Word to votre madre
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing an auto-translation device that works by using electrodes to measure and interpret mouth movements, so that users don’t need to speak the words they want to use aloud. There is of course a potential for error–it’s doubtful there would be electrodes attached to the tongue to distinguish between /p/ and /b/, for example, and there would be the inevitable translation hash caused by homonyms, idioms, etc. But we’re imagining the possibilities this could have for augmentative communication–people with physical difficulty speaking could mouth the words they want and have them spoken in the language of their choice.
Kiddie biometrics
To meet elementary school requests for auto-pay options in their cafeterias, identiMetrics has developed biometric systems that “can now identify a child as young as 4.” Here’s hoping public locations realize that this would also accommodate adults whose hands are much smaller than average.
Chumby: Hackable clock radio, or dream gadget?
Chumby is a small, inexpensive (~$150 US) device with built-in WiFi and USB, decent sized touchscreen LCD, speakers, and various other input and output modalities. Like squeezing. That’s right: squeeze Chumby and it might purr, or send email to the sexual harassment authorities. Linux-based and in the sweet spot for the software widget community, Chumby also aims at crafters — why not crochet a Chumby pillow for your sofa, or supplement the frame with bling or seashells? Lots of opportunities here to leverage accessible Linux with multimodal network-based services and content.
It’s not quite commercially available, but already software is showing up. See, in today’s world, you start waiting at the train station before they build the tracks….
Get your daily agenda read over the phone
If you use Google Calendar (and maybe you should), you can train it to call your phone (desk or mobile) and read your day’s appointments to you in pretty good synthetic speech. Lots of organizations maintain group calendars; this is a great way to synchronize users regardless of disability.
Unraveling the Upravlator
So you like the ever-changing keys of the Optimus, but wish it were mounted on a base that let you adjust it to different angles? Voila: the Upravlator, also from Art Lebedev, which has more and larger keys than the Optimus. Not many other details available at present, though.
More iPod fashion
The grooveRider is a T-shirt with large buttons for controlling iPod functions, and a pocket for holding the actual iPod. Big points for providing an accessibility option for people with dexterity disabilities. Now, if it looked less like a UPS uniform…
Car talk
We’ve previously covered a car remote that works via Bluetooth, but the Audiovox Prestige 998 goes the next step by also letting your car communicate with you via text messaging. Granted, its conversational topics are limited to whether it’s running, whether it’s locked or unlocked, and what its internal temperature is. Still, even that information could be a real boon to people with dexterity or mobility impairments.