Be My Eyes, a Danish company that allows some 87,000 people who have downloaded the free app to request assistance in situations where vision is needed from 1.5 million volunteers, won the accessibility prize at the Tech4Good awards.
NEWS
Scientists Discover Blindness Gene
Our genome is made up of 20,000 genes, all of which may cause disease. At present, 4,141 genes have been identified as being responsible for genetic abnormalities, leaving around 16,000 genes with unknown implication in disease. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, working in collaboration with scientists from Pakistan and the USA — have investigated a recessive genetic disorder that destroys the eyes from developing and results in childhood blindness. After analyzing the genomes of each member of a consanguineous family with affected children, the geneticists pinpointed pathogenic mutations in a new gene, MARK3, as being the cause. They subsequently confirmed their findings — published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics — by modifying the homologous gene in drosophila flies, which resulted in abnormal eye development and blindness. The identification of the MARK3 related disease will help to understand the mechanism of the disease, provide diagnostic services, and initiate efforts for a personalized treatment.
Dolby Atmos support Coming to Amazon Prime Video
Dolby has announced that Amazon Prime Video will roll out Dolby Atmos support when Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan airs on August 31st, 2018. Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Cube boxes are ready to support the technology right away.
Reprogrammable Braille Could Eliminate Reading Multiple Books to Just a Few Pages
Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have created reprogrammable Braille that could eliminate the need for unique pages without using a braille display. It’s described as “a framework to encode memory, in the form of Braille-like dimples and bumps, onto a blank, lattice-free material.” This material is as dynamic as the words it can contain, changing as needed to reflect new text.
Amazon’s Echo Show Makes Alexa More accessible to the Deaf and Speech-Impaired
Amazon has new features for deaf and speech-impaired users. It’s called “Tap to Alexa,” and it lets owners of the Echo Show touchscreen smart speaker tap on the screen to access customizable shortcuts to common Alexa tricks, including weather, news headlines, timers and more. Users can rearrange those shortcuts or exchange them for other shortcuts. There’s also a new keyboard icon that you can select, and you’ll be able to type out a specific Alexa command with no need to talk.
Blind and Visually Impaired Students Explore Careers at STEM Camp with NASA
Blind and visually impaired students from around the state of Michigan explored the galaxy at a unique weeklong career exploration lab (CEL) held recently at LARA’s Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) Training Center in Kalamazoo. Offered under BSBP’s Pre-Employment Transition Services, the program featured a NASA engineer, and scientist presenters who introduced astronomy concepts to the students utilizing 3D technology and tactile graphs.
Can Eye-Bonds Help Combat Blindness?
As reported by News Talk Florida, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., joined U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., in pushing a bill to fund treatments to cure blindness.
Google Assistant Now Makes Video Calls for You
As reported by Android Police, you can now ask Google Assistant to initiate a video call for you with someone in your contact list, and it will do so by automatically launching Duo. If you don’t have Duo installed, Android Police notes that Assistant will use Hangouts instead.
You Can Now Ask Alexa to Adjust the Treble, Mid-Range or Bass
Starting this week, Echo users will be able to adjust the treble, mid-range or bass on their smart speaker by opening the Alexa app, or by simply asking Alexa via voice commands.
Festival Strives to be More Accessible
The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival is making efforts to be more accessible this year .
A spokesperson for the annual festival says organizers and staff want performers and audience members alike to be able to access as much of the content as possible.
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