Helping Your Blind Child Transition to Adult Services
Beth Jordan from Helen Keller National Center’s Kansas office shares her insights into preparing for transition to adult services for blind students.
News
Stem Cells, the Nobel Prize and Future Research
What does the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine have to do with diseases of the retina? Maybe nothing, at first, but Dr Yamanaka’s work with stem cells (specifically induced pluripotent stem cells) may have wide-reaching benefits for researchers working on curing degenerative retinal diseases.
Bionic Vision Australia Working on Bionic Eye Implants
Bionic Vision Australia (BVA) announces the successful implantation of a bionic eye. BVA attached the device, which contains 24 electrodes that stimulate the retina’s nerve cells, to a retina.
National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
The idea behind the National Deafblind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) is that people with combined hearing and vision loss should have access to modern telecommunication tools (and the training necessary to use them) so that they can interact, communicate, use the internet and contribute more to their community.
Retinal Prosthetic Creates “Normal Vision” in Blind Mice
A new study restores normal vision in mice with diseased retinas using a new type of retinal prosthetic which relies on the use of the retina’s code that communicates with the brain.
APH Teams Up with Dolly Parton to Offer Free Braille Books for Preschoolers
American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library have teamed up to provide free audio and braille books to preschoolers with visual impairments!
Calling All Moms of Blind Kids!
Sonja Biggs is looking for mothers of blind children to participate in a study on school skills. Sonja would like to see how mothers prepare their blind children for school.
EyeMusic: Seeing with Sound
EyeMusic is a sensory substitution device that turns visual data into music so that blind users can hear what’s around them. Users of EyeMusic wear glasses with a small video camera mounted on the frame. The camera scans the images in front of the user then transmit music back through an ear piece.
A Message for Parents of Special Needs Kids: Don’t Worry, Everything Will be OK
A new study shows that parents of children with disabilities learn to adjust over time and show little difference in well being, both physically and emotionally, from parents of typically developing children.
Medical Grants to Cover Health Care Treatments
The United Healthcare Children’s Foundation is seeking grant applications from families in need of financial assistance to help pay for their child’s health care treatments, services or equipment not covered by their health insurance plan. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply!
Perkins Unveils the SMART Brailler
Perkins Products introduces their revolutionary new brailler: The SMART Brailler. This new brailler has a small computer screen attached to the front of it so you can see (in both braille and print) what’s being typed on the screen. Perfect for parents who are learning along with their kids! The computer can also speak to you while you type and save and edit files, transfer files and create multiple users.
An EEG Watch?
Can a watch-like sensor replace the EEG? Researchers say that this watch can detect seizure activity by measuring sympathetically mediated electrodermal activity which has been suggested as containing enough information to profile a seizure. They say they can even predict seizures with this watch.
Braille Keyboard for Smartphones
Watch a video of an app developer demonstrating his new braille keyboard app on an iPhone. The new app will allow blind users to type using a touch screen.
Artificial Retina Approved for Sale in Europe
Second Sight announces that their artificial retina (also known as a retinal microchip), the Argus II, is now available for public purchase in Europe.
Wingbo Tummy Time Swing Giveaway!
Original Baby Company is giving away a free Wingbo tummy time swing to one lucky winner! And it’s not just for babies, you can also hang it with long ropes for older children, so check out the giveaway and enter!