Control version
Designer David Chacon has come up with a small remote for controlling devices all over the house. Besides the convenience for people with mobility disabilities, we particularly like the large, intuitive iconography–no reading capability required–and the potential for creating custom icons for specific products.
Dvice: Universal remote concept reminds us of the all-in-one gadget dream
I don’t see what you’re saying
One of the problems for some would-be speech output users is that most speech output strategies require tricky or intense use of the keyboard, mouse, or both; this can be a particular problem for seniors. Some German researchers have come up with a pretty cool solution involving use of facial recognition technology: just close your eyes, and Microsoft Word reads back the “current” sentence (presumably the one where the cursor is located). Ein guter Start; we’d love to see additional features, such as the ability to blink slowly to have the speech output move to and read the next line.
ACM Digital Library: Spoken words: activating text-to-speech through eye closure (summary)
Quickies at MIT
Quickies combine the best features of Post-It Notes and software. An RFID tag is attached to each Post-It, enabling heretofore unrealized capabilities, via computer, such as tracking where you left a note (great cognitive aid!) and pulling up a list of all notes that contain a specific word. Just a gleam in MIT researchers’ eyes for now.
Android deserves augmented reality
Android, Google’s mobile development platform, has attracted a really useful app. Enkin takes your location, camera input, and other info, and renders a customized meaningful overlay: where your car is in the lot, where the nearest noodle shop is, etc. This kind of personal guidance would be tremendously valuable for those with cognitive disabilities, permitting independent living and travel. Add audio output and you have a wayfinding device for blind users.
British graffiti
We hadn’t heard anything from our buddies Suck UK in ages, so we’re happy to report that they’ve now come up with a line of glow-in-the-dark spray paint. Originally designed for taggers, we can see it also being implemented for in-house (in-hotel, in-dorm…) use by anyone with low vision just trying to find their way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Gizmodo: Glow-in-the-dark graffiti makes street art ravetastic
Inflated hopes
Designed for motorcycle riders, this wearable air bag system will protect against falls and other high impact events. Many more people could continue to live independently if they felt safer moving around their homes and neighborhoods. Just be sure to de-activate it before doin’ the Bump at the Senior Surgical Sock Hop.
Viewing cells with cells
A bioengineering professor at UC-Berkeley has developed microscope attachments for cell phones, one with 5x power and the other with 60x power. The original use is for performing medical work in remote areas, but we could see the 5x lens also used as an inexpensive ($75) add-on that turns phones into portable CCTVs for magnifying small amounts of text.