Sun computer–literally
The Serbian firm NikolaDesign has come up with a prototype laptop that would run off solar power. Besides the green implications, there are multiple accessibility advantages as well, from eliminating the need for dexterous battery-swapping or power-cord-plugging to providing a more accommodating experience for people with electrosensitivity.
Girly, yes, but we like it too
We can think of two reasons why even hopelessly macho men would go for the pink Fleur flash drive if they have mild or moderate dexterity disabilities. One is a sleeve that slides up and down over the drive itself, acting as an unloseable cap. The other is a good-sized hole in the handle, which looks ideal for fitting over a finger to facilitate drive insertion and removal.
Mike’ll more?
The Roadrunner Bluetooth headset snuggles up close to your larynx to reduce ambient noise–and possibly work better than traditional headsets for people with some types of speech disabilities. Please tell us it goes great with speech recognition software…
Jumping the Sharkoon
You can outfit a computer with an adjustable keyboard, alternative mouse, and large monitor, but it still ain’t accessible if the user can’t turn it on. One new solution to this long-standing problem is the PC Jump Start Button from Sharkoon, which hooks into the motherboard and provides a nice large target area that could presumably be activated via elbow, toe, or other usable option for someone with a dexterity disability. It adds two USB plugs and a microphone or headset jack as well. Not bad for $22.
Zen PC: sound of all our hands clapping?
The “Z-axis enabled” computer concept has an all-tactile interface: its surface can form a regular keyboard, a piano keyboard, or any set of control shapes you need. You then touch them to operate the software. And they’re already aware of braille and tactile maps! It’d probably be useful for people with impaired dexterity and cognition as well. Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, or just another cockamamie prototype doomed to oblivion?
Face the Station
Sony’s basic PlayStation 3 camera can now track your face and head pointing direction, easy as pie. This technology could be used by anyone without other input capabilities; the screen shows the keyboard and you just aim your melon at the target. This has been done in the AT world, but seeing it go mainstream may lower the price and increase the awareness that such an approach does in fact work.
Gizmodo: PS3: PlayStation Eye Tracks Your Face As You Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge
Not as Goofy as it sounds
The 20th century ubiquity of Disneyfication has finally met the 21st century ubiquity of flash drives: one ear of the Mickey Mouse from A-Data is a 2 GB drive, while the other is pierced so you can enhance it with whatever. What caught our attention is that you can slide a picture of your choice into the center: your kids, your dog–or an illustration of how to insert the drive into your computer, as a cognitive prompt.
Gizmodo: Friends, kids, geeks, A-Data’s Mickey Mouse 2GB drive lends you his ear