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[megtat]

Assistive Technology Services (SVRI)

The Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute offers Assistive Technology Services to their clients.

The Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI) located in Wisconsin offers assistive technology services for a variety of environments and different contextual situations. These AT devices focus on finding solutions and accommodations for individuals with disabilities. This institute makes it their mission to allow their clients reach their full potential and participate in all activities meaningful to them with the help of their assistive technology. They provide assistance in the home, community, or even at school. This institutes offers different devices such as magnifiers, specialized keyboards, reachers and ergonomic office chairs. Many devices are individually customized to meet their client’s special needs. They have their own “fabrication lab” in which they create all of their assistive technology. This institute is useful for occupational therapists as an added resource to contact and advocate for in order to help many realize that there options out there that meet their individual needs! With the help of SVRI, many individuals can begin to engage in their beloved occupations and become independent again! 

[marissabonney]

John Palmer became paralyzed at age 19 after being involved in a pool related accident. He is now getting married and wants to be able to experience a first dance with his new wife. After finding the only dance studio in Michigan that offered a ballroom dancing program for wheelchair users, John is able to make his wish come true. As future OTs, we need to support the hopes and dreams of our clients and try to our best ability to put them in the position to make these things happen. A wheelchair isn’t provided to someone to hold them back, but it is meant to enable occupation and assist them in completing daily tasks. As a society, we need to remember that a person isn’t defined by their disability and that they can accomplish much more than meets the eye. 

[megtat]

This video almost made me tear up Marissa! I think this is a great example of how much individuals with disabilities are capable of with a little modification here and there. I love the motivation and drive that John Palmer had in order to find the only dance studio offering dance lessons for user in wheelchairs. Factors such as dancing are often overlooked for wheelchair users. Occupational therapists need to be aware of resources like dance lessons for wheelchair users in order to advocate and support our clients’ wishes. It’s also useful for us so we are able to better help the participate in meaningful occupations such as dancing. Thanks for sharing Marissa! 

[megtat]

Do-It-Yourself Designs for Daily Living

To help cope with diminished vision, muscles and dexterity, older Americans are adapting household items from soap to straws.

This article describes hacks that older people have created in order to make their lives a little easier. Glen Hogan, an industrial designer and professor at Novia Scota College of Art gathered research regarding unique do it yourself designs for adaptive technology and equipment in the home. This is very useful for anyone who is financially limited and its also a great read to see how creative and intelligent people can be! Creations such as the clothespin for holding the straw in place on a cup can be surprisingly very useful along with another creation, sugru, to make opening jars easier for people!

[megtat]

Cat in a Wheelchair Gets New Set of Wheels

Africa the tabby cat has a novel way of getting around. Click to subscribe for more cute videos: http://bit.ly/ZqphqC Why don't you come and join U-zoo to st...

Throughout our class, we’ve mainly focused on accessibility for humans, so I decided to take it a little further and look at accessibility for animals (shocker, I know!) Also because Dr. C has mentioned his cats a couple time so incase anything were to happen, this might be of use to him or any other animal lovers! So Africa, the tabby cat, had a severe injury resulting in loss of function in her legs. Now most owners who realize their pet has sustained such a life changing injury choose to put them to asleep, thinking this is the best option, to avoid a life of misery. However, these specific pet owners, chose a different, more rewarding route! A wheelchair was created specially for this cat, along with ramps throughout their house to ensure the cat had full accessibility anywhere in the house. Also, a handle (refer to picture) was attached to help Africa up the stairs when needed! What a purr-fect idea! 

[medievalpoc]

A visitor touches a textured version of Velázquez’s “The Triumph of Bacchus” (1628–29) at the Prado (All images courtesy of Museo del Prado)

Museo del Prado Leads the Charge Toward Better Accessibility for the Blind

Many of us have felt the flash of embarrassment that comes when a stern museum guard scolds us for getting too close to the artwork. Paintings are for looking, not touching. It’s an understandable rule that fends off grubby fingers, but unfortunately, it also sidelines the blind.

Museo del Prado has begun tackling this problem by doing away with those conventions entirely. Touching the Prado, an exhibition put on in collaboration with the ONCE and AXA foundations, invites visually impaired people to touch relief replicas of six collection masterpieces.

Visitors can run their fingers past the stiff, ruffled collar of Velasquez’s prim “Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest” (1580), over the billowing, silky skirt folds of the woman in Goya’s “The Parasol“ (1777), or across the enigmatic smile of the sitter in “La Giaconda” (1503 – 1519), a da Vinci workshop copy of the famous painting. They can also touch three-dimensional versions of “Noli me Tangere” (1525) by Correggio,”Vulcan’s Forge” (1630) by Velasquez, and “Still Life with Artichokes, Flowers, and Glass Vessels (1627) by Juan van der Hamen. Braille wall text and an audio guide fully describing the works offer additional context.

Read More at HyperAllergic

This is relevant to my interests, and I hope yours as well!

[kaylabayne17-blog]

This is a great piece on making hobbies an expereine even for those with visual impairments. Art is a powerful and wonderful thing to see, now imagine never seeing classic pieces like the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, The Kiss, and many more pieces of art that have influenced many with thir technique and beauty. Art is an amazing thing because it cnamean many different things to many different people. This artist is making works of art accesiable to all. He is taking clssic works of art and making thme with textured mediums so that those who are blind can feel the art and imagine it in their mind better. This is wonderfully because it is helping ot make the world an accesiable place.

[megtat]

I agree with Kayla regarding the significance behind this idea. Staying on topic with our discussions from class, this is taking vision impairment accessibility to the next level! Although, like one viewer had stated, there is still vital components that just touching alone cannot provide, such as seeing the colors in the pieces. Despite this, the idea is a giant step forward to making many meaningful activities accessible to all populations, despite disability. Another significant factor mentioned in this article was the increase in wheelchair accessibility being made in many museums! This article provides proof that accessibility for all populations, from visual deficits to mobility difficulties, is being expanded in a variety of different settings!

[megtat]

How many of you knew that there was an ‘International Wheelchair day?’ Not to worry, I did not either until I stumbled across wheelchair Steve! Wheelchair Steve is an inspirational speaker who emphasizes the importance of wheelchairs, their vital role in our community and also specializes in training for those who have disability and are having mobility issues. Another goal of Wheelchair Steve is to increase the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and he also strives to make the world more accessible for individuals with disabilities. He coined the term WheelchairSteve with hopes to spread the word regarding wheelchair accessibility and also to provide information regarding funding and business aspects. What he is doing is opening doors for many people who were once immobile and this in itself is clinically meaningful for all in involved! Oh and also for anyone who is wondering, ‘International Wheelchair Day is always March 1st!’ 

[megtat]

CHECK THIS OUT! A wheel chair that makes it easier for handicapped individuals to go to the beach and even float in the water. A family who’s husband has multiple sclerosis designed this wheel chair when their husband became sick of watching his children at the beach from the car. The wheels are designed specifically to move in the sand easier and also floating devices are attached on the chair to float in the water. This design seems somewhat unrealistic at first, but if you watch the video, it describes how reliable it is. Also, things such as removable arm rest make it easier for the individual to transport from the Mobi-chair to their normal wheel chair. Yet another thing over looked for people bound to wheel chairs is their inability to participate in leisure activities such as going to the beach. With Mobi-chair, they are now able to go and even get in the water! Assistive technology is the best! 

[katiewecke]

How one Paris startup is becoming an Uber for people with disabilities

French car-sharing service Wheeliz easily connects people with disabilities to owners of adapted cars.

This article describes a startup company that provides rides in accessible vehicles for people in wheelchairs. The woman who created this company is in a wheelchair herself, and was fed up with the lack of accessible transportation available and the extremely high prices for the accessible transportation that was available. Essentially, this company is like Uber in which drivers volunteer their vehicles and time, and earn some extra cash in the process. This company was started in Paris and has been spreading throughout France, and they hope to eventually take it international. I think the U.S. could really benefit from a company like this, and bring us one step closer to accessibility for all people. 

[megtat]

I agree with Katie that the U.S. could greatly benefit from a company such as Wheeliz. This is another factor that I over looked when thinking about daily struggles individuals in wheel chairs might face. This woman was kind enough to change the way we look at renting cars and add a new perspective into this process. She has opened up new possibilities for handicapped individuals who are now able to travel easier thanks to her innovative start up. Barriers such as high costs and limited availability for accessible vehicles have now been improved and I cannot wait to hear about this company making great progress in the U.S. one day. 

[asteinbecker1-blog]

This video gives insight into real people’s lives and the influence of assistive technology on their level of function. The i-grow company believes that there is assistive technology for everyone, not just individuals with disabilities but also their families, caregivers, and healthcare practitioners. Technology gives people control of their lives again. Involvement in activities increases and communication grows. As therapists, we can utilize technology to get our clients more excited about their time with us and motivate them to achieve their goals. This serves as an important reminder to not only focus on the technology for those with severe disabilities, but also those with minor disabilities who could benefit from the use of technology to increase their participation in activities. AT is a great trick to keep in our back pocket as OTs! 

[megtat]

Thank you Alanna for sharing this video. It’s a great insight in to the assistive technology world and the many benefits it can have in an individual’s life. Even tasks such as remembering to take medicine can be enhanced with the help of an application on an ipad. One significant factor is communication and facial expression. A man described how is his wife had a stroke and that without her ipad and communication application, she would be unable to communicate at all. There applications that help an individual to express feelings in a way that they could not before. The motivation assistive technology can give people to participate in the activities they once loved is invaluable. 

[davidthesloth-blog]

This Smart Glove Translates Sign Language to Text and Speech

Unit 2

Hadeel Ayoub is a designer and media artist that wanted to discover a way that allowed individuals with hearing disabilities to effectively communicate with those with those who could hear. Ayoub says her motto is “to design with a cause,” and this idea stemmed from witnessing her niece with autism who signs to communicate. After working on it for a year, she developed this glove that converts sign language into text and speech. While wearing the glove, a person can sign as they normally do, where either text or speech will come up through another’s smart phone or tablet. Additionally, Ayoub wants the glove to be multilingual. The glove reads the sign language using five flex sensors on the fingers that detects the user’s signing, and also keeps track of their signing techniques. The device is still in a prototype-stage, as this is a very recent story; however, Ayoub wants her glove to be provided to individuals with hearing disabilities for free. Something like this would be extremely beneficial, and bridge a gap between communication. (from Zite)

[shanfoley]

This is probably one of the most useful articles I’ve read to help the deaf community. It allows them the create text or speech by using their form of communication, sign language, through a glove. I like the motto they use- “to design for a cause.” I think it’s great because it’s breaking all kinds of language barriers and is even advancing to using e-mail and sending texts. It’s really taking communication for people with disabilities to the next level. 

[megtat]

I agree with Shannon in the sense that it is a very useful article for the deaf community and also for anyone who is unable to verbally communicate. It is a creative and unique way to break down those language barriers and improve communication skills for the hearing impaired. This glove that creates visual letters and words from sign language is a huge stepping stone for all communication devices. Shannon hit home when she stated that “it’s really taking communication for people with disabilities to the next level.”

[megtat]

Hamden playground for wheelchair bound kids

In many communities, children in wheelchairs don't have the opportunity to enjoy the playground experience, like other kids. But that is no longer the case i...

This is probably one of the most innovative and extremely underrated inventions created. I do not know about you, but I personally overlooked children in wheelchairs and their inability to participate in play ground activities, or simply play on a jungle gym. It amazes me that this never occurred in my thought process and how the inability to participate in playing on a jungle gym was a huge limiter in social skills for children in wheel chairs. This truly handicapped accessible playground opens up a wide array of possibilities and new play milestones for disabled children. It brings us one step forward to increasing equality for all, disability or no disability.  

[megtat]

New application allows disabled mobile users access to technology hands free

An Israeli tech company is working to make smart phones even smarter. Developers at Sesame Enable have created a platform to allow paralyzed users to control...

This was very interesting me because associates the meaning of “hands free” to a different type of technology: the cell phone. Sesame Enable have created an application to allow users who do have arm and hand control to access their mobile device by following head movements. Even those with limited head movement can access their phone with minimal to no complications. Users can use their device just like those who have hand control, including making calls, opening and browsing the internet, texting, sending emails, etc. This video signifies the theory that “touch is becoming overrated.”

[megtat]

Dragon Naturally Speaking has become a mainstream software application for computer use. In the beginning it was targeted to physicians to be able to transcribe notes in an efficient manner so othe...

This article puts a unique perspective on a common assistive technology: Dragon Natural Speaking. Most people think of it as the ‘go to’ hands free computer access solution but there are important considerations to be aware before choosing this software. Some considerations include: users need to have general knowledge of computers and basic computer skills; clarity and pronunciation are vital in order for Dragon to properly recognize the individual’s voice; computer specifications such as a fast process; maximum amount of RAM, and updated operating system provide optimal performance; non-noisy environment is highly recommended; and basic writing skills are sometimes needed to edit what Dragon has transcribed. These considerations allow people to ensure that Dragon is the best solution to provide optimal computer access and if it is not, to begin searching for alternate solutions. 

[megtat]

There are many reasons someone would need to access the computer without their hands, such as a Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), quadriplegia, Muscular Dystrophy, etc.....

This is a useful article breaking down assistive technology in 5 useful ways for diagnoses with impaired wrist and hand function such as ALS, MS, MD quadraplegia, etc. The first AT mentioned is speech recognition such Dragon. They express their concerns for using this as the sole hands free computer access and recommend using it in conjunction with other devices. Some concerns they identified were environmental noise, voice fatigue, and intelligibility. The 2nd AT noted was head movement direct access for those who still have head movement control. The tracker pro and head mouse extreme were examples shown and these use a camera to track a reflective dot, representing the cursor on the computer screen. The 3rd method mentioned was mouth, chin, lip direct access. The example identified here was the sip-n-puff device for the mouth clicks. The 4 hands free way was the eye gaze which follows the individual’s eyes to move the cursor on the screen. Switch access was the 5th technique mentioned although this is the most restrictive method, all one needs is one body part that can move voluntarily. This website is useful for anyone still unaware of the different types of computer hands-free access and describe each technique in a way that is easily understandable to the public. 

[megtat]

VividVision is a type of virtual reality that is designed specifically to help those who have vision problems such as lazy eye or cross-eyed. With these impairments, the brain is ignoring input from the weaker eye, but when using Vivid vision,it is striving to change the way your brain works for the better. This is an example of how far Virtual Reality can go and the many diagnoses that can benefit from using virtual reality!

[cbaumbach1]

How One Man's Trip to Toys 'R' Us Brought Mobility to Hundreds of Disabled Kids

This $200 alternative to a power wheelchair could get thousands of physically impaired kids mobile

Go Baby Go founder Cole Galloway has found a way to make physically impaired kids more mobile. He takes power wheel cars and modifies them to fit each individual client, taking into account their weaknesses, as well as what they need to work on. One of the little boys needs to strengthen his legs, so his vehicle’s accelerator is powered by him standing up. Another little girl doesn’t try to keep her head up and centered, so her accelerator is located on the back of her headrest. Cole Galloway has also made YouTube videos showing parents how to modify these cars themselves and the safety precautions they need to go through for it to work. This would be a great way not only to motivate these kiddos to become more socially involved, but also give them confidence when around their peers.

[megtat]

I’m really happy that Cassie shared this video because it was absolutely amazing. I was completely unaware at the fact that there was no power wheel chair for children under the age of 3! It’s amazing to see a man put so much time and effort into an AT design for the sole reason of helping others! These modified power wheel cars not only create mobility for disabled children but they also give them confidence and empowerment. I love that he incorporates therapy into these vehicles-for instance, when the boy needs to stand in order to accelerate the jeep!  It’s just another example of the endless possibilities AT leaves for individuals with disabilities.

[megtat]

The Case Against Assistive Technology

It's hard to imagine not using technology every day in the real world. And yet in our schools, technology is often seen as giving an unfair advantage. A narr...

This video is unlike any other because it first presents cases that are all anti-assistive technology-how using technology is considered “cheating” or “unnecessary.” Technology gives an “unfair advantage” but what about the children who have a disability? Why should we overlook them? This video describes the true advantage that assistive technology can have not only on the special needs children but also on those who do not require special needs. Assistive technology is changing the way we learn today, and it is empowering those who were unable before.