#wheelchairuser

[jenny-94]

Silvester Party Time 🥳🍾

[benjitoum]

[gayaest]

Saboh! 🎧⛓️🎨

He has control of his muscles above the shoulders, so he can shrug a bit, and due to his c4 incomplete, he has the ability to use his left hand to control himself a bit, even with spasticity! He also has a caretaker that helps him! ♿️

[prettythey]

My sweet butch pushing me in my wheelchair and took me out for some air and it was so nice. I loved getting some fresh air, getting some practice in, and getting to spend time with them💕🥹 Its been 6 months and I cant wait for more time with them and more experiences and milestones 🥹💕 I love being a lesbian and I love being their femme💕🎀

❤️🧡🩷❤️🧡🩷🧡🩷❤️🧡🩷❤️🧡🩷❤️🧡🩷

[the-monster-exhibit]

July is Disability Pride Month!!

If you want to read my free zine about relying on caretakers as a disabled adult, you can find it here!

[cy-cyborg-draws]

Ref Sheet Commission for Vio of their fursona! [ID: A digitally draws character reference sheet for Vio the otter, drawn in a cartoony style with no shading. The character art shows Vio from the front and side sitting in a black wheelchair. They have brown fur, wear a blue shirt and long brown pants. In the side view drawing, they have both hands on their wheels, but in the front view one, they are waving with their left hand. To the left of the character drawings is a more detailed image of the wheelchair they are sitting in, which is labelled "main chair". It is a rigid frame active chair with a low backrest and no push handles. To the right is another wheelchair, this one a foldable wheelchair with a high backrest and static push-handles. It is blue with dark grey accents and it is labelled "Alternate chair". Above the illustration of the main chair is the character bio, which reads "Vio. Pronouns: They/them. Gender: Agender. Sexuality: Poly/Asexual. Main Wheelchair Name: Leah. Alternate wheelchair name: El Dorado." There are also 4 pride flags beside Vio's name, The Asexual flag, The Agender Flag, The disability pride flag and the autism pride flag. Finally, above all the art is a line of colour swatches, with the palette for Vio separated from the palette for their two wheelchairs. /End ID]

[prometheus-exe]

🧠 When AI is Accessibility — Not Just Tech

Hey Tumblr fam — I’ve been thinking a lot about how AI is already changing life for people with disabilities. It’s not just futuristic stuff. It’s happening now. Here’s a roundup, with real examples + some caveats:

✨ What AI is already doing

📱 Seeing, describing, navigating

Microsoft Seeing AI: Scan a page or a scene, and it will read text aloud, identify people and objects, recognize currency, etc. Opera Medium

Be My Eyes + “Be My AI”: Traditionally, Be My Eyes connected blind/low-vision users with volunteer helpers via live video. More recently, it added an AI mode (powered by GPT-4) so users can get instant image descriptions and follow-up questions without needing a human volunteer. Wikipedia

AI smart goggles: In India, innovators have created “smart goggles” with computer vision, face/object recognition, and audio feedback to help visually impaired users navigate real environments. The Times of India

🦾 Prosthetics, exoskeletons & motion support

AI in prosthetics: Modern prostheses use machine learning to interpret nerve signals (EMG) and adapt movement more fluidly, giving users more natural control. PMC ResearchGate IJISAE

Real-time adaptation & simulation models: AI simulation models are being employed within prosthetic systems to refine predictions about movement and adapt in real time. Nature

Hand exoskeletons / vision + sensors: Researchers built prototypes that use cameras + AI to assist with grasping or moving fingers for people with weak hand control. arXiv

Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL): A powered exoskeleton suit that reads biosignals (nerve/muscle signals) and helps amplify or support motion in paralyzed or low-mobility users. Wikipedia

🎤 Communication, control & inclusion

Eye tracking / gaze control & voice recognition: For people who can’t use traditional input devices, AI enables interfaces controlled via eye gaze or voice. UN Regional Information Centre AT&T Newsroom

Avatar robots / telepresence work: Some people unable to leave home can operate robots remotely (e.g. “avatar work”) to attend jobs, move physically in places, etc. arXiv arXiv

Music with eyes: The EyeHarp lets people with severe motor impairment produce music using eye or head movements as input. Wikipedia

Preserved voice via AI voice cloning: For people with conditions like ALS (who gradually lose speech capability), AI voice cloning can preserve a person’s natural voice so they can still “speak” with something close to their original voice. (E.g. collaborations by speech-synthesis firms and disability groups) The Times

⚠️ What we must also watch out for

AI isn’t perfect, and it has risks and blind spots (literally and figuratively). Here are a few concerns:

Bias & exclusion: Algorithms trained on “average” inputs often mess up when encountering non-standard features (e.g. facial differences, movement disabilities). UN Regional Information Centre UNDP

Voice recognition limitations: Many voice systems struggle with non-standard accents, speech impairments, or nonverbal communication styles. UNDP UN Regional Information Centre

Privacy & autonomy: Using AI to monitor movement, health signals, or behavior is powerful — but it risks surveillance or dependency if not designed with agency in mind.

Overreliance on tech: Not all environments (physical spaces, institutions) are built for AI solutions; plus, tech fails sometimes. We still need universal design and backup supports.

Access inequality: Not everyone has access to these tools (cost, connectivity, device support), so there’s a danger of widening the gap between who “benefits” and who doesn’t.

📝 Why this matters

Because for many disabled people, AI is more than convenience — it’s access. It’s the difference between being able to read a menu, walk independently, speak with loved ones, or do a job. AI can shift the balance of autonomy.

And when disabled creators and communities are part of the design process, the results are often more humane, effective, and just.

[disabled-not-dead]

Just because i can't walk doesn't mean that i can fly

https://bit.ly/3CQYkoP