Tech Advances Aid the Disabled November 12th, 2009
Regina Hopper

Thanks to the rapid evolution and reach of broadband and other modern innovations, people with diverse needs are finding answers and opportunities in today’s technology. For disabled communities, these new tools are more than toys—they are downright empowering, and give the gift of greater independence, not to mention access to employment and education opportunities. And since 50 million Americans, or 1 in 5 people, are living with at least one disability, the potential for these advances to do good is significant.

As highlighted in a recent New York Times video, advances in computers and their hardware are making affordable, broadband-enabled laptops which are powerful enough to run the software needed to aid those with disabilities. For example, for the speech impaired, a low-cost laptop with free talk and type software enables individuals to communicate and conduct business with regular computing functions and Internet access. This is a tremendous change from the cumbersome, costly, and severely limited computers of the past that were available to the disabled.

Thanks to wireless technology, other exciting innovations are emerging for disabled citizens. For deaf Americans, a new wireless captioning system could greatly enhance their experience in public venues – actually transmitting via caption what is happening audibly at places, including movie theaters, museums, schools and sports arenas. For those with cognitive disabilities, the Travel Assistance Device uses GPS technology inside cell phones to track disabled transit riders and guide them safely to their destination. When the rider’s bus stop approaches, the phone vibrates and plays a prerecorded message telling the individual to pull the cord and tell the driver to pull over at the next corner—ultimately giving the individual greater independence to go about their day. And thanks to voice technology, the K-NFB reader, a smartphone for the vision-impaired, can actually scan and read documents aloud – in addition to serving as a phone and camera.

With innovators focused on the next frontier and making devices universal, disabled communities will continue to enjoy greater choices that enhance their quality of life in myriad ways.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 10:14 am and is filed under Benefits of Broadband, Reports and Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.