Join Jessica, Tomi, and Rachel for another exciting VIP as they explore this week’s latest in technology. This week, it’s all about movies, and the devices you watch them on. Check out these exciting stories.
Gadgets
Philips Televisions Are Now Accessible for the Visually Impaired
The entire line of 2017 Philips brand televisions and video players now offers Enhanced Accessibility to allow blind and visually impaired users to control the devices’ functions. Adding Enhanced Accessibility to products entails the addition of voice guide descriptive menus, easy to read user interface, guide dots on remote controls, easy access to closed captioning/subtitles and secondary audio, easy access to support, and an easy way to identify these products with the help of an Enhanced Accessibility logo.
IBM’s Buddy for the Blind Solution Helps the Blind Swim.
If you are visually impaired, you know what a challenge it can be to swim freely without any assistance. First point, the wall is not your friend. If your swimming at top speed, and you can’t see that you are approaching the wall, it isn’t going to turnout well for you. Also, it can be a challenge to stay in your swimming lane and out of the way of other swimmers.
IBM took on this challenge by developing a system of Bluetooth beacons and haptic devices to help the blind swimmers. Sense Bluetooth doesn’t work under water, they placed Bluetooth beacons on a steel wire that runs 4 to 5 feet above the water along the center of the lane. The swimmers ware a device on their heads beneath their swimming caps that vibrate more intensely as they stay centered. So far, the tests have yielded very positive results, and the blinds swimmers feel a sense of freedom that they haven’t felt before.
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Portable Speaker is the First Speaker That Turns Your iPhone Into a Conference System
Rayz Rally is a pocket-sized speaker, together with the Rayz App it makes calling easier & clearer anytime, anywhere.
New VR Headset to Help Visually Impaired See
With a swipe of your finger this new technology, called Iris Vision, uses Samsung VR headset combined with software uploaded to a Samsung Galaxy phone.
People with low vision are able to get up close and personal to the world around them.
Actiview is Coming Soon to an Accessible Theatre Near You
Most movie goers don’t have to worry about going to see the latest movie in the theatre, but for the hearing or visually impaired, getting the necessary technology to provide you with amplified sound or audio descriptions can be frustrating. Although some solutions exist, it’s usually difficult to get them. And while one theatre may have one device, another may have none at all.
The New Amazon Dash Wand with Alexa is Free for Prime Subscribers
Alexa is coming to the Amazon Dash Wand, which is making a comeback since its 2014 debut alongside a special promotion for Amazon Prime subscribers that essentially makes it free.
VIP: Let Me Change Your Mind
This week the Cool Blind Tech team along with a special guest host, discuss the latest happenings in the world of Accessible Technology. Join Joel, Jessica and Darrell Hilliker as they share their opinions on this week’s news and bring to you some very Cool Picks. Make sure to press play or download this week’s special show.
Cool Picks: June 11, 2017
In this weeks Cool Picks, James Oates, Joel Ramos, Tamas Geczy, and Jessica Rickards get together to share their latest findings in the world of assistive tech.
The 6-dot Braille Label Maker makes labeling for everyone fun!
There are only a few ways people can create Braille labels these days. One could use a $500-1000 Perkins Brailler and feed the tape into it, after which you cut it yourself per label. There are other handheld labeling devices sold which provide a stamping mechanism for labels; These take time and require rotating the disc after each strike. Not convenient.
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