Forbes recently published an article about a couple of breakthrough advances in smart phone technology that are bringing smart phones and tablets to blind users.
They featured the story of Sumit Dagar, an inventor in India, who is in the process of creating a tablet-like device that can connect to the internet and respond to touch while also displaying content as refreshable braille on the screen. Dagar has received a grant to work on his invention and expects the devices to be ready by next year for about $184 each.
You can watch his Ted Talk here where he describes how the device will work.
Forbes also highlights a new app called Georgie from Sight and Sound Technology available for Android phones that essentially takes a phone and makes it user friendly for blind and visually impaired users. Georgie changes the buttons on the phone so they are big and make a sound as you slide your finger over them. You can also change the colors and font sizes on your phone. Georgie is $230, but also comes with support and face-to-face training.
Blind adult and origami enthusiast Lindy van der Merwe shares how paper folding can help blind children build important pre-braille skills, including tactile discrimination, spatial awareness, bilateral coordination, and active...
Three creative-writing games transform simple words, numbers, and stories into collaborative poems. These playful activities encourage imagination, teamwork, language development, and creative thinking while helping children discover that poetry can...
Assistive Technology, Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment
Learn about Lumen smart glasses, an innovative assistive technology designed to help blind and visually impaired users navigate safely and independently.
