arm of the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass., proposed BlindWays, a mobile app that provides visually impaired commuters with clues and landmarks for each stop, crowd-sourced from sighted users.
BlindWays is just one of many recent app store entries marketed toward the visually impaired. The tech industry has long offered solutions to help people with disabilities maintain their independence. But with the rise of smartphones, clunky and expensive devices designed for just one purpose have given way to more accessible – and affordable – apps.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Sent to My Cousin who is blind in one eye. Thank You!
Thanks for the post! I have a blind friend; he’ll be interested in this story.
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