![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Actually, if this app was accessible, I would consider getting one of these
https://www.cnet.com/tech/we-found-the-most-adorable-new-gizmo-of-ces-2023/
https://www.cnet.com/tech/we-found-the-most-adorable-new-gizmo-of-ces-2023/
Kes: As someone who is interested in
infiltration techniques
https://kestrell.dreamwidth.org/418473.html
I posted when Deviant Ollam first taught a blind person to pick locks
https://kestrell.dreamwidth.org/420756.html
so I was excited when I read the following post in the Forbes Wiretap newsletter:
Winner Of The Week
Anyone who's been around the hacking world knows that lock-picking is very much part of the scene. Not long ago, white hat hacker Deviant Ollam taught the art to a class of blind students. A film crew caught it and it's a
remarkable watch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJVrL8QjG5s&ab_channel=TheModernRogue
especially if you've ever tried picking a lock yourself and know how tricky it is. Hat-tip to Zack Whittaker and
his information security newsletter
https://this.weekinsecurity.com/?
for this one.
Kes: Note that some of Deviant Ollam's lockpicking books are available as Kindle ebooks on Amazon. While the following book does not contain any how tos, it is a fascinating history of similar methods for getting into places where your presence is neither expected nor officially sanctioned
A Burglar's Guide to the City by Geoff Manaugh (2016) (available on NLS BARD)
and here is a nifty talk with the author
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSlgtqxfWkk&ab_channel=TheBerkmanKleinCenterforInternet%26Society
infiltration techniques
https://kestrell.dreamwidth.org/418473.html
I posted when Deviant Ollam first taught a blind person to pick locks
https://kestrell.dreamwidth.org/420756.html
so I was excited when I read the following post in the Forbes Wiretap newsletter:
Winner Of The Week
Anyone who's been around the hacking world knows that lock-picking is very much part of the scene. Not long ago, white hat hacker Deviant Ollam taught the art to a class of blind students. A film crew caught it and it's a
remarkable watch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJVrL8QjG5s&ab_channel=TheModernRogue
especially if you've ever tried picking a lock yourself and know how tricky it is. Hat-tip to Zack Whittaker and
his information security newsletter
https://this.weekinsecurity.com/?
for this one.
Kes: Note that some of Deviant Ollam's lockpicking books are available as Kindle ebooks on Amazon. While the following book does not contain any how tos, it is a fascinating history of similar methods for getting into places where your presence is neither expected nor officially sanctioned
A Burglar's Guide to the City by Geoff Manaugh (2016) (available on NLS BARD)
and here is a nifty talk with the author
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSlgtqxfWkk&ab_channel=TheBerkmanKleinCenterforInternet%26Society
Kes: I want to underscore a twelfth point, which is that it requires a significant cognitive load for a visually impaired person to memorize all the specialized controller actions in addition to building a mental model of the virtual world, and that this usually requires additional time and effort which needs to be taken into account when planning an event, especially as not every blind person is a fast memorizer.
Virtual Reality Accessibility: 11 Things We Learned from Blind Users
November 2, 2022
The current platforms and systems used in virtual reality (VR) technologies cannot be used by people who are blind. Equal Entry believes that VR should be accessible to all people with disabilities.
This is why we created a research environment to evaluate how blind people can navigate through a VR environment on the web. We believe many solutions are straightforward and should be implemented and made available today.
Equal Entry worked with the
XR Access Accessible Development for XR
https://xraccess.org/workstreams/adxr/
(adXR) group, a workstream where academics and corporate professionals work together on research projects. For months, we discussed possibilities on how to test and refine some best practices for accessible extended reality (XR) experiences.
Building a More Social Virtual Reality World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOnuwpSMs5A&ab_channel=A11yVR-AccessibilityVirtualReality
was our first project exploring this topic.
This project focused on 3D content descriptions. These are text alternatives for objects in XR that can receive focus or contain important information. The research looks at how effective these 3D content descriptions are at communicating vital information and considers what needs to be done differently when moving from 2D to 3D environments.
Research Environment
We created a virtual space with a convenience store, lounge, and conference room. Each room contains selectable items with alternative text that we added. Just like 2D images on a website need alternate text, 3D images in VR do too. You can try it out. Wear your Meta Quest 2 or a compatible headset and open our
VR Research Environment
https://codepen.io/ctyamashita/full/rNdqqWZ
in your headset’s browser.
There were two main tasks we wanted to explore in our research.
1. Can a user navigate from the entrance to a virtual event space and find different rooms and objects?
2. Can a user explore and interrogate information about a set of 3D objects that are displayed on three shelves?
Continued on
https://equalentry.com/virtual-reality-accessibility-things-learned-from-blind-users/
Virtual Reality Accessibility: 11 Things We Learned from Blind Users
November 2, 2022
The current platforms and systems used in virtual reality (VR) technologies cannot be used by people who are blind. Equal Entry believes that VR should be accessible to all people with disabilities.
This is why we created a research environment to evaluate how blind people can navigate through a VR environment on the web. We believe many solutions are straightforward and should be implemented and made available today.
Equal Entry worked with the
XR Access Accessible Development for XR
https://xraccess.org/workstreams/adxr/
(adXR) group, a workstream where academics and corporate professionals work together on research projects. For months, we discussed possibilities on how to test and refine some best practices for accessible extended reality (XR) experiences.
Building a More Social Virtual Reality World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOnuwpSMs5A&ab_channel=A11yVR-AccessibilityVirtualReality
was our first project exploring this topic.
This project focused on 3D content descriptions. These are text alternatives for objects in XR that can receive focus or contain important information. The research looks at how effective these 3D content descriptions are at communicating vital information and considers what needs to be done differently when moving from 2D to 3D environments.
Research Environment
We created a virtual space with a convenience store, lounge, and conference room. Each room contains selectable items with alternative text that we added. Just like 2D images on a website need alternate text, 3D images in VR do too. You can try it out. Wear your Meta Quest 2 or a compatible headset and open our
VR Research Environment
https://codepen.io/ctyamashita/full/rNdqqWZ
in your headset’s browser.
There were two main tasks we wanted to explore in our research.
1. Can a user navigate from the entrance to a virtual event space and find different rooms and objects?
2. Can a user explore and interrogate information about a set of 3D objects that are displayed on three shelves?
Continued on
https://equalentry.com/virtual-reality-accessibility-things-learned-from-blind-users/
And posted online at
https://sighttechglobal.com/agenda/?mc_cid=d44666e45e&mc_eid=503bb1e1d9
This virtual conference is free, and you can register here
https://sighttechglobal.com/conference-registration/
Here are some panel highlights:, with just brief descriptions, but I encourage readers to check out the entire agenda because, as usual, the speakers for this conference represent developers and researchers who are investigating the technology concerns which will be impacting blind and visually impaired people--and all disabled people--in the immediate future.
Day 1 (Wed., Dec. 7)
1. Virtual reality and Inclusion: What does non-visual access to the metaverse mean?
People with disabilities and accessibility advocates are working to make sure the metaverse is accessible to everyone. This panel will delve into research on the challenges current virtual and augmented reality tools create for people who are blind or have low vision.The panelists will share their experiences using immersive technologies and explore how these tools can be used to enhance employment opportunities in hybrid and remote workplaces – but only if they are built with inclusion in mind.
2. Inventing the "screenreader" for VR: Owlchemy Lab's Cosmonious High
For developers of virtual reality games, there's every reason to experiment with accessibility from the start, which is what the Owlchemy Labs team did with Cosmonious High, the 2022 release of a fun, first-person game situated in a inter-galactic high school that one reviewer said "has all the charm and cheek of a good Nickelodeon kids show." And it reveals some of the earliest approaches to acessibility in VR.
3. Audio Description the Pixar Way
AI-based, synthetic voice-based audio description may have a place in some forms of accessible video content, but the artistry of the entirely human-produced audio descriptions Pixar produces for its productions, set a creative standard no AI will never attain, and that's all for the good. Meet members of the Pixar team behind excellence in audio descriptions.
4. Accessibility is AI’s Biggest Challenge: How Alexa Aims to Make it Fairer for Everyone
Smart home technology, like Alexa, has been one of the biggest boons in recent years for people who are blind, and for people with disabilities altogether. Voice technology and AI help empower people in many ways, but one obstacle stands in its way: making it equitable. In this session, learn from Amazon about how they’re approaching the challenge ahead.
Day 2 (Thurs. Dec. 8)
1. The Problems with AI
Despite the stunning advances in AI over the past decade, the so-called "deep learning" AI technology prevalent today has under-appreciated limitations and even poses societal dangers. Our speakers are world-renowned AI experts and AI "dissenters" who believe we need an AI that's both more accountable and better able to produce common sense results.
2. Did Computer Vision AI Just Get Worse or Better?
The ability an assistive tech devices to recognize objects, faces, scenes is a type of AI called Computer Vision, which calls for building vast databases on images labeled by humans to train AI algorithms. A new technique called
"one-shot learning"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-shot_learning
learns dramatically faster because the AI trains itself on images across the Internet. No human supervision needed. Is that a good idea?
https://sighttechglobal.com/agenda/?mc_cid=d44666e45e&mc_eid=503bb1e1d9
This virtual conference is free, and you can register here
https://sighttechglobal.com/conference-registration/
Here are some panel highlights:, with just brief descriptions, but I encourage readers to check out the entire agenda because, as usual, the speakers for this conference represent developers and researchers who are investigating the technology concerns which will be impacting blind and visually impaired people--and all disabled people--in the immediate future.
Day 1 (Wed., Dec. 7)
1. Virtual reality and Inclusion: What does non-visual access to the metaverse mean?
People with disabilities and accessibility advocates are working to make sure the metaverse is accessible to everyone. This panel will delve into research on the challenges current virtual and augmented reality tools create for people who are blind or have low vision.The panelists will share their experiences using immersive technologies and explore how these tools can be used to enhance employment opportunities in hybrid and remote workplaces – but only if they are built with inclusion in mind.
2. Inventing the "screenreader" for VR: Owlchemy Lab's Cosmonious High
For developers of virtual reality games, there's every reason to experiment with accessibility from the start, which is what the Owlchemy Labs team did with Cosmonious High, the 2022 release of a fun, first-person game situated in a inter-galactic high school that one reviewer said "has all the charm and cheek of a good Nickelodeon kids show." And it reveals some of the earliest approaches to acessibility in VR.
3. Audio Description the Pixar Way
AI-based, synthetic voice-based audio description may have a place in some forms of accessible video content, but the artistry of the entirely human-produced audio descriptions Pixar produces for its productions, set a creative standard no AI will never attain, and that's all for the good. Meet members of the Pixar team behind excellence in audio descriptions.
4. Accessibility is AI’s Biggest Challenge: How Alexa Aims to Make it Fairer for Everyone
Smart home technology, like Alexa, has been one of the biggest boons in recent years for people who are blind, and for people with disabilities altogether. Voice technology and AI help empower people in many ways, but one obstacle stands in its way: making it equitable. In this session, learn from Amazon about how they’re approaching the challenge ahead.
Day 2 (Thurs. Dec. 8)
1. The Problems with AI
Despite the stunning advances in AI over the past decade, the so-called "deep learning" AI technology prevalent today has under-appreciated limitations and even poses societal dangers. Our speakers are world-renowned AI experts and AI "dissenters" who believe we need an AI that's both more accountable and better able to produce common sense results.
2. Did Computer Vision AI Just Get Worse or Better?
The ability an assistive tech devices to recognize objects, faces, scenes is a type of AI called Computer Vision, which calls for building vast databases on images labeled by humans to train AI algorithms. A new technique called
"one-shot learning"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-shot_learning
learns dramatically faster because the AI trains itself on images across the Internet. No human supervision needed. Is that a good idea?
By Meghan Smith
October 28, 2022
Watertown resident Kim Charlson won’t need to go to her polling place, print out a ballot or sign any forms. Charlson, who is blind, plans to take advantage of a new voting system for people with disabilities that allows them to cast their ballot electronically through a secure web portal.
The option was available in five cities last year: Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Watertown and Worcester. It is now permanently available statewide, thanks to a lesser-known provision in the
VOTES Act passed in June,
https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2022/06/22/mail-in-voting-is-permanent-in-massachusetts
which aimed to make voting in the state overall easier by permanently offering mail-in voting for all Massachusetts voters and expanding early voting. Advocates say, in many ways, it puts Massachusetts at the forefront of accessible voting as one of just a handful of states now allowing the electronic option for disabled voters. Once they apply, voters using the new method can cast their ballot electronically early or before polls close on Election Day at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.
“I'm just delighted at the ease of voting, and the privacy of being able to do it independently and submit my ballot and know I'm all set,” said Charlson, executive director of the Perkins Library at Perkins School for the Blind, who first used the new system last year. “It makes me feel good about the democratic process.”
Charlson remembers that when she first voted at age 18, her best option was to have a friend or poll worker join her in the voting booth to help fill out a ballot. She and other advocates say having more voting options — from secure web voting, to mail-in ballots, to accessible machines at polling places — are a big step forward for disabled people.
“I think the disability community takes it [voting] very seriously because we had to kind of fight the fights to get to have the opportunity to vote privately and independently,” Charlson said.
In 2020, the Disability Law Center partnered with the Bay State Council of the Blind and the Boston Center for Independent Living to sue the state over lack of accommodations made for disabled people to vote safely and securely during the pandemic. Secretary of State Bill Galvin
settled the lawsuit
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/courts/galvin-settles-lawsuit-over-voting-access-for-people-with-disabilities/
right before the election to allow disabled voters to vote electronically.
But during the 2020 election, voters with disabilities who chose the electronic method still needed a printer and had to physically sign the ballot. Advocates pushed for the option to last beyond that single year and worked with the secretary of state’s office to make it even more accessible.
( continued below cut )
October 28, 2022
Watertown resident Kim Charlson won’t need to go to her polling place, print out a ballot or sign any forms. Charlson, who is blind, plans to take advantage of a new voting system for people with disabilities that allows them to cast their ballot electronically through a secure web portal.
The option was available in five cities last year: Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Watertown and Worcester. It is now permanently available statewide, thanks to a lesser-known provision in the
VOTES Act passed in June,
https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2022/06/22/mail-in-voting-is-permanent-in-massachusetts
which aimed to make voting in the state overall easier by permanently offering mail-in voting for all Massachusetts voters and expanding early voting. Advocates say, in many ways, it puts Massachusetts at the forefront of accessible voting as one of just a handful of states now allowing the electronic option for disabled voters. Once they apply, voters using the new method can cast their ballot electronically early or before polls close on Election Day at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.
“I'm just delighted at the ease of voting, and the privacy of being able to do it independently and submit my ballot and know I'm all set,” said Charlson, executive director of the Perkins Library at Perkins School for the Blind, who first used the new system last year. “It makes me feel good about the democratic process.”
Charlson remembers that when she first voted at age 18, her best option was to have a friend or poll worker join her in the voting booth to help fill out a ballot. She and other advocates say having more voting options — from secure web voting, to mail-in ballots, to accessible machines at polling places — are a big step forward for disabled people.
“I think the disability community takes it [voting] very seriously because we had to kind of fight the fights to get to have the opportunity to vote privately and independently,” Charlson said.
In 2020, the Disability Law Center partnered with the Bay State Council of the Blind and the Boston Center for Independent Living to sue the state over lack of accommodations made for disabled people to vote safely and securely during the pandemic. Secretary of State Bill Galvin
settled the lawsuit
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/courts/galvin-settles-lawsuit-over-voting-access-for-people-with-disabilities/
right before the election to allow disabled voters to vote electronically.
But during the 2020 election, voters with disabilities who chose the electronic method still needed a printer and had to physically sign the ballot. Advocates pushed for the option to last beyond that single year and worked with the secretary of state’s office to make it even more accessible.
( continued below cut )
Have you ever gone to a company's website and had to click through half a dozen pages just to find the customer service number, or totally failed to find the phone number at all?
This website lists a vast collection of customer services numbers for almost any major company you can think of, and it also provides a search feature.
https://gethuman.com/
This website lists a vast collection of customer services numbers for almost any major company you can think of, and it also provides a search feature.
https://gethuman.com/
From the Blind Abilities podcast, this is one episode in their valuable series on job skills:
https://blindabilities.com/?p=7677
And I also wnat to recommend their brilliant iPhone 101 series of podcasts, which range from longer in-depth subjects to brief bites, such as this recent one, which allowed me to finally get rid of that annoying ticking sound:
iPhone101 QuickByte: Safari Ticking Be Gone! You Won’t Miss It!
https://blindabilities.com/?p=7639
https://blindabilities.com/?p=7677
And I also wnat to recommend their brilliant iPhone 101 series of podcasts, which range from longer in-depth subjects to brief bites, such as this recent one, which allowed me to finally get rid of that annoying ticking sound:
iPhone101 QuickByte: Safari Ticking Be Gone! You Won’t Miss It!
https://blindabilities.com/?p=7639
Kes: And hey, a squared-off lube bottle that won't roll if you drop it: see how accessibility benefits everybody? Also, the Alt Text as Poetry workshop is *awesome*! I recommend this to everyone.
From Pharrell’s Inclusive Skincare Line To A Lube With Braille Writing, Consumer Brands Are Finally Starting To Think About Blind And Visually Impaired Customers
by Bérénice Magistretti
Oct 13, 2022,06:54am EDT
Full article at
https://www.forbes.com/sites/berenicemagistretti/2022/10/13/from-pharrells-inclusive-skincare-line-to-a-lube-with-braille-writing-consumer-brands-are-finally-starting-to-think-about-blind-and-visually-impaired-customers/?sh=2917ba575e41
Today, consumer health giant Haleon announced a partnership with Microsoft to make its health products more accessible to the blind and visually impaired (the companies shared both a written and audio press release). Microsoft’s
Seeing AI app
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai
now allows users to scan the barcode of Haleon products to get information about ingredients and usage instructions delivered via an audio feature. The free app works on over 1,500 Haleon products across the UK and US, including Sensodyne, Centrum, Panadol and Advil.
....A company that has been instrumental in helping the visually impaired with things like reading product labels is
Be My Eyes.
https://www.bemyeyes.com/
The app connects blind and partially sighted people with volunteers via a live video feature to assist users with daily tasks, such as checking expiry dates, distinguishing colours and reading instructions. There are currently more than 6 million volunteers on the app across 150 countries. In 2019, the company partnered with Clearblue to help visually impaired women regain control over their reproductive health. Users can now access the Clearblue Careline through Be My Eyes and receive their pregnancy or fertility test results right away from a Clearblue Advisor.
While helping the blind and visually impaired with shopping and manual work is vital, there are instances when disabled individuals would rather not seek another pair of eyes – in the bedroom, for example.
An up-and-coming sexual wellness brand that baked inclusivity into its DNA from the start is Roam. The London-based startup makes all-natural products that include condoms and lubricants for both the front and the back. In addition to being sexually inclusive, the brand also made sure that it’s accessible to the disabled community.
“We hear a lot about tokenistic inclusivity,” said Roam co-founder and chief creative officer Alex Griffiths. “It felt disingenuous to say that we want to provide a choice to customers and make them feel visible while ignoring people who are often forgotten.”
The founders thought long and hard about disability inclusivity when creating their products, adding braille writing on the sides and designing square-edged lubes to prevent the bottles from rolling if dropped.
....Artists Shannon Finnegan and Bojana Coklyat (who has low vision) are striving to make alt text more creative and playful through their project
Alt Text as Poetry.
https://alt-text-as-poetry.net/
On the website, they state:
“Alt text is an essential part of web accessibility. It is often disregarded or understood through the lens of compliance, as an unwelcome burden to be met with minimum effort. How can we instead approach alt text thoughtfully and creatively?”
The artists encourage people to think about words and language in an experimental spirit when writing alt text or image descriptions, drawing inspiration from the world of poetry. And that’s really the key when trying to make accessibility edgier: from a lube with braille writing to a poetry-inspired alt text, we all need to think about accessibility creatively in order to normalize it and make it a part of our everyday lives.
From Pharrell’s Inclusive Skincare Line To A Lube With Braille Writing, Consumer Brands Are Finally Starting To Think About Blind And Visually Impaired Customers
by Bérénice Magistretti
Oct 13, 2022,06:54am EDT
Full article at
https://www.forbes.com/sites/berenicemagistretti/2022/10/13/from-pharrells-inclusive-skincare-line-to-a-lube-with-braille-writing-consumer-brands-are-finally-starting-to-think-about-blind-and-visually-impaired-customers/?sh=2917ba575e41
Today, consumer health giant Haleon announced a partnership with Microsoft to make its health products more accessible to the blind and visually impaired (the companies shared both a written and audio press release). Microsoft’s
Seeing AI app
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai
now allows users to scan the barcode of Haleon products to get information about ingredients and usage instructions delivered via an audio feature. The free app works on over 1,500 Haleon products across the UK and US, including Sensodyne, Centrum, Panadol and Advil.
....A company that has been instrumental in helping the visually impaired with things like reading product labels is
Be My Eyes.
https://www.bemyeyes.com/
The app connects blind and partially sighted people with volunteers via a live video feature to assist users with daily tasks, such as checking expiry dates, distinguishing colours and reading instructions. There are currently more than 6 million volunteers on the app across 150 countries. In 2019, the company partnered with Clearblue to help visually impaired women regain control over their reproductive health. Users can now access the Clearblue Careline through Be My Eyes and receive their pregnancy or fertility test results right away from a Clearblue Advisor.
While helping the blind and visually impaired with shopping and manual work is vital, there are instances when disabled individuals would rather not seek another pair of eyes – in the bedroom, for example.
An up-and-coming sexual wellness brand that baked inclusivity into its DNA from the start is Roam. The London-based startup makes all-natural products that include condoms and lubricants for both the front and the back. In addition to being sexually inclusive, the brand also made sure that it’s accessible to the disabled community.
“We hear a lot about tokenistic inclusivity,” said Roam co-founder and chief creative officer Alex Griffiths. “It felt disingenuous to say that we want to provide a choice to customers and make them feel visible while ignoring people who are often forgotten.”
The founders thought long and hard about disability inclusivity when creating their products, adding braille writing on the sides and designing square-edged lubes to prevent the bottles from rolling if dropped.
....Artists Shannon Finnegan and Bojana Coklyat (who has low vision) are striving to make alt text more creative and playful through their project
Alt Text as Poetry.
https://alt-text-as-poetry.net/
On the website, they state:
“Alt text is an essential part of web accessibility. It is often disregarded or understood through the lens of compliance, as an unwelcome burden to be met with minimum effort. How can we instead approach alt text thoughtfully and creatively?”
The artists encourage people to think about words and language in an experimental spirit when writing alt text or image descriptions, drawing inspiration from the world of poetry. And that’s really the key when trying to make accessibility edgier: from a lube with braille writing to a poetry-inspired alt text, we all need to think about accessibility creatively in order to normalize it and make it a part of our everyday lives.
Sponsored by Mathworks, the creator of Matlab and Simulink software
Highlights
Digital accessibility and its importance to engineers and scientists with disabilities
Digital accessibility issues in STEM education and practice
Making data and software tools accessible to all engineers and scientists
Importance of the accessibility of digital documents, including scientific publications and course textbooks
Improving accessibility of data through data sonification, graphical braille displays, and screen readers.
Read the agenda and about the amazing panelists here
https://www.mathworks.com/company/events/seminars/digital-accessibility-engineering-science-3874451.html#skip_link_anchor
Register here
https://www.mathworks.com/company/events/seminars/digital-accessibility-engineering-science-3874451.html
Highlights
Digital accessibility and its importance to engineers and scientists with disabilities
Digital accessibility issues in STEM education and practice
Making data and software tools accessible to all engineers and scientists
Importance of the accessibility of digital documents, including scientific publications and course textbooks
Improving accessibility of data through data sonification, graphical braille displays, and screen readers.
Read the agenda and about the amazing panelists here
https://www.mathworks.com/company/events/seminars/digital-accessibility-engineering-science-3874451.html#skip_link_anchor
Register here
https://www.mathworks.com/company/events/seminars/digital-accessibility-engineering-science-3874451.html
Kes: This is a video with audio description which describes a feature on the Pixel 7; there are similar apps for blind people using other brands of smartphones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0I9CF6HZ6o&ab_channel=MadebyGoogle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0I9CF6HZ6o&ab_channel=MadebyGoogle
Kes: Maybe some of you know Lindsay, who has been involved in many science- and tech-related projects here in the Boston area, including projects at MIT.
Astro Access - Tactile Graphics for Space Flight
From: 'Chancey Fleet' via Technology Programs at Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library <heiskelltech@googlegroups.com>
Come help make space travel safer for everyone, including future blind and low vision astronauts.
If you are a disabled person aboard the International space Station, what accommodations do you need to become a trusted part of the working crew?
If you can't see, and you are in zero gravity, how does that change the way you get around?
On Tuesday October 18, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM Eastern, the library will host representatives of AstroAccess, a nonprofit working to ensure future space travel is accessible to everyone. The program will begin with a short introduction to AstroAccess by Lindsay Yazzolino and Sheri Wells-Jensen, two members of the blind crew who will fly aboard AstroAccess's zero G parabolic flight this December.
We are designing the world's first tactile way finding aids for a zero G environment, and we are are looking for people of all backgrounds to examine our progress and offer feedback.
We will show you the first examples of our tactile graphics system designed to provide
basic zero G orientation information such as which way is 'down' (should gravity return), and direction of emergency supplies and emergency exits. We need your feedback and suggestions.
If we can make space accessible, we can make any space accessible.
Where: Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
40 West 20th St | NYC
We'll be hands-on with tactile graphics so in-person participation is encouraged, but we'll also have a Zoom for those who want to hear the discussion from afar.
Register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdquunwFi_CIY88ofZvFLCNbDqtbMr-vfkfO9jn9OQhxkAKeg/viewform
Astro Access - Tactile Graphics for Space Flight
From: 'Chancey Fleet' via Technology Programs at Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library <heiskelltech@googlegroups.com>
Come help make space travel safer for everyone, including future blind and low vision astronauts.
If you are a disabled person aboard the International space Station, what accommodations do you need to become a trusted part of the working crew?
If you can't see, and you are in zero gravity, how does that change the way you get around?
On Tuesday October 18, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM Eastern, the library will host representatives of AstroAccess, a nonprofit working to ensure future space travel is accessible to everyone. The program will begin with a short introduction to AstroAccess by Lindsay Yazzolino and Sheri Wells-Jensen, two members of the blind crew who will fly aboard AstroAccess's zero G parabolic flight this December.
We are designing the world's first tactile way finding aids for a zero G environment, and we are are looking for people of all backgrounds to examine our progress and offer feedback.
We will show you the first examples of our tactile graphics system designed to provide
basic zero G orientation information such as which way is 'down' (should gravity return), and direction of emergency supplies and emergency exits. We need your feedback and suggestions.
If we can make space accessible, we can make any space accessible.
Where: Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
40 West 20th St | NYC
We'll be hands-on with tactile graphics so in-person participation is encouraged, but we'll also have a Zoom for those who want to hear the discussion from afar.
Register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdquunwFi_CIY88ofZvFLCNbDqtbMr-vfkfO9jn9OQhxkAKeg/viewform
An
article by Guide Dev
https://hearthstoneaccess.github.io/under-the-hood-patch-day.html
explaining the process of making
Hearthstone Access
https://hearthstoneaccess.github.io/
accessible.
article by Guide Dev
https://hearthstoneaccess.github.io/under-the-hood-patch-day.html
explaining the process of making
Hearthstone Access
https://hearthstoneaccess.github.io/
accessible.
From a press release by the Mass Commission for the Blind
People with disabilities and people who are legally blind
can now apply for free/reduced MBTA fares online.
BOSTON — Today the MBTA announced that, beginning September 19, 2022, eligible riders can now apply online for a new, renewal, or replacement TAP CharlieCard or Blind Access CharlieCard. People with disabilities (including low vision) and Medicare cardholders are eligible for reduced MBTA fares with a TAP CharlieCard and people who are legally blind are eligible for free MBTA fares with a Blind Access CharlieCard.
With the launch of
these two online applications,
https://login.constantcontact.com/login/
the MBTA now accepts online applications for the following free/reduced fare programs: Blind Access, TAP, Senior, and Youth Pass. Riders will still be able to apply in-person at the
CharlieCard Store
https://www.mbta.com/fares/charliecard-store
for Senior, Blind Access, and TAP as they do now (and can make online reservations to visit the CharlieCard Store), and can also visit the
MBTA Mobility Center
https://www.mbta.com/accessibility/mbta-mobility-center
for online application support. Riders seeking to apply for a TAP CharlieCard by mail or at the CharlieCard Store can download the updated application at mbta.com/transportation-access-pass.
( more info below cut )
People with disabilities and people who are legally blind
can now apply for free/reduced MBTA fares online.
BOSTON — Today the MBTA announced that, beginning September 19, 2022, eligible riders can now apply online for a new, renewal, or replacement TAP CharlieCard or Blind Access CharlieCard. People with disabilities (including low vision) and Medicare cardholders are eligible for reduced MBTA fares with a TAP CharlieCard and people who are legally blind are eligible for free MBTA fares with a Blind Access CharlieCard.
With the launch of
these two online applications,
https://login.constantcontact.com/login/
the MBTA now accepts online applications for the following free/reduced fare programs: Blind Access, TAP, Senior, and Youth Pass. Riders will still be able to apply in-person at the
CharlieCard Store
https://www.mbta.com/fares/charliecard-store
for Senior, Blind Access, and TAP as they do now (and can make online reservations to visit the CharlieCard Store), and can also visit the
MBTA Mobility Center
https://www.mbta.com/accessibility/mbta-mobility-center
for online application support. Riders seeking to apply for a TAP CharlieCard by mail or at the CharlieCard Store can download the updated application at mbta.com/transportation-access-pass.
( more info below cut )
Kes: If anyone wants to know how to run an accessible virtual conference, you should follow this conference, beginning from their pre-registration phase because, as far as accessibility and assistive tech is concerned, this is the most impressive virtual conference going. I’ve attended both of the previous virtual conferences, and I’m always excited to find out who they line up as
Speakers
https://sighttechglobal.com/speakers/
and what the panels are, because they definitely follow through on discussing cutting edge topics in assistive tech. Their main page also has the following statement:
"Nothing about us without us
All sessions will include the guidance and participation by people who are blind or visually impaired."
From the announcement email:
It's time to register for the third annual Sight Tech Global conference, which takes place entirely online in a highly accessible format on
December 7 and 8.
Click here to register
https://sighttechglobal.com/conference-registration/
Speakers
https://sighttechglobal.com/speakers/
and what the panels are, because they definitely follow through on discussing cutting edge topics in assistive tech. Their main page also has the following statement:
"Nothing about us without us
All sessions will include the guidance and participation by people who are blind or visually impaired."
From the announcement email:
It's time to register for the third annual Sight Tech Global conference, which takes place entirely online in a highly accessible format on
December 7 and 8.
Click here to register
https://sighttechglobal.com/conference-registration/
Here is another device which potentially serves as an assistive tech for blind people, a useful technology for astronautts, and a technology which could add another layer to virtual reality. Seriously, that Venom suit is sounding kind of...spiffy.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3192017/chinese-scientists-say-new-device-mimics-sense-touch-high
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3192017/chinese-scientists-say-new-device-mimics-sense-touch-high
From Amazon to Verizon, most of the major tech and media companies are included here.
https://ophthalmicedge.org/patient/accessibility-support-phone-lines-you-should-know/
This and the URL for the preceding post were taken from this week's Top Tech Tidbits: to read this week's newsletter in its entirety, or to subscribe, go to
https://www.toptechtidbits.com/tidbits2022/09152022/
https://ophthalmicedge.org/patient/accessibility-support-phone-lines-you-should-know/
This and the URL for the preceding post were taken from this week's Top Tech Tidbits: to read this week's newsletter in its entirety, or to subscribe, go to
https://www.toptechtidbits.com/tidbits2022/09152022/
For your information
from the Library of Congress.
New audio and braille magazines
Two new audio magazines have been added to the NLS collection.
• Title: Harvard Women’s Health Watch
Frequency: Monthly
Description: Harvard Women’s Health Watch offers timely information in the new age of women’s health and medicine. Includes new prevention strategies, new diagnostic techniques, new medications, and treatments.
• Title: Psychology Today
Frequency: Bi-monthly
Description: Psychology Today is an American general-interest psychology magazine. A variety of psychological perspectives and approaches are represented in the magazine’s analyses.
In addition, NLS recently added one new NLS-produced braille magazine:
• Title: Guideposts
Frequency: Monthly
Description: Guideposts shares inspirational stories.
Availability: hardcopy braille and download from BARD
The BARD Support Team
Send comments, questions, or concerns to NLSDownload@loc.gov
Like NLS on Facebook or subscribe to the NLS Music Notes Blog
Home | About | Contact
Subscriber Preferences & Unsubscribe | Subscriber Help
________________________________________
This email was sent to strzal@charter.net using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Library of Congress · 101 Independence Ave, SE · Washington, DC 20540 · 202-707-5000
from the Library of Congress.
New audio and braille magazines
Two new audio magazines have been added to the NLS collection.
• Title: Harvard Women’s Health Watch
Frequency: Monthly
Description: Harvard Women’s Health Watch offers timely information in the new age of women’s health and medicine. Includes new prevention strategies, new diagnostic techniques, new medications, and treatments.
• Title: Psychology Today
Frequency: Bi-monthly
Description: Psychology Today is an American general-interest psychology magazine. A variety of psychological perspectives and approaches are represented in the magazine’s analyses.
In addition, NLS recently added one new NLS-produced braille magazine:
• Title: Guideposts
Frequency: Monthly
Description: Guideposts shares inspirational stories.
Availability: hardcopy braille and download from BARD
The BARD Support Team
Send comments, questions, or concerns to NLSDownload@loc.gov
Like NLS on Facebook or subscribe to the NLS Music Notes Blog
Home | About | Contact
Subscriber Preferences & Unsubscribe | Subscriber Help
________________________________________
This email was sent to strzal@charter.net using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Library of Congress · 101 Independence Ave, SE · Washington, DC 20540 · 202-707-5000
From the September-October Talking Book Topics.
NLS is working to develop an improved BARD Mobile app for the Kindle Fire and seeks patron volunteers to help test and provide feedback on experimental features and interfaces. All types of patrons are eligible, including low-vision users, multi-disabled users, digital braille readers, and VoiceView users.
Participating in beta testing requires no special technical expertise, only access to a Kindle Fire and familiarity with basic operation of the device. Supported Kindle Fire tablet device models include:
• Fire 7 (2019 – KFMUWI, 2022 – KFQUWI),
• Fire HD 8 (2018 – KFKAWI, 2020 – KFONWI)
• Fire HD 10 (2019 – KFMAWI, 2021 – KFTRWI)
• Fire HD 10 Plus (2021 – KFTRPWI)
Participants will be required to email feedback regularly to NLS. For more information, please contact Julia Kim (juliakim@loc.gov)
NLS is working to develop an improved BARD Mobile app for the Kindle Fire and seeks patron volunteers to help test and provide feedback on experimental features and interfaces. All types of patrons are eligible, including low-vision users, multi-disabled users, digital braille readers, and VoiceView users.
Participating in beta testing requires no special technical expertise, only access to a Kindle Fire and familiarity with basic operation of the device. Supported Kindle Fire tablet device models include:
• Fire 7 (2019 – KFMUWI, 2022 – KFQUWI),
• Fire HD 8 (2018 – KFKAWI, 2020 – KFONWI)
• Fire HD 10 (2019 – KFMAWI, 2021 – KFTRWI)
• Fire HD 10 Plus (2021 – KFTRPWI)
Participants will be required to email feedback regularly to NLS. For more information, please contact Julia Kim (juliakim@loc.gov)
Kes: The following post is from Top Tech Tidbits, but I have no experience with the group, and I am still baffled by Discord, so I can offer no further info.
Have you ever been interested in Table Top Role Play Gaming, such as Dungeons and Dragons, but hesitant to give it a shot or didn't know how? Knights of the Braille is a community of blind, visually impaired, and sighted individuals who welcome everyone. We meet on Discord and the developers are aware of screen reader users, but check us out for yourself:
https://knightsofthebraille.com/
Have you ever been interested in Table Top Role Play Gaming, such as Dungeons and Dragons, but hesitant to give it a shot or didn't know how? Knights of the Braille is a community of blind, visually impaired, and sighted individuals who welcome everyone. We meet on Discord and the developers are aware of screen reader users, but check us out for yourself:
https://knightsofthebraille.com/
Join the library for a new monthly event!
Beginning Thursday, August 11, 2022, the Patron Engagement Section of the National Library Service (NLS) will offer a monthly program called The Many Faces of BARD. This program will occur on the second Thursday of every month from 7-8 PM Eastern Time. Each session will start with a brief presentation covering one aspect of the BARD (the Braille and Audio Reading Download) service, followed by an opportunity for questions about the presentation or other aspects of BARD usage. The first presentation will provide an overview of all of the available BARD products. At the end of each program, the topic for the next presentation will be announced.
These sessions are open to all patrons, and can be accessed through
Zoom online
https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1611161911?pwd=bVh5ejFsWFBlL21KY0VqaHlRMUlSQT09#success
using the
meeting ID 161 116 1911
and
passcode 489758,
or via phone at (669) 254-5252 followed by the meeting ID 161 116 1911.
Upon connecting, participants will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the program begins. When they enter the room, they will be on mute, and they should remain on mute unless the host calls upon them to speak. At that time, they may unmute by using Alt-A from a computer or star 6 if dialing in by phone.
All Many Faces of BARD sessions will be recorded.
Beginning Thursday, August 11, 2022, the Patron Engagement Section of the National Library Service (NLS) will offer a monthly program called The Many Faces of BARD. This program will occur on the second Thursday of every month from 7-8 PM Eastern Time. Each session will start with a brief presentation covering one aspect of the BARD (the Braille and Audio Reading Download) service, followed by an opportunity for questions about the presentation or other aspects of BARD usage. The first presentation will provide an overview of all of the available BARD products. At the end of each program, the topic for the next presentation will be announced.
These sessions are open to all patrons, and can be accessed through
Zoom online
https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1611161911?pwd=bVh5ejFsWFBlL21KY0VqaHlRMUlSQT09#success
using the
meeting ID 161 116 1911
and
passcode 489758,
or via phone at (669) 254-5252 followed by the meeting ID 161 116 1911.
Upon connecting, participants will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the program begins. When they enter the room, they will be on mute, and they should remain on mute unless the host calls upon them to speak. At that time, they may unmute by using Alt-A from a computer or star 6 if dialing in by phone.
All Many Faces of BARD sessions will be recorded.
