COOL BLIND TECH

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE BEST ASSISTIVE TECH NEWS, REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS FROM TOP BLIND AND LOW VISION EXPERTS. AN ENTERTAINING AND TRUSTWORTHY DISCUSSION ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

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Cool Picks: March 20, 2017

Cool Picks returns with Jessica Rickards, Joel Ramos, and Hugo Gallegos as they tell us all about their latest tech. read more

From Microsoft Garage: Hearing AI: Connecting Deaf People to a World of Sound.

Microsoft Garage is developing another really cool iOS app called Hearing AI. This app runs on an iOS device. It shows the intensity of sounds around you, and it also uses real-time speech-to-text technology to display a written transcription of conversations picked up by your phone’s microphone. Not only can you read what someone is saying to you, but you can also see a display of how loud and soft their voice is while they are speaking. read more

VIP: CSUN 2017 Special Event!

In this very special VIP, Joel Ramos, Hugo Gallegos, and Rachel Feinberg tell us all about their exciting experiences at this year’s Assistive Technology Conference, hosted by California State University Northridge. read more

BrailleEasy: A One-Handed Braille Keyboard for the Visually Impaired.

Qatar Computing Research Institute developed a virtual on-screen one-handed braille keyboard for those who are blind and have motor impairments that make two-handed braille typing difficult to perform. This app is free to download from the iOS app store, but is currently not available for Android devices. You are able to use it as your default keyboard, or just switch to it when you want. It divides a braille cell into two columns. You enter the dots for the first column, followed by the dots for the second column. I gave it a try, and once I got used to the gestures that accompany one-handed typing, I found it quite easy to use. read more

Spotlight with Suman Kanuganti: Cofounder and CEO of Aira.

In this CBT Spotlight interview, James Oates sits down with Suman Kanuganti, the cofounder and CEO of Aira Visual Interpreter for the Blind, to discuss a life changing new service for those who are blind or visually impaired.
Aira takes advantage of the technology found in advanced smart glasses, like Google Glass, to connect blind people with sighted agents who can use the information transmitted by those glasses to help them with anything that might require visual feedback. That could be anything the user would like an extra pair of eyes for.
Smart glasses not only have a camera that transmits visual information to the agent, but also other sensors that send detailed information to the agent’s dashboard, such as GPS information that is incorporated into Google Maps.
For now, the glasses will need to be paired with a smart phone, but you should listen to this podcast to hear all the spectacular improvements that Suman is planning.
You can visit their website, email Aira, or email Suman directly for more information. You can also call Aira at: (858) 876-2472. read more

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