Accessibility Minute - Assistive Technology Tips and Tricks for Everyone: Recent Episodes
Easter Seals Crossroads
A weekly look at assistive technology--tools designed to assist people with vision, mobility, or hearing impairments. Produced by the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs! As digital content becomes more prevalent, accessibility becomes more important. One example of such accessibility is the LyriQ Assistive Text-to-Speech device. The LyriQ Assistive Text-to-Speech Reader makes it easy for people with visual impairments, reading disabilities, and other disabilities to access and manipulate text-based content.
With this innovative technology, everyone can stay informed and connected while they learn, entertain, and communicate. LyriQ is a text-to-speech (TTS) reader that converts written text into spoken words, allowing users to listen to written content.
With the LyriQ, you can read a book, an envelope, the letter that came in it, a prescription label, and anything else! All actions with the LyriQ can be controlled with either hand gestures, buttons on the base, or an optional keypad (sold separately), making it "extremely easy" to control. To listen to a document, place that document on the device’s base surface. The LyriQ will automatically scan it and start reading the contents aloud.
Overview of LyriQ Assistive Text-to-Speech Reader: * Control reading speed * Forward and backward navigation by sentence * Variety of different languages and different voices * Built-in speakers, audio output jack, or Bluetooth connection to headphones * Folds flat when not in use * Save multi-page documents (such as a book) onto a USB flash drive * Weighs 3 pounds
Visit lssproducts.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m —— filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re searching for an educational, fun app for your kindergartner, check out TeachMe: Kindergarten. There are six different age-appropriate subjects that TeachMe: Kindergarten teaches to kindergarten-aged children: sight words, addition, subtraction, spelling, and writing letters and numbers. Subjects align with the US common core standards enabling parents and children to practice relevant curriculum-based topics while achieving rewards.
The app uses colorful graphics, cheerful characters, and playful animations to keep kids entertained while they learn. Through games, quizzes, and other interactive elements, TeachMe: Kindergarten introduces essential concepts in a way that resonates with young learners. By offering a well-rounded curriculum, TeachMe: Kindergarten ensures that kids develop a diverse set of skills that will serve them well as they progress through their education.
There are no in-app advertisements or in-app purchases in the app. The application plays in landscape mode and is suitable for both iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices.
Other features include: * 6 different sticker reward scenes: farm, beach, underwater reef, pirate cove, city, playground + Over 150 different stickers to add to scenes * Save learning information for up to 40 students * Select which subjects are displayed for each student
Click the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m —— filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A poor office setup can lead to pain in your back and shoulders. Ergonomic mice are designed to reduce or eliminate movements that have been known to cause these injuries or aggravate them in people who already suffer from repetitive strain injuries (or RSIs). If you’re in the market for a new ergonomic mouse, check out the Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse.
With its ergonomic design, customizable features, and precision engineering, the MX Master 3S sets a new standard for performance and versatility. With its contoured shape and soft-touch materials, this mouse provides optimal support and grip, reducing strain on your wrist and fingers during extended work sessions.
Other features include:
- Equipped with Logitech’s advanced Darkfield Laser Sensor technology, allowing it to track on virtually any surface with incredible precision and accuracy, including glass surfaces
- With customizable buttons and gestures, users can personalize their mouse to suit their specific workflow and preferences, assigning shortcuts, macros, and actions for streamlined navigation and task execution
- Features a sculpted shape and soft-touch materials that fit naturally in the hand, reducing strain and fatigue
- Can be paired with up to 3 devices simultaneously, enabling seamless switching between computers at the press of a button
Visit Logitech.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m ------ filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
On April 17, 2024 the U.S. Congress and the disability community will celebrate National Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Day. The day honors people with disabilities who require AT to access their education, workplace, community, and recreational activities. The day also recognizes the innovation of researchers, educators, and the dedication of AT specialists and program providers who operate AT programs so that millions of individuals can acquire and use low-cost and often no-cost AT. We in the assistive technology community would like to thank Senators Kevin Cramer, John Fetterman and Bob Casey for introducing the AT Awareness Day Resolution! We appreciate your leadership in support of people w/disabilties to access AT in all parts of daily life!! For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Josh Anderson filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are so many augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) applications available to help transform your mobile device into a communication device. One available app is the SoundingBoard AAC App by AbleNet Inc. In just a few minutes, you can create custom boards with up to 20 message locations using the developer’s symbols or your very own.
Designed with inclusivity and accessibility in mind, this innovative application serves as a bridge for individuals with communication challenges, empowering them to express themselves effectively and confidently. SoundingBoard AAC allows users to create personalized communication boards tailored to their unique needs and preferences. With a vast library of symbols, images, and customizable layouts, individuals can craft boards that reflect their vocabulary and communication style.
Overview of SoundingBoard AAC: * The app accommodates diverse communication needs by supporting multiple boards and easily switching between them * Can be used in home, school, or clinical settings – or virtually anywhere! * Users can select synthesized voices or record their own voice to accompany their messages, adding a personal touch to their interactions * AAC app features adjustable settings, including font sizes, grid layouts, and color contrasts, to cater to users with varying visual and motor abilities
Visit AbleNetInc.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m ----- filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
In the bustling landscape of urban living, accessibility and inclusivity in public transportation are paramount. As cities evolve, so do the tools designed to enhance the daily lives of individuals with diverse mobility needs. One such innovation making waves in the realm of urban mobility is the Ramble Tag Metro.
The Ramble Tag Metro is a groundbreaking assistive device designed to transform the way visually impaired individuals navigate through metro systems. Unlike traditional methods that heavily rely on canes or assistance from others, the Ramble Tag Metro empowers users with a more independent and efficient means of getting around.
The Ramble Tag Metro consists of a lightweight harness worn by the user and a guide handle held by a sighted guide, often a fellow commuter or a transport staff member. The design is focused on ensuring a secure and comfortable connection between the user and their guide, creating a seamless communication channel.
The tactile and audible feedback of the Ramble Tag Metro allows users to anticipate movements, changes in direction, and upcoming obstacles, providing a heightened sense of spatial awareness. This innovative approach not only enhances safety but also fosters a sense of autonomy for individuals who may have previously felt limited in their ability to explore the city independently.
Visit LSSProducts.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the past few months, we've covered a few ergonomic keyboard options to help prevent a repetitive strain injury (or RSI). To help further reduce your risk of an RSI, you should also be using an ergonomic mouse. One available option is the Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse by Logitech!
With Lift, you can rest your hand on a softly textured grip, with easy-to-reach buttons that help you work all day without lifting a finger. It features an “optimal” 57º angle that rests your hand in a “natural handshake position.” This angle puts less pressure on your wrist throughout the day while placing your arm and upper body in a more natural posture.
Here's more from Logitech:
“With a more relaxed upper body, your mind can focus on the things that really matter. Stay zen from a.m. to p.m. with whisper-quiet clicks and a smooth-gliding, quiet scroll wheel that adapts to the lightest touch…”
Other features include:
- Connect easily using Bluetooth Low Energy or the included Logi Bolt USB receiver – ideal for congested environments like the office
- Powered by a single AA battery (included)
- Great fit for small and medium hands
- Easy-to-reach customizable buttons, whisper-quiet clicks, and a SmartWheel for smooth, seamless scrolling
- Has been designed, developed, tested, and approved according to criteria set out by leading ergonomists
Visit Logitech.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m ---- filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the ErgoDox EZ ergonomic keyboard by ZSA. Another ergonomic solution from the same company is the Moonlander.
According to the product’s description, the Moonlander is a “next-generation ergonomic keyboard” and is jam-packed with lots of neat features.
First, just like the ErgoDox EZ, the Moonlander is a split keyboard so users can place both halves exactly where they need them. With this split design, users can type at shoulder width which keeps their chest open. Typing like this helps maintain a more relaxed posture and eliminates hunching over.
The Moonlander is considered a mechanical keyboard, which means:
“In a mechanical keyboard, each keypress is crisp and distinct. Different key switches offer a dramatically different typing feel. When building out your new Moonlander, choose between ten different types of switches. If you’re not sure which is right for you, we’ll help you choose…”
Other features include:
- Portable: carrying case included
- Modular: Remove or swap any part
- Fully backlit: RGB LEDs with smart animations
- Gamer-friendly: The left side can fly solo
- Two-year warranty. No fine print.
- Change any key switch on your Moonlander at any time, without soldering and without voiding your warranty. Every unit ships with a free tool that makes this easy
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank inTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Josh Anderson filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs! There are a lot of great apps out there that can really assist individuals with disabilities. But where can one go to find apps based on disability, need or functionality of the apps? Your local Tech Act provider is a great place to find out about the latest and greatest apps and to get a demonstration of them or even borrow a device. Here at the INDATA Project, we also use a great resource called Bridging Apps. Bridging Apps is a service coming out of Easterseals of Greater Houston and offers a one-stop shop to finding apps that can help with a myriad of different needs. According to their website, "BridgingApps, a program of Easterseals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, veterans, therapists, doctors, educators, and people with disabilities who share information on how apps and mobile devices can help people of all abilities reach their highest levels of physical, social and cognitive development." Some of the information available on their website at bridgingapps.org include: * Full app database including featured apps and a search tool that allows individuals to search by need, disability and other parameters. * Links to become a reviewer for the site to help others make choices on finding apps to accommodate their needs. * Learning database with videos on using mobile technology. * Community resources and more!
You can also hear members of BridgingApps on our sister podcast, Assistive Technology Update, where they have a recurring segment called 'An App Worth Mentioning', which dives deeper into an app featured on their site.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. I'd like to take a moment to thank inTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Josh Anderson filling in for Laura Metcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Reading and obtaining text and information can be very challenging for individuals with ADHD, dyslexia, or other learning disabilities. Fortunately, there are tools like Speechify to help out! Speechify is the “#1” text-to-speech program that turns any written text into spoken words in “natural-sounding language.”
The program is available as a Google Chrome extension, an iOS or Android app, or you can copy and paste text directly on Speechify’s website. To use it, all you have to do is type, paste, and edit any text in the designated area to convert it to speech. Or you can even drag and drop your Word or PDF file after you create an account!
According to Speechify’s website:
“With Speechify, reading is no longer a barrier. Speechify also makes reading much more enjoyable and efficient. It’s easy to see why millions of people across the world trust Speechify to enrich their lives…”
Features of Speechify include:
- Take Speechify with you wherever you go; listen on your desktop or mobile phone
- Available in several different languages
- Adjust the reading speed; "high-quality" AI voices can read up to 9x faster than the average reading speed
- "Natural-sounding" AI voices sound more fluid and human-like than other AI readers
- Use the app to snap a pic of a page in any book or printed material and hear it read out loud to you
- Anything you save to your Speechify library instantly syncs across all devices
- Hundreds of free audiobooks
- And more!
Visit Speechify.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m ---- filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs! Today we are highlighting the ErgoDox EZ ergonomic keyboard.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Reading many documents and understanding the main ideas in the text can be very challenging for individuals who struggle with reading comprehension and more. Fortunately, there are tools like Resoomer to help!
Resoomer Resoomer is an effective artificial intelligence (or AI) tool that supports a mix of productivity and learning, making it useful for teachers and students. It can summarize your documents, URLs, pasted texts, or even images of printed pages.
According to Resoomer's website:
"To help you summarize and analyze your argumentative texts, your articles, your scientific texts, your history texts as well as your well-structured analyses work of art, Resoomer provides you with a “Summary text tool”: an educational tool that identifies and summarizes the important ideas and facts of your documents. Summarize in 1-Click, go to the main idea or skim through so that you can then interpret your texts quickly and develop your syntheses…"
Features include:
- Effective summarization tools promote efficient understanding
- Speeds up access to key knowledge
- Easy-to-use automatic summarization or use manual options for greater refinement
- Accessibility benefits from narration
- Multiple account feature is effective for school use
- Free to use, but you can pay for a pro account for added benefits
- And more!
Visit Resoomer.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Josh Anderson filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs! Every year, the INDATA Project hosts free trainings on various aspects of assistive technology. These full-day trainings are typically held at our Indianapolis facility (4740 Kingsway Drive) and are live streamed via Zoom. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available through the AAC Institute for all attendees. CEU’s cannot be provided for anyone who watches archived full day training video. 2024 Full Day Trainings * March 21, 2024 Assistive Technology & Aging (in-person and online) * May 16, 2024: Assistive Technology & Vision (in-person and online) * August 22, 2024: Innovative Assistive Technology (online only) * October 3, 2024: Assistive Technology & Employment (in-person and online)
Please note registration is required to attend! More information and registration links will post to the Full Day Trainings section of our website a month before the event. Join our mailing list Join our mailing list by clicking here if you’d like to be the first to learn about each training and when registration opens for each event! Contact Us For more information on full-day trainings or to recommend a topic, contact Nikol Prieto, community outreach coordinator, at nprieto@eastersealscrossroads.org or 317-466-2013. For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m —- filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Ergonomic keyboards, mice, etc. can help prevent repetitive strain injuries in individuals who spend a lot of time on a computer. If you are unfamiliar with a repetitive strain injury (or RSI), an RSI refers to damage to your muscles, tendons, or nerves caused by repetitive motions and constant use. One available ergonomic keyboard is the Logitech Comfort Wave Wireless Keyboard.
The Logitech Comfort Wave Wireless Keyboard is a keyboard that keeps individuals comfortable all day long. It combines a dynamic curved design with the familiarity of a straight keyboard. Users get the added benefit of a padded palm wrist and a wave-shaped keyframe in a “familiar keyboard layout and form factor.”
Other features include:
- Easily connects to the computer by inserting the USB receiver
- The unique wave design guides your hands into the best position and conforms naturally to your fingers—easy comfortable whisper-quiet typing without a learning curve
- A large cushioned palm rest helps position your hands properly on the keyboard and offers a comfortable place to rest them when not typing
- Pair up to 6 compatible peripherals through the same receiver using Logitech Unifying technology
- Get instant access to your music, calculator, email, and more with media control keys and 18 programmable keys
Visit Logitech.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m —- filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Children need to practice good dental hygiene for several reasons. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t. This is where Rainbow Smart Toothbrushes by Vigilant come in.
Rainbow Smart Toothbrushes connect to Android or iOS devices via Bluetooth and help children learn the perfect brushing technique dentists recommend. They are manual toothbrushes that feature motion and 3D sensors that track brush positions and movements inside the mouth, while the app calculates variance and guides the brusher. The app allows parents to view their child’s brushing habits, as well as how well they’re doing the task.
Other features include:
- Interactive smartphone/tablet game that models great toothbrushing behavior for children
- Available in seven different colors
- Free Rainbow app available on iTunes and Google Play
- Rechargeable
- And more
Visit just4teeth.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals with mobility challenges may have difficulty preparing food on a standard stove independently. Fortunately, there are products like the Nostalgia MyMini Personal Electric Skillet and Grill that can help said individuals prepare their own food.
The MyMini Personal Electric Skillet and Grill is both compact and lightweight, making it the “perfect fit” for any kitchen, apartment, dorm, RV, and more. With this electric skillet and grill, users can cook scrambled eggs, omelets, rice, cookies, cakes, hashbrowns, noodles — virtually anything! To use it, simply plug it in, wait 1-3 minutes for it to preheat, and when the indicator light shuts off, you can start cooking.
Other features include:
- A quick and healthier way to cook
- Easy to use
- Cool-touch handles allow users to keep their hands safe when opening and closing the lid
- The power and preheat indicator light will let you know when it’s time to start cooking
- Makes a great holiday gift!
Visit nostalgiaproducts.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a product to help your loved one with dementia maintain their independence, the Alzheimer’s Store has several products to offer. One of their available products is the Relish Day Connect Clock.
This simplified day clock makes it easy to stay on top of your schedule and regain control of your day. This clock is guaranteed to keep the perfect time, even if the device is accidentally unplugged.
Other features include:
- Tailor the day clock screen to suit your personal needs and preferences, as they change over time.
- Automatically updates for Daylight Saving Time
- Automatically dims to ambient light levels, which is
- HD display with unrivaled contrast and clarity is perfect for people with visual impairments
- great for evenings!
Visit the AlzStore.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Last week, we talked about the Victor Reader Stream 3 by Humanware which is a pocket-sized digital media audio player that allows users to enjoy their media content. Another available product from Humanware is the Brailliant BI 20X Braille Display.
The Brailliant BI 20X is the “ideal” portable 20–cell refreshable Braille display that you can pair with your favorite devices or use with standalone applications.
The Brailliant BI X series of Braille displays are the first to include text-to-speech, bringing you closer to a hybrid notetaker feel. According to Humanware:“By allowing you to speak the word under the cursor and announce an unfamiliar word, the text-to-speech feature promotes Braille proficiency, making it easier to switch from uncontracted to contracted Braille…”
Other features include: * Connectivity for up to 5 Bluetooth devices and 1 USB device simultaneously * Wake up iOS function * Connectivity to participating online libraries including Bookshare, NLS BARD, and NFB Newsline * Onboard applications powered by KeySoft Lite * Battery lasts around 20 hours * And more!
Visit Humanware.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
In nearly 35 years, HumanWare has developed more than 50 “highly intuitive and intelligent” solutions that have changed the lives of people with visual impairments and blindness.
Their products can be used at home, in the classroom or workplace, and more. One of their devices is the Victor Reader Stream 3.
The Victor Reader Stream 3 is a pocket-sized digital audio player that allows users to enjoy their media content.
With this device, users can enjoy books, web radio, podcasts, newspapers, and other online resources.
It features a sleek, compact design with easy-to-grip edges and text-to-speech experiences in multiple languages and hours of listening wherever you are.
Other features include:
- Internet radio streaming or transfer content to listen offline
- Ability to capture Audio recordings
- Connects to Wi-fi or to a computer for downloading content
- Bluetooth for connecting headphones and speakers
- Numeric keypad and specific key shapes to easily identify buttons for different functions
- A battery that lasts approximately 15 hours
- And more!
Visit Humanware.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton filling in for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Q-files is a web-based collection of over 2,000 articles written for children between the ages of 7 and 13.
The site’s articles cover many subjects, including science, math, history, and general interest.
It forms an “engaging, accurate, and good-value” web-based encyclopedia with all of its content verified by experts in the field.
It is because of this quality assurance that the content of Q-files is safer and more reliable than that of other online resources.
Other features include: * Safe, easy-to-use website for children ages 7-13 * Authoritative, comprehensive, in-depth * Written, designed, and verified by experts * 2,500+ pages, 100+ quizzes, 15,000+ images * Ideal for lessons, homework, and discovering
Visit Q-files.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Spelling can be challenging for many individuals. Fortunately, there are apps like Sir Linkalot Spelling to help!
According to its website, this award-winning app improves spelling for students of all ages. It helps individuals learn how to spell any word they want by watching short, funny animations on the app. Then users can test themselves and keep track of results.
The app is divided into the five key elements of literacy: spelling, homophones, rules & patterns, punctuation & grammar, and etymology. These are categorized into “bundles” with each based on a renowned literary figure. The developers are always adding more bundles to the app to expand your spelling knowledge further.
Unlike many spelling apps, Sir Linkalot Spelling doesn’t rely on kids just practicing repeatedly. In addition to letting them practice, it helps them learn words as well. It does this with a huge amount of animation-based content that teaches children methods to spell words.
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals with dyslexia or other learning disabilities often benefit from having text read aloud. With the NaturalReader app, you can have your books, PDFs, and more read aloud to you by 140+ AI-powered voices in over 25 different languages or dialects!
NaturalReader is a mobile app that can read aloud various texts like online articles, cloud documents, PDFs, images taken by your camera, and more. Additionally, the app has innovative features like the ability to convert and download text into MP3 files, OCR text recognition for PDFs, plus a camera scanner.
To use the app, simply choose the document type you wish to upload, select your desired file, and you’re ready to start listening. For the best experience, remember to choose your favorite speaker’s voice and optimal listening speed.
This app has too many features for me to list here, so check out our blog on the app or visit the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Learning to handwrite can be challenging for many children, especially if they have dysgraphia or other special needs. Fortunately, there are apps like Dynamilis to help in this task! Dynamilis is an app designed to help children improve their handwriting skills and abilities in a fully immersive way. By developing legible, automated handwriting, children can take notes, complete assignments, and express their ideas more effectively.
The app uses guided practice and encourages repetition — both proven methods to help children improve. Additionally, the app includes fun games for users to play, which makes the process more fun and interactive.
Other helpful information about this app is :
- Fun, personalized activities help your child improve his or her handwriting while having fun * Children will learn and practice tracing letters in both print and cursive * There are no advertisements and no internet connection is required
Visit Dynamilis.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals aging in place may have difficulty remembering and taking their medications when they’re supposed to. The original MedReady Automatic Medication Dispenser can help with that!
According to the product’s website, “MedReady increases medication compliance up to 96.7% by virtually eliminating missed doses and overdosing medication. If the medication is prescribed correctly, the effectiveness of the drugs remains high because the blood plasma levels do not fluctuate outside of required tolerances.”
Features of the pill dispenser include:
- If the patient doesn’t take their medication at designated time, the device notifies MedReady’s data center which then notifies caregivers via text message, phone call, or email
- Low frequency alarm notifies patient when it’s time to take medication
- Holds up to 28 doses
- Can dispense 1 to 4 times per day
- Each compartment can hold up to 9 M&M size pills
- And more
Visit MedReadyInc.net to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Last week I talked about Duolingo, which is a fun, educational app that helps teach users new languages. The same creators behind this app developed another educational app called Duolingo ABC.
Duolingo ABC is a “fun, hands-on way for your child to learn to read.” Designed for children in preschool through 2nd grade, the app engages children with interactive stories and over 700 hands-on lessons. It features bite-sized lessons to help kiddos learn the alphabet, phonics, sight words, vocabulary, and more.
According to the App Store:
“Interactive stories will teach kids to read and build fluency. Delightful stories include engaging imagery while reading words aloud to kids and highlighting each word spoken. This utilizes multi-sensory learning, and can help your child learn to read independently…”
Other features include:
- New lessons added frequently
- Bite-sized lessons help children learn phonics, sight words, and vocabulary
- Designed by literacy and early-education experts to develop kids’ skills in phonics, sight words, reading, and more
- Get children excited to learn with mini-games and rewards to stay motivated and keep going
- No ads or in-app purchases
- Offline learning so you can use the app on a plane, at a restaurant, or anywhere, anytime
Visit ABC.Duolingo.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Learning new languages can be challenging, but apps like Duolingo can help make it fun! Duolingo is a mobile app that can help individuals learn 40+ different languages. According to its description on the App Store, it is “the world’s most downloaded education app.” It teaches languages through quick, bite-sized lessons.
While using the app, users can practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing to build their vocabulary and grammar skills. It was designed by language experts and can help individuals prepare for real conversations in French, Spanish, Italian, German, English, and more. “Whether you’re learning a language for travel, school, career, family, and friends, or your brain health, you’ll love learning with Duolingo.”
Other features include:
- Fun and effective game-like lessons and fun characters help users build solid speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills
- Has a science-based teaching methodology proven to foster long-term language retention
- Users can work toward their language learning goals with playful rewards and achievements when they make practicing a daily habit
- While Duolingo is free to use, users can purchase Super Duolingo, which features no ads and fun perks like unlimited hearts and monthly streak repair; Super Duolingo is free to try for 14 days
- Available for both iOS and Android devices
Visit Duolingo.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Marshmallow Games is a multi-award-winning game studio that develops apps used by millions of children worldwide. The company is a team of educators, developers, artists, and designers. One of their available apps is Smart Tales.
Smart Tales is an app full of stories and educational games for children that stimulate the imagination and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. While it helps ignite children’s passion for math and other STEM subjects, it also helps with reading, letter formation, and other early literacy skills. Additionally, many of its stories touch on social and emotional learning themes.
Smart Tales uses plenty of narration (in both stories and activities) to help individuals who might be unable to read instructions; this feature may also benefit users with visual impairments and dyslexia. There is also an option for a dyslexia-friendly font as well as built-in color blindness filters.
Other features include:
- Designed in collaboration with education experts
- Personalized Learning Path adapts to each child’s learning pace and preferences
- Over 1,000 games of logic, math, coding, and creativity
- 80+ interactive stories to help children fall in love with reading
- 300+ printable worksheets
- Parents area allows parents/caregivers to set the usage timer and check on their child’s progress in real-time
- New features help improve the readability of texts and the user experience for children with special needs
- For children ages 2+
- Available for both Android and iOS devices
Visit SmartTales.app to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
There are several GPS tracking devices available on the market to help individuals keep track of their loved ones aging in place. A majority of these devices are wearables like watches, pendants, and bracelets. Another type of GPS tracking device that is available is the GPS SmartSole.
The GPS SmartSole device is similar to an orthotic that slides into any size shoe. It contains a tiny GPS tracking element centered into the pad. While the user is wearing their shoes with the SmartSole, their whereabouts are being tracked using cellular and satellite technology. Once the GPS device is activated, you’ll be able to monitor the location of the wearer from your computer, tablet, or smartphone!
Other features include:
- Insoles run on a rechargeable battery that lasts 2-3 days; they charge on a wireless charger
- Pads last up to 30 months depending on normal wear and use
- Comes with an added basic tracking service plan for $29.95/month with no activation fee
- Access to online tracking of your GPS SmartSole will enable you to receive email or text message alerts to let you know when your loved one has wandered out of your designated “Geozone” boundaries
- And more!
Visit GPSSmartSole.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Bedtime stories are a great way for your child to wind down before bed. There are several apps that feature magical bedtime stories, one of them being SmartDreams. The SmartDreams Bedtime Stories app is a “unique bedtime story app that transforms your child’s bedtime routine into a spellbinding journey of imagination.”
Unlike other bedtime story apps, this one is powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Each tale is a one-of-a-kind journey crafted around your child’s preferences.
Other features include:
- The app fosters a love for reading and enhances your child’s literacy skills
- Each adventure offers more than just a captivating narrative; it teaches invaluable life lessons that stay with your child long after the final page is turned
- Children can read the stories by themselves or have the app read them aloud
- With offline mode, you can keep the magic going anywhere at anytime
- Share your child’s creative stories with family and friends effortlessly and securely
- Children can customize different narrative elements such as:
- Heroes
- Sidekicks
- Animals
- Foods
- Locations
- And more
Visit smartdreams.ai to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an affordable app to help keep family to-do lists, calendars, shopping lists, and more, organized all in one place, check out the FamilyWall app! FamilyWall helps manage your family’s everyday life by sharing everyone’s schedules and activities, tracking grocery lists, planning for dinner, managing to-dos, as well as locating children when they’re outside.
One of the built-in features is the shared calendar that helps organize everyone’s schedules, activities, and appointments in one place that’s accessible anytime, anywhere. It syncs with your phone or favorite calendar, so you’ll never miss a birthday or special event.
Almost all features are free to use, however, some features are only available with FamilyWall Premium. With the premium plan, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- Easily manage and share your finances
- Sync with Google and Outlook Calendar
- Locate family members
- Plan your meals ahead for the week
- Enjoy audio and video messaging
- And more!
Visit FamilyWall.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Learning and mastering mathematics can be challenging for individuals with or without special needs. Fortunately, there are resources like the Komodo Math application to help!
According to Komodo’s website:
“Fluency in math is the perfect foundation for future success. Tailored to your child’s needs, Komodo develops fluent math skills at home through short practice sessions…”
The app was developed by qualified teachers for families and is an “effective and rewarding” way of helping your child learn math at home.
Other features include:
- It can conveniently be used on smartphones, tablets, and laptops
- Requires just 15 minutes, about 3 to 5 times per week
- The app reports back on your child’s progress as frequently as you’d like and allows you to set real-life rewards to motivate them along the way
- Helps develop concentration and a great attitude towards learning
- Komodo’s adaptive system allows users to skip an appropriate level once they’ve mastered a topic, so everyone should be able to find it constantly rewarding and challenging
- Ideal for children ages 5 and up!
Visit Komodomath.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Worried about your loved one getting and taking the proper doses of their prescription medications? MedMinder Pharmacy is an all-in-one solution to help you worry less!
MedMinder Pharmacy is a service that sorts and organizes all medications into disposable trays. They’ll also provide the MedMinder Smart Pill Dispenser so that your loved one always takes the proper medication at the right time. What’s even more convenient is that they deliver the trays directly to your door! So all you have to do is place the disposable tray into the smart dispenser.
For added peace of mind, you can manage the dispenser remotely and enable custom alerts to remind them when to take their medicine. It can notify you if they miss a dose via text message, phone call, or email. To increase safety, you can also opt for locked compartments so they are only able to take the correct medications at the right time.
This service has a lot of features so visit Medminder.pharmacy to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
HumanWare is a company that aims to “develop solutions enabling people living with visual impairment and vision loss to develop their potential and maintain their autonomy.”
One of their available solutions is the HumanWare Connect 12. The Connect 12 is an innovative, ultra-portable video magnifier. It combines the “power and connectivity of mainstream technology with the efficiency and ease of use of assistive technology.” This versatile device offers several features to address low vision needs.
Features include:
- Crisp, high-definition magnification up to 24x
- Online book access
- Full HD 12-inch touch screen with gestures
- LED light in stand
- Customizable reading modes, 20 color schemes, contrast, system fonts, etc.
- Built-in calculator, Google search, email, app downloads
- Study skills tools like notes and highlighters
- Optional distance camera
- “Exceptionally accurate” optical character recognition (OCR) technology
- Superior sounding text-to-speech (TTS) to assist with reading tasks
- Android operating system brings the world of productivity tools like Google Suite or Microsoft 365
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
Visit HumanWare.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Clevy is a brand that was created to make technology more inclusive and assist individuals with special needs by providing special solutions for people who need them. One of their available products is the Clevy Keyboard.
The Clevy Keyboard is a “strong, durable” keyboard that looks appealing by the colors which makes it fun to use for children. The keys on this keyboard are 30% larger and the characters on them are up to 4 times as big as those on a traditional keyboard. Additionally, the keys are arranged vertically to improve the positioning of the hands of a child and to make the appearance less cluttered.
Other features include:
- Different colors on the keyboard represent different functional areas, making them easier to distinguish
- The lower-case font of the characters is similar to the font used in traditional education of handwriting
- The keyboard has internal steel frames and each individual key is mounted onto a high-quality, mechanical switch capable of handling well over 60 million keystrokes
- Designed to guide possible spilled fluids straight through the keyboard, keeping the liquids away from the internal electronics
Visit Clevy.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Like we mentioned last week, AgrAbility is a program on a mission to “enhance the quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America.” On their website, you’ll find The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database, which features several available products. One of the listed products is the Wintercape for individuals in wheelchairs.
Traditional jackets and coats can be difficult for wheelchair users, so Wintercapes are a great adaptive solution to help keep them warm. Wintercapes are made with breathable waterproof Ultrex nylon outer layer and the inner lining is made of genuine Polartec, patented to trap body heat, while it whisks moisture away. It is large enough to fully cover the user and even some of the chair. The front is extra long in order to cover the legs and feet, while the back is shorter to prevent it from getting caught in the wheels.
To use the Wintercape, simply drape it around the user and zip it up.
Visit AdaptationsbyAdrian.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
AgrAbility is a program on a mission to “enhance the quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America.” On their website, you’ll find The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database, which features several available products. One of the listed products is the BOA-Fit Lacing System.
The BOA-Fit Lacing System allows individuals to tighten their shoestrings with a dial lacing system. The BOA-Fit Lacing System (available on various makes/models of footwear, including work boots) utilizes a knob that tightens and loosens the laces to reportedly produce a precision fit, improve foothold, and eliminate pressure points.
The system consists of: adjustable micro-dial, nylon-coated stainless-steel wire laces, and low-friction lace guides. To operate, the dial is pushed down to engage the system, turned the left to tighten the laces (until most comfortable fit achieved), turned the right to loosen the laces, then pulled up to disengage the system.
The dial is designed to repel oils, mud, sand, and more.
Visit the National AT Toolbox Database at eastersealstech.com/agrability to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
4Blind is a company that researches, develops, creates, and produces innovative engineering solutions. They help meet the needs of the “blind and deaf-blind communities by expanding their opportunities and eliminating the barriers that people with disabilities face in communication, education, employment, transportation, and independent living.” One of their available products is the HaptiBraille Communicator, which is a communication device for individuals who are deaf-blind.
The HaptiBraille Communicator is a simple, easy-to-use device that can be used almost anywhere. It gives users who are deaf-blind a voice. Even people who have never interacted with an individual who is deaf-blind will be able to speak to them with this device.
Other features include:
- Simple and easy-to-use compact device
- Breaks down barriers in communication
- Supports several languages
- Weighs around 5 oz
- Battery lasts about 6 to 8 hours on a full charge
Visit 4blind.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition that has few noticeable symptoms but can lead to all sorts of unpleasantness in the long run. If your blood is pumped at an elevated pressure inside your body, it can cause vision and circulation problems and increase the likelihood of heart attacks, aneurysms, and other medical issues.
You can discuss with your doctor how to help prevent hypertension. They will likely ask you to monitor your blood pressure regularly to see how medication(s) and lifestyle choices affect it. Thankfully, you can easily do so with a blood pressure monitor like QardioArm!
The QardioArm device is a plain white box with only a single LED light on it. You turn it on by wrapping the cuff around the body of the device, where a magnet triggers a switch inside the case. Every time you check your blood pressure, your results sync with the Qardio App.
The Qardio App automatically detects and records irregular heartbeats so you can better keep your doctor informed about such important events. It also integrates with many other apps and platforms, making it easy to combine, analyze, and store data conveniently in one place.
The monitor has too many features to list here so check out our blog on the device or visit Qardio.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the past few months, I’ve talked about some different apps that allow you to scan documents using only your iPhone. Yet another option is QuickScan!
QuickScan is a “powerful document scanning app” that allows users to quickly and easily scan and digitize documents using their mobile devices. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, QuickScan App is the “perfect scanner app for anyone looking to simplify their document management process.”
Some features include:
- Automatically recognizes document edges and corrects perspective
- Organize your documents in folders with the Document scanning app
- Extract text from images using OCR and convert images to editable text
- Create multi-page PDFs and scan them to PDF using the PDF document scanner app
- Manage and organize your files with the fast scanner and digital scanner
- Convert images to PDF files with the picture to PDF converter
- Share your scanned documents in PDF or JPG format with your contacts using Quickscan App
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are many tools and apps available to help individuals with dyslexia, such as the Easy Dyslexia Aid app. The Easy Dyslexia Aid app helps users with spelling and literacy with the aid of the OpenDyslexic font and color overlays.
According to its description on the App Store:
“Dyslexia is primarily associated with trouble reading. But it can also affect writing, spelling, and even speaking. Kids with dysgraphia may struggle with handwriting, organizing their thoughts on paper, or both of these activities. Easy Dyslexia Aid can support both of these conditions and serves as an extremely useful companion both inside and outside the classroom.”
When users open the app, they’ll see a clear blue user-friendly interface. The instruction “Touch mic and talk” is displayed above a circular mic symbol. On touching the symbol, you’re asked to speak. By pressing done, the app will process what has been said and proceed to produce your input in the OpenDyslexic font.
If you are unfamiliar with the OpenDyslexic font, it was created using heavy weighted bottoms to indicate direction and to reinforce the line of the text. This “aids in recognizing the correct letter and sometimes helps to keep the brain from rotating them around.”
Other features include:
- The OpenDyslexic font is displayed in a choice of 8 color overlays to help improve readability
- High-quality voice synthesis technology
- No ads or in-app purchases
- Supports multiple languages
- Ability to look up words via the device dictionary
- Great for individuals of all ages!
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are many GPS watches available on the market to help you keep tabs on a loved one aging in place. One available option is the Tranquil GPS Watch.
According to the device’s website:
“This best-in-class device supports the elderly and people with dementia to live more independently. Rest easy knowing they’re safe, with its SOS call button and 24/7 GPS tracking. The watch also has two-way calling with auto-answer, so you can reach them any time.”
Other GPS watches can look really bulky, but the Tranquil Watch looks like a standard, sleek analog watch. It will provide you with real-time location updates every 30 seconds. Unlike other trackers that only alert you when they leave a 300ft area, the Tranquil Watch can call you as soon as they leave the house or any safe area you set!
Other features include:
- GPS watch alerts you when loved one leaves home or enters/exits designated safe zones
- Fully waterproof so it can be worn in the shower, bath, or pool without it being damaged by water
- The SOS button sends an app notification and calls the emergency contacts until someone answers
- Call the watch from any saved contact at any time and it will automatically answer
- Only preset numbers can call so no spammers/scammers can contact your loved one
- The watch is extra loud and clear making it ideal for individuals with low hearing
- View up to 12 months of location history
- Charging is easy with the wireless charging stand
- The battery is the “longest battery life available” and lasts up to a whole week!
Visit FeelTranquil.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a new desk lamp, check out the Kary LED Desk Lamp. Fluorescent lights are commonly used, but they can hurt your eyes and be ineffective in the way both children and adults learn. LED lighting has been growing in popularity. It can greatly reduce the stress of individuals who may have autism or other sensory challenges.
The Kary LED Desk Lamp features five different modes for brightness and temperature. And that means you can choose what kind of light you want. You can change the brightness or temperature by using the controls at the top of the lamp.
The Lamp has a large neck and light surface to work with a larger space. It is also adjustable to shine wherever you need it to. The ability to brighten or dim the lighting as it affects you can be an important feature for someone with a disability.
Other features include:
- Easy control by Sensitive Touch Control
- Five color temperature modes
- Five dimmable brightness levels
- 50 minutes auto off timer
- Built-in intelligent light sensor detects surrounding light intensity and auto adjusts to the best brightness level for your environment
- No flickering, relieving eye fatigue
Check it out on Amazon to learn more!
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
The TouchPad Pro Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for their BrailleDoodle device, which is an affordable, innovative device aimed to revolutionize how children with visual impairments learn.
The BrailleDoodle is an “inexpensive, refreshable, two-sided tablet for learning Braille and creating tactile images. With Etch-a-Sketch-like technology, the BrailleDoodle brings Braille literacy and tactile science, math, and art to blind people worldwide.” It was created by a 25-year veteran special education and art teacher for students with visual impairments.
The BrailleDoodle features an array of hundreds of holes, each containing a smooth metal ball that can be pulled to the surface by a magnetic stylus. A tiny spring under each ball holds it up with just the right amount of force, and a user can simply push the balls back down to erase.
It features two different sides:
- Braille side: features examples of letters, numbers, and words, and plenty of space to practice
- Doodle side: reveals plenty of space to enjoy what some call the “Etch-a-Sketch for the blind”; it’s a place for tactile drawing, and unlike other products, graphs can be made and manipulated
Visit TouchpadProFoundation.org to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an app to take notes on all of your Apple devices, check out Noted! Noted is a fully-integrated audio recording and note-taking app for your iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac.
Notes will be synced on iCloud so you can seamlessly switch between your Mac and phone apps whenever you like. Here’s more from the app’s website:
“Noted is a beautiful audio recording and note-taking app for lectures, meetings, interviews, conferences and more, making it super-easy for you to record every moment with confidence. Every word you type is instantly timestamped, so your notes synchronize effortlessly with your recording.”
Other features include:
- User-friendly interface simplifies note-taking and retention of information
- Take notes while recording time-stamped audio
- Timestamp all notes for easy searching
- AI playback skips through silence or background noise
- Dictation turns voice recordings into text
- Create perfect notes every time with different text styles or highlighter, pencil, numbered and bulleted lists
- And more!
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Solving math problems can be challenging for many students. Fortunately, there are services like Mathway available to help. Mathway provides students with the tools they need to understand and solve their math problems. According to the app’s website, it is the “#1 problem-solving resource available for students, parents, and teachers.”
According to their website, “Mathway’s long-term goal is to make quality on-demand math assistance accessible to all students. Mathway is an ambitious, long-term creative endeavor that will deliver increasing features and functionality over the years to come.”
To get started, simply type your problem in or you can point your phone’s camera and snap a picture. Then you’ll receive instant, free answers!
Mathway covers all levels of math:
- Basic math/pre-algebra
- Algebra
- Trigonometry/precalculus
- Calculus and
- Statistics
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
In the past, I’ve written about different controllers available for the Xbox or Nintendo Switch. I’m excited to announce there’s now a brand new Access Controller available for the PS5 console!
The PS5 Access Controller is an “all-new, highly-customizable accessibility controller kit designed to help many players with disabilities play games more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods.”
The Access Controller was developed in collaboration with accessibility experts. Each controller will include a wide array of swappable buttons and stick caps so players can create different layouts that work for their “unique strength, range of motion, and physical needs.”
Each Access Controller will include:
- Analog stick caps (standard, dome, and ball stick cap)
- Button caps in different shapes and sizes, including:
- Pillow button caps
- Flat button caps
- Wide flat button cap (which covers two button sockets)
- Overhang button caps (which benefit players with smaller hands as they are positioned closer to the center)
- Curve button caps (which can be pushed if placed along the top or pulled if placed along the bottom of the controller)
- Swappable button cap tags for players to easily mark which inputs they map to each button
Visit Blog.playstation.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Freeform is an app that helps users organize and visually lay out content on a flexible canvas. It allows users to see, share, and collaborate all in one place without worrying about layouts or page sizes.
Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: “Freeform opens up endless possibilities for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to visually collaborate. With an infinite canvas, support for uploading a wide range of files, iCloud integration, and collaboration capabilities, Freeform creates a shared space for brainstorming that users can take anywhere…”
The app offers a variety of brush styles and color options to sketch ideas, add comments, and draw diagrams. Users can draw anywhere on the canvas using their fingers or with an Apple Pencil.
Other features include:
- Add images, audio, video, PDFs, websites, sticky notes, and more anywhere on the Freeform board
- Ideal for creating a digital pinboard, collecting research for a school project, or even gathering inspiration for your home renovation
- Create diagrams with a library of over 700 shapes and alignment guides to help make your document look just the way you’d like
- Scan paper documents with a built-in document scanner to archive documents and even annotate them directly on the board
- Invite your friends or colleagues into your board for real-time collaboration. Freeform brings people together into a shared space for creativity, whether you’re at your desk or on the go. Easily invite others via email, link, or Messages
- Brainstorm together with up to 100 collaborators on the same board
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There is a new product available to help improve the safety of individuals who are blind: introducing the See Me Cane. The See Me Cane is a lighted white cane that makes users more visible to others in low-light conditions. It feels like a traditional white cane, but as the user sweeps and taps the See Me Cane, it creates a light show, drawing people’s attention to the cane and its user.
According to the product's website: “The See Me Cane is a simple but powerful blind cane. It comes in different sizes (from 2 feet to 6 1/2 feet). Running on a rechargeable battery, this LED-lighted cane can be seen by nighttime drivers up to 100 yards away. The handle has two buttons: one for the on/off function and another that causes the cane to vibrate letting the user know its on/off status…”
Other features include:
- Made of fiberglass
- Available in various sizes, from 32 to 56 inches
- Please note it is not adjustable and cannot be exchanged once it's received
- There are various threaded tips to choose from
- Weighs about 1 to 2 ounces more than traditional white canes
- Battery lasts up to about 2 hours, depending on the length of the cane; shorter canes may have a longer battery life, while longer canes may have a shorter battery life
- Takes about 2 hours to recharge
- Vibration button indicates whether the LED lights are on or off
- The cane is water-resistant, but it is not waterproof so do not submerge it in water
Visit SeeMeCane.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Since 2015, the Be My Eyes app has worked to connect its 6.3 million volunteers to users with visual impairments to help with everyday tasks. Their new Virtual Volunteer tool, currently in beta testing, will push them “further toward achieving their goal to improve accessibility, usability, and access to information globally…”
The new Virtual Volunteer technology will be “transformative” in providing individuals who are blind or visually impaired with powerful new resources to “better navigate physical environments, address everyday needs, and gain more independence.”
The Virtual Volunteer feature will be integrated into the existing app. It is powered by OpenAI’s new GPT-4 language model, which contains a dynamic new image-to-text generator.
According to the app's website:
"What sets the Virtual Volunteer tool apart from other image-to-text technology available today is context, with a deeper level of understanding and conversational ability not yet seen in the digital assistant field. For example, if a user sends a picture of the inside of their refrigerator, the Virtual Volunteer will not only be able to correctly identify what’s in it, but also extrapolate and analyze what can be prepared with those ingredients. The tool can also then offer a number of recipes for those ingredients and send a step-by-step guide on how to make them."
The app is currently in a closed beta and is being tested for feedback among a small subset of their users. The group of beta testers will be expanding over the next few weeks and they hope to make Virtual Volunteer broadly available in the coming months!
Visit BeMyEyes.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Applying makeup can be challenging for individuals with visual impairments; sometimes they must depend on others for assistance. To help make this process easier without having to depend on others, Estée Lauder Companies (or ELC) launched a voice-enabled app that can provide guidance and direction when a person applies makeup.
The Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA) is a “first-of-its-kind”, artificial-intelligence-powered mobile app. Estée Lauder's ambition for the launch of the Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant is to “support the visually impaired community by further enabling self-expression and self-empowerment through their relationship with makeup.” The company developed this app alongside consumers with visual impairments. The launch is the first iteration of the app, intended to be continuously optimized and improved over the coming months.
The app is driven by augmented reality and artificial intelligence capabilities. It uses voice instruction to assist the user in applying makeup; users receive audio feedback and tips on whether their eyeshadow, lipstick, or foundation is applied evenly.
The app is currently available via the AppStore in the UK and is targeted to launch on the Google Play Store within the year and across other Estée Lauder brands and markets in the near future.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a way to scan documents using only your phone, check out SwiftScan! Using your phone’s camera, SwiftScan can scan and extract text from virtually any document.
With SwiftScan, you can scan documents, QR codes, barcodes, labels, whiteboards, business cards, sketchbooks, and much more. According to the App Store, it is the “best mobile scanner app for documents and QR codes.”
Other features include:
- The home screen widget provides instant access to scan, search, or view recent documents
- Scan premium quality PDFs or JPGs with 200 dpi and higher
- Automatic edge detection and scanning
- Ability to upload documents to iCloud, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, and other cloud services
- Scan single and multi-page documents
- Edit documents
- And more!
Visit SwiftScan.app to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or someone you know experiences hearing loss, traditional bed alarms may not work. iLuv may offer a solution with their Time Shaker 5Q Wow. If you’re unfamiliar with iLuv, they are the “premier provider of the most comprehensive line of alarm clocks, smart devices, and accessories for the mobile lifestyle and the smart home. By providing a constant stream of new and innovative products with quality and value, iLuv is the perfect selection for all of your mobile lifestyle needs.”
The Time Shaker 5Q is a Qi-certified wireless charging alarm clock with a bed shaker. It allows you to charge 2 devices at the same time. You can place your Qi-enabled smartphone on top of the unit and connect another device via its USB port.
Other features include:
Set up two alarms to accommodate different wake-up schedules Each alarm can be turned off by separate buttons at your convenience Wake up to multiple alarm options such as FM Radio or Buzzer Listen to digital FM radio with up to 10 preset stations right at your bedside or deskside. You can fall asleep while listening to your favorite music with the auto-off sleep timer which automatically turns off the FM radio for 10 to 90 minutes setting 10-minute intervals 1.2″ LED clock display with 3 dimming levels Super strong wired bed shaker
Check it out on LSSproducts.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
The Blind Kitchen is a website featuring many adaptive tools, helpful strategies, and specialized knowledge for individuals with visual impairments. One of the adaptive products listed on their website is the Boil Alert Disc.
The Boil Alert Disc assists in preventing messy boil-overs by creating a rattling noise to help you know when the food in your pot is boiling. It is made out of ceramic and helps alter bubble formation as boiling begins. As boiling increases, the movement of the disc increases to create a chattering sound at the bottom of the pot that increases in intensity as boiling escalates.
Users can use the disc when cooking or warming water, milk, soups, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and more.
Other features include:
- The disc’s specially formulated ceramic materials are heat treated to be non-porous and fully vitrified, so it won’t affect the flavor or aroma of your food
- Oven safe
- Modifies the size and number of bubbles rising to the top of the pot, preventing messy overflows
- Handwashing the disc is recommended
- And more
Visit TheBlindKitchen.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
SmashToast is a company dedicated to developing hardware and software that help people. They strive to develop products that “make lives better using simplicity, elegance, intuition, and technology.” Their product, PUCKmed, is a device that can control infrared devices (e.g. televisions, air conditioners, space heaters, etc.)
PUCKmed is designed specifically for individuals with physical disabilities. With direct input from assistive technology professionals and customers, PUCKmed is designed with updates like a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a more practical setup, privacy-conscious sharing options, and more. According to SmartToast’s website, the device does “everything a remote can do, but better.”
Features of PUCKmed include:
- Intuitive PUCK Remote is designed with accessibility in mind
- Setup PUCK for multiple devices and control them all from a single interface
- It can be used with voice, eye-gaze, switch control, or traditional touch
- You can use constant power via the USB-C port, or recharge the internal battery
- Keep PUCK up-to-date with over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates
- No accounts, no personal data collection, no tracking; it is HIPAA-compliant
- No wifi necessary: it utilizes Bluetooth Low-energy instead of wifi
Visit GetPuck.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a new augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app, check out App2Speak. App2Speak is an AAC app that gives a voice to individuals who are unable to speak and/or have difficulty communicating.
The app was developed by an experienced American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) certified Speech Language Pathologist and is compatible with most smart mobile devices. Users will be able to communicate with others by simply touching a photo. App2Speak features preprogrammed phrases for everyday needs, but users can also create custom phrases with their own photos.
Other features include:
- Create your own text-to-speech page with the option to save text-to-speech history of common words and phrases
- 4 pre-programmed pages of photos, words, and speech output for immediate communication
- 2 size options for pictures
- Option for male or female voice
- Ability to adjust speech rate
- Lock/unlock edit button
- Ability to personally record voice
- And more
Check it out on the App Store to learn more
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Getting in and out of the bathtub can be challenging for individuals aging in place and more. If you’re looking for something to help prevent falls, check out the Step2Tub. According to the product’s description, it is the “safest way to get in and out of the tub” independently.
The Step2Tub is made of industry-grade steel and features an extra-wide landing base and a non-slip bath step to reduce the risk of slips or falls. The step stool is equipped with a dual clamp system that locks itself to the sides of the bathtub, making it “ultra-secure.”
Other features include:
- Perpendicular handrails padded for extra support
- The height of the grab bar is adjustable to suit your preference
- Can hold up to 300 pounds
- Equipped with a dual clamp system that locks itself to the sides of the bathtub, making it “ultra-secure”
- And more
Visit Step2Health.com to learn more
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Kitchen fires are the number one cause of home fires. If you’re looking for a product to help protect against stove fires in your home, check out the FireAvert fire safety device! With FireAvert, your home will be protected from stove fires in minutes by simply plugging it into the back of your stove.
After it’s plugged in, FireAvert protects your home from cooking fires with Automatic Stove Shut-off Technology. It installs in minutes and requires no tools or professional skills.
FireAvert syncs to the sound of your existing smoke alarms (including Nest alarms) and automatically shuts off power to your stove when a smoke alarm activates. It is continually monitoring for the sound of a smoke alarm.
Other features include:
Has an intelligent 30-second delay that allows “users who aren’t the best cooks to clear out the smoke before it cuts the power to the stove” The unit can be reset by flipping the breaker in your electrical panel off and back on again Once it is installed, you never have to pull your stove out Maintenance-free with no batteries Smart enough to distinguish between screaming kids, loud music, children’s toys, or any other sound Available for both electric and gas stoves
Visit FireAvert.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the always lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an app to help identify bills, check out Cash Reader. Cash Reader is a money-reading mobile app designed specifically for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
To use the app, simply point your phone’s camera at almost any banknote and instantly hear the value. If you want to be more private, the app can also transform banknote value into a series of vibrations.
A neat feature of Cash Reader is that it is fully accessible with VoiceOver and supports Siri Shortcuts. Using voice commands, you can quickly open the app or switch identification to another currency.
Other features of Cash Reader include:
- Assistive technology that reads money value aloud with ease
- Switch to silent mode and the banknote denomination will be transformed into vibrations
- According to the app’s description, the app identifies the largest number of world currencies
- Optimized for use with iOS VoiceOver and Android TalkBack
- Point your phone’s camera in a direction of a note and the app will tell you the denomination in real-time; no need to worry about the angle, light, or focusing!
- Features large contrasting characters for individuals with visual impairments
- Reliable offline application works without an internet connection
- The free version recognizes only two or three lowest denominations for every currency
- The full version is available for purchase in the app with a 14-day free trial
- The full version unlocks unlimited access to all banknote denominations
Visit CashReader.app to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Going to medical appointments can be intimidating and scary for kiddos. Simply Sayin’ is a valuable mobile resource that can help medical professionals explain common procedures and surgeries to patients and their families.
Simply Sayin’ is a free app that was developed by Certified Child Life Specialists at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. It features pictures you can draw on, sounds you can listen to, and a family-friendly glossary of medical terms for easy reference. It can help medical professionals provide developmentally appropriate explanations of medical terminology and common procedures.
Within the app, there are four menu items to choose from:
Alphabetized Glossary: links to simple explanations, illustrations, and photographs. Some of the terms also link to anatomical images where drawings can be added and include the necessary preparations for procedures and photos Preps: links to easy-to-understand explanations of the procedures, why the procedure is necessary, what your job is during the procedure, and things that can help when having the procedure Drawings: links to illustrations that can be used to help explain a procedure Pictures: includes photographs of actual procedure rooms and equipment found in the rooms
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the always lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a fun app to help your child read and spell English, check out Niskoo: Reading and Spelling! Niskoo is an educational app designed for younger children to help them increase their vocabulary by helping them learn how to read and spell through phonics practice.
The app contains a number of scenarios based on the real world. While using the app, children work their way through pictures by selecting an item and hearing how it’s pronounced.
There are a couple of different modes in the app children can choose from:
Vocabulary mode: users can work their way through cartoon images by hearing all the words in a scene and extending their vocabulary Spelling mode: users can work through the same scenario pictures by spelling the words (instead of just hearing the words said aloud)
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely, Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are several smart pill organizers available on the market, such as Hero or MedaCube. Another available option is the Carroself Smart Pill Dispenser. The Carroself dispenser is the “efficient way to take care of yourself.”
According to the product’s website: “The Smart Pill Dispenser of Carroself provides a change in the perception of existing pill organizer boxes and enables you to organize and take your pills and medicine without the fear of opening, scattering the pills, and confusion while taking them…”
To use the dispenser, twist the lid to the current day of the week. Next, twist the lid to select the time you are taking the medicine. After selecting the current day and time, pull the dispenser out of its case. Once you pull it out, the cell containing your medicine will be open.
In order to fill the dispenser, twist the lid until you see the “FILL” option. You can then pull the desired cartridge out for easy filling!
Other features of Carroself Smart Pill Dispenser include:
Supports up to 4 doses a day Made from premium plastic and food-grade materials Travel-friendly Removable cartridges for easy refill Cells in the dispenser are deep enough to hold up to 12 pills (depending on the size) Includes sets of stickers that allow adjustment to different intake times, making monitoring and organizing your pills “a breeze”
Check it out at Carroself.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are many wearables or electronic glasses available to help individuals with visual impairments be able to see more clearly. eSight Go glasses are “lightweight, sleek, and comfortable” electronic glasses that you can wear for indoor or outdoor activities.
eSight Go glasses feature a small, high-speed high-definition camera that captures everything you’re looking at.
According to eSight’s website, their "advanced, clinically validated algorithms optimize and enhance the footage. It is then presented on two OLED monitors, one in front of each eye, in real-time. Your brain synthesizes the images, and you see with clarity what is in front of you…"
Other features include:
Wireless and hands-free device with built-in controls Incorporates natural peripheral vision for 100% mobility retention
The glasses will be available starting fall of 2023.
Visit eSightEyewear.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the always lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an app full of soundscapes to help you focus, relax, and sleep, check out Endel! Endel features tons of personalized soundscapes backed by neuroscience.
According to the app’s website, their “patented technology creates soundscapes that adapt in real-time. It reacts to inputs like time of day, weather, heart rate, and location. Neuroscience shows Endel consistently improves focus and lowers stress…”
The app can siphon heart rate and step data from your smartwatch and build a beat to match your pulse or footfalls.
Other features include:
Sound wellness company headquartered in Berlin Runs a cross-platform ecosystem of AI-powered apps that create personalized, functional soundscapes to help people focus, relax, and sleep The technology takes inputs from the user’s movement, time of day, weather, heart rate, location, and other factors It then uses AI to generate personalized soundscapes that adapt to changes in real-time Available on iOS, Android, Mac, Amazon Alexa, wearables, Apple TV, and as album releases on streaming platforms
Visit Endel.io to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Imagine having a companion robot in your very own home. Now you can with Eilik! Eilik is a fun little companion bot with personality and character.
According to the robot's website:
"Eilik is a new kind of robot with emotional intelligence that brings up a higher level of social interactions between humans and robots. He is the one that eases our life and is our companion whenever we need him. He is our very robotic friend…"
Eilik has a wide variety of facial expressions. He will tell you how he feels both physically and emotionally. Another neat feature is that he responds to touch. He’ll express different emotions based on the touch interactions with you.
Visit EnergizeLab.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Learning braille can be challenging for many individuals. Fortunately, there are devices like Taptilo 4.0 to help! Taptilo is a smart braille device that makes it “fun and easy” to learn braille. Braille beginners can learn braille patterns with the interactive braille display and audio feedback.
According to the device’s website, “Learning braille with Taptilo significantly reduces the average learning period! The average learning period decreases a half, compared to the traditional method.” Additionally, the learning dropout rate is decreased by 20%.
The device features a refreshable braille display on the bottom row, as well as removable braille blocks on the top row. The removable blocks can be used to represent a letter, word, or number. Along with the jumbo-sized braille blocks, tactile guidance, and audio guide, braille beginners can easily follow pre-made curriculums in Taptilo. Braille beginners can also customize their studies by choosing various options.
Visit Taptilo.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the always lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a phone that is completely kid-friendly, check out the Bark Phone! The Bark phone is a kid’s phone that doesn’t look like a kid’s phone. It is a “state-of-the-art Samsung that has robust parental controls.”
Bark monitors texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for anything inappropriate for kiddos. If the phone detects any potential issues, Bark will send you email and text alerts.
Families can manage when their children can access the internet on their devices, as well as which sites they can visit. You can also set bedtimes and block access to a wide variety of websites.
Other features include:
Location sharing tool allows you to keep track of your child; the app can automatically alert you anytime they arrive at or leave a set location Create custom daily screen time schedules for your child’s device Block access to specific websites or even whole categories Monitors content 24/7 Get details about your child’s digital activities and expert recommendations from child psychologists
Visit Bark.us to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Happy New Year!
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Children have so much energy and need to move, especially those with autism, ADHD, and other special needs. Luckily, there are products like the KINNEBAR Foot Swing to help!
KINNEBAR is a “portable, lightweight, fully adjustable kinesthetic tool – a foot swing that fits neatly, easily, and securely under a child’s desk or table.” With the option of a bar or a rubber band, children can swing or bounce their legs and stay on task. There are models available for adults as well!
It’s ideal for children or adults who:
- Have lots of energy
- Struggle to focus
- Have ADHD
- Fidget
- Have autism or anxiety
Features of the KINNEBAR Foot Swing include:
- Simple to assemble and is silent when being used
- Constructed with the same long-lasting materials used to build playgrounds
- Encourages focus through movement
- Supports children and adults with ADHD, sensory integrations disorder, autism, and more
- Ages five and up
- Available in two different models (for home and school)
Visit Kinnebar.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or a loved one have poor dexterity, loading pills in a traditional pill organizer can be challenging if not impossible. If you’re looking for a solution, check out the Sagely Smart Weekly Pill Organizer.
Sagely features a clever design that allows you to count your pills on top of the lid. Once you’re finished counting them, simply push the pills through the lid to load them. Unlike other organizers, lids on the Sagely are easy to open and close so you can easily retrieve your meds.
Another neat feature of this organizer is that it pairs with the free Sagely Reminder App so you never forget to take your medication. After it’s set up, a notification will pop up on your phone whenever it’s time to take your pills. After you take your medicine, dismiss the notification.
Other features include:
- Ergonomic design created with ease of use in mind
- Ideal for individuals with arthritis, carpal tunnel, and more
- Flexible push-through lids
- Individual containers can be removed from the base for people on the go
- Free Sagely Smartphone Pill Reminder App available for both iOS and Android devices so you never forget to take a dose
Visit LiveSagely.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Renpho is a company that was created from a simple idea: to give people affordable lifestyle products that would improve users’ health by being a simple add-on to their regular activities. One of their available products is the Renpho Eye Massager.
The Renpho Eye Massager targets acupoints so that it can alleviate tension and reduce headaches. Oscillating trigger point pressure and built-in heating pads provide a comfortable temperature between 104 and 107°F. In addition to reducing headaches, the massager can also help relieve eye strain, eye puffiness, dry eyes, and more.
Other features include:
- Comes with built-in music speakers and Bluetooth functionality to connect wirelessly to your smartphone or other media device
- Music can help reduce anxiety and the physical effects of stress
- Not recommended for individuals who’ve undergone eye operations, or have a retina condition, cataracts, glaucoma, etc.
- The headband is easily adjustable
- And more
Visit Renpho.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to the 500th episode of Accessibility Minute! Your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs! Before diving into today's episode I'd like to first thank you for hanging out with me all these years. I've had a ton of fun exploring the world of assistive technology with you!
Traditional smartphones can be too complicated for individuals aging in place and more. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use phone, check out the RAZ Memory Cell Phone.
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone makes it easy to place calls: simply touch the picture of the person you’re trying to call. Contact names are found below pictures. The combination of pictures and names makes this phone ideal for users with memory loss.
Whenever the phone rings, two large buttons will appear. A green one that says “Answer” and a red one that says “Hang up.” If the caller is a contact, a big picture, and the name of the caller will show up.
Other features include:
- Ability to set reminders that will appear as sticky notes on the phone; you can also create audio reminders
- Caregivers can receive a text message when the battery of the phone is less than a specified amount
- You can track your loved one's location by tracking the phone at no additional cost. The location will be updated every 15 minutes
- And much more!
Visit RAZmobility.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re searching for a child-safe messenger, check out the Kinzoo Family Messenger App. Kinzoo is the “world’s first kid-proof messenger designed to keep children safe.”
Unlike other messenger apps, this app is free from the pressures of likes and follower counts. It is designed to foster a “meaningful, authentic connection” between children and their loved ones.
Other features include:
- Easy-to-use, highly interactive interface that allows users to text, video call, send memes, and more
- Designed around Kinzoo's 3 C's:
- Connection, creativity, and cultivation
- No phone number or data plan is necessary; only requires a device and a WiFi connection
- Works on iOS and Android devices
Visit Kinzoo.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use Braille label maker, check out the 6dot Braille Label Maker from Logan Tech. This portable Braille label maker has a built-in Braille keyboard that supports all grades of Braille in “virtually every language.”
It features six good-sized Braille keys on top of the device. The Braille keys are well placed to allow for easy two-handed typing with a spacebar right below the keys, ideal to be pressed with either thumb. There is also a tactile ON/OFF switch on the label maker’s right side.
In addition to typing directly on the device, you may also attach a QWERTY keyboard. This allows non-Braillist users to generate labels as well.
Visit LoganTech.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are several augmentative and alternative communication devices available, but if you’re looking for an eye gaze option, check out the MegaBee Eye Pointing Communication Tablet.
The MegaBee assistive communication tablet is a lower-tech eye-pointing device compared to other computer systems. While using the device, the caregiver tracks a patient’s eye movement and uses eye gaze to determine letter locations, which are then displayed on the LCD screen below.
For example: If you were looking for the letter ‘A’ you would first be looking at the color block white because that is where the letter ‘A’ is located. The caregiver then presses the white button. Then you would look at the color block blue because the letter ‘A’ is blue. The caregiver then presses the blue button the letter ‘A’ appears on the LCD screen at the bottom of the device.
Features of the MegaBee Eye Pointing Communication Tablet include:
- Easy-to-use out of the box for both speaker and listener
- Dual screens accommodate 20 characters in 2 lines
- 260 custom abbreviations available
- Bluetooth PC connectivity allows large, remote display and text storage options
- Weighs approximately 2 pounds
- And more!
Visit LoganTech.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A few weeks ago I talked about UnbuckleMe, which is a small tool that makes it easier for adults to unbuckle a car seat. Another similar product is Bucklebee. However, unlike UnbuckleMe, Bucklebee is an easy car seat buckle release aid for adults and children.
According to the product’s website: “This allows responsible children to unbuckle themselves and saves the parent and/or caregiver time and energy! As the first of its kind, it is designed to work with push-button style car seat buckle harnesses.”
Features of Bucklebee include:
- Proven product designed to reduce the unbuckling force for a child or caregiver
- Installs in 4 easy steps
- Ideal for individuals with arthritis, joint pain, and more
- Save your nails by using this car seat opener
- Crash tested to work with car seats to demonstrate this buckle tool will not unintentionally unbuckle a car seat on impact
- And more
Visit Bucklebee.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A few weeks ago I talked about UnbuckleMe, which is a small tool that makes it easier for adults to unbuckle a car seat. Another similar product is Bucklebee. However, unlike UnbuckleMe, Bucklebee is an easy car seat buckle release aid for adults and children.
According to the product’s website: “This allows responsible children to unbuckle themselves and saves the parent and/or caregiver time and energy! As the first of its kind, it is designed to work with push-button style car seat buckle harnesses.”
Features of Bucklebee include:
- Proven product designed to reduce the unbuckling force for a child or caregiver
- Installs in 4 easy steps
- Ideal for individuals with arthritis, joint pain, and more
- Save your nails by using this car seat opener
- Crash tested to work with car seats to demonstrate this buckle tool will not unintentionally unbuckle a car seat on impact
- And more
Visit Bucklebee.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a way to keep tabs on your loved one aging in place, check out the Theora Connect GPS Smartwatch. Combined with the Theora Link smartphone app, Theora Connect provides a “complete remote monitoring and communications solution to keep families connected.”
The smartwatch combines a watch, a pre-activated cell phone, a two-way voice interface, and a GPS personal tracker, providing direct communications for enhanced peace of mind for caregivers and their care recipients. The free Theora Link smartphone app provides caregivers with notifications for location, status updates, alerts, low battery, and direct communication with their care recipient.
Other features of Theora Connect GPS Smartwatch include:
- Specially designed smartwatch for individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and memory loss
- Hands-free 2-way communications and geo-fence technology to set safe zones for routine activities such as being home, or going to doctor’s offices or stores
- Lightweight, “comfortable, and non-clinical looking”
- Water resistant: it can be splashed but should not be submerged in water
- Ready to use out of the box
- And much more
Visit TheoraCare.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton recording for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a way to keep tabs on your loved one aging in place, check out the Theora Connect GPS Smartwatch. Combined with the Theora Link smartphone app, Theora Connect provides a “complete remote monitoring and communications solution to keep families connected.”
The smartwatch combines a watch, a pre-activated cell phone, a two-way voice interface, and a GPS personal tracker, providing direct communications for enhanced peace of mind for caregivers and their care recipients. The free Theora Link smartphone app provides caregivers with notifications for location, status updates, alerts, low battery, and direct communication with their care recipient.
Other features of Theora Connect GPS Smartwatch include:
- Specially designed smartwatch for individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and memory loss
- Hands-free 2-way communications and geo-fence technology to set safe zones for routine activities such as being home, or going to doctor’s offices or stores
- Lightweight, “comfortable, and non-clinical looking”
- Water resistant: it can be splashed but should not be submerged in water
- Ready to use out of the box
- And much more
Visit TheoraCare.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton recording for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals with different special needs cannot clip their fingernails without assistance. One potential solution to help with this is the ClipDifferent fingernail clipper.
ClipDifferent is a patented assistive device used by people of all abilities for nail care. It is ideal for individuals with Parkinson’s, low vision, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and more.
According to ClipDifferent’s website:
"The ClipDifferent utilizes a high-capacity, rechargeable battery to power a finely-tuned, trimming blade to create the most seamless fingernail clipping experience you’ve ever had. You simply turn it on and insert as much (or as little) of your fingernail you want trimmed into the fingernail slot. The blade then automatically trims your nail to the desired length..."
Other features of ClipDifferent include:
* The device weighs less than a bottle of water
* The finger rest allows individuals with vision or dexterity challenges to find and use the nail slot easily
* Nails are left smooth with no need to file
* Rechargeable: a quick charge is good for months of clippings
* The rubberized base rests securely on any level surface
* Nail clippings are captured in an easy-to-empty drawer
Visit ClipDifferent.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals with different special needs cannot clip their fingernails without assistance. One potential solution to help with this is the ClipDifferent fingernail clipper.
ClipDifferent is a patented assistive device used by people of all abilities for nail care. It is ideal for individuals with Parkinson’s, low vision, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and more.
According to ClipDifferent’s website:
"The ClipDifferent utilizes a high-capacity, rechargeable battery to power a finely-tuned, trimming blade to create the most seamless fingernail clipping experience you’ve ever had. You simply turn it on and insert as much (or as little) of your fingernail you want trimmed into the fingernail slot. The blade then automatically trims your nail to the desired length..."
Other features of ClipDifferent include:
* The device weighs less than a bottle of water
* The finger rest allows individuals with vision or dexterity challenges to find and use the nail slot easily
* Nails are left smooth with no need to file
* Rechargeable: a quick charge is good for months of clippings
* The rubberized base rests securely on any level surface
* Nail clippings are captured in an easy-to-empty drawer
Visit ClipDifferent.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton for Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there!
Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Looking for an app for an individual with low vision? Check out Google Lookout. Google Lookout is an Android App that uses Google’s Artificial Intelligence toolkit to assist individuals, especially those who are blind or visually impaired.
Lookout has six modes that include:
• Images mode - describes the contents of an image,
• Text mode - quickly skim text and hear it read aloud
• Food labels mode - quickly identify packaged foods by their label
• Document Mode - scan a whole page of text
• Currency mode - identify money quickly and reliably
• Explore mode – beta feature that offers information about objects in your environment
Visit the google play store to learn more https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.accessibility.reveal&hl=en_US≷=US
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That is your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there!
Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Looking for an app for an individual with low vision? Check out Google Lookout. Google Lookout is an Android App that uses Google’s Artificial Intelligence toolkit to assist individuals, especially those who are blind or visually impaired.
Lookout has six modes that include:
• Images mode - describes the contents of an image,
• Text mode - quickly skim text and hear it read aloud
• Food labels mode - quickly identify packaged foods by their label
• Document Mode - scan a whole page of text
• Currency mode - identify money quickly and reliably
• Explore mode – beta feature that offers information about objects in your environment
Visit the google play store to learn more https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.accessibility.reveal&hl=en_US≷=US
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That is your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Brian Norton with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
It's no secret that gas prices are outrageous these days. Fortunately, there are apps like GasBuddy that can help you save money! For over 20 years, GasBuddy has saved users over $3.1 billion.
The app provides users with local gas prices with the gas map. You can also use the free GasBuddy fuel card to save on every gallon, at any station. To use the card, securely link your bank account, swipe, and save up to 25¢ per gallon!
In addition to viewing local gas prices on the app, you can also:
- Track driving habits and drive smarter with tips and tricks to use less gas
- Turn your daily purchases into free gas by shopping in the app
- Track your gas use and export the log for reimbursement and taxes
- And more!
Visit GasBuddy.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
It's no secret that gas prices are outrageous these days. Fortunately, there are apps like GasBuddy that can help you save money! For over 20 years, GasBuddy has saved users over $3.1 billion.
The app provides users with local gas prices with the gas map. You can also use the free GasBuddy fuel card to save on every gallon, at any station. To use the card, securely link your bank account, swipe, and save up to 25¢ per gallon!
In addition to viewing local gas prices on the app, you can also:
- Track driving habits and drive smarter with tips and tricks to use less gas
- Turn your daily purchases into free gas by shopping in the app
- Track your gas use and export the log for reimbursement and taxes
- And more!
Visit GasBuddy.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or a loved one are looking for a new handheld video magnifier, check out the LookyPlus. This video magnifier allows users to read text more easily and view photos more clearly on its 3.5-inch LCD screen.
The LookyPlus offers a magnification range of 2x up to 20x and five different color modes. It features a convenient folding handle that allows the user to place it directly on the page or object. When the handle is folded up, the device easily fits in your pocket or the handy carrying case.
Other features of the LookyPlus include:
- 4 preset magnification levels
- 5 viewing modes:
- Full color
- Black on white
- White on black
- Yellow on blue
- Yellow on black
- You can freeze the image on the LookyPlus display by pressing the power button once; the normal magnifier function is restored by pressing the power button again
- Comes with 2 rechargeable AA batteries and a charger
- Battery lasts about 2 hours on average
Check it out on MaxiAids.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or a loved one are looking for a new handheld video magnifier, check out the LookyPlus. This video magnifier allows users to read text more easily and view photos more clearly on its 3.5-inch LCD screen.
The LookyPlus offers a magnification range of 2x up to 20x and five different color modes. It features a convenient folding handle that allows the user to place it directly on the page or object. When the handle is folded up, the device easily fits in your pocket or the handy carrying case.
Other features of the LookyPlus include:
- 4 preset magnification levels
- 5 viewing modes:
- Full color
- Black on white
- White on black
- Yellow on blue
- Yellow on black
- You can freeze the image on the LookyPlus display by pressing the power button once; the normal magnifier function is restored by pressing the power button again
- Comes with 2 rechargeable AA batteries and a charger
- Battery lasts about 2 hours on average
Check it out on MaxiAids.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Did you know infant and child car seat buckles require a minimum release force of 40 Newtons, or about 9 pounds to unbuckle? While this is great for kiddos, unbuckling these can be challenging for individuals with arthritis, poor dexterity, and more. Shark Tank featured a revolutionary product that can make unbuckling car seats easier: introducing UnbuckleMe!
UnbuckleMe was invented by an occupational therapist who had spent her career adapting equipment for patients with disabilities of the hand. She created this small tool that uses leverage to make it easier to unbuckle car seats.
Features of UnbuckleMe include:
- Uses a type II lever (the same concept as a nutcracker) to reduce the force by more than 50%
- Works on a wide range of car seats and push-button buckle shapes, as well as many strollers, high chairs, and other push-button devices
- The top handle is covered with a soft “grippy” material to provide greater comfort and stability
- And more
Visit UnbuckleMe.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Did you know infant and child car seat buckles require a minimum release force of 40 Newtons, or about 9 pounds to unbuckle? While this is great for kiddos, unbuckling these can be challenging for individuals with arthritis, poor dexterity, and more. Shark Tank featured a revolutionary product that can make unbuckling car seats easier: introducing UnbuckleMe!
UnbuckleMe was invented by an occupational therapist who had spent her career adapting equipment for patients with disabilities of the hand. She created this small tool that uses leverage to make it easier to unbuckle car seats.
Features of UnbuckleMe include:
- Uses a type II lever (the same concept as a nutcracker) to reduce the force by more than 50%
- Works on a wide range of car seats and push-button buckle shapes, as well as many strollers, high chairs, and other push-button devices
- The top handle is covered with a soft “grippy” material to provide greater comfort and stability
- And more
Visit UnbuckleMe.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals cannot operate traditional switches and buttons. If you or a loved one have limited movement, check out the HoneyBee Switch.
The HoneyBee Switch is an “innovative, easy-to-use” switch that senses the proximity of a hand, finger, head, foot, etc. To activate the HoneyBee Switch, the user simply places his or her hand, head, or other body part over the sensor window. An audible tone will sound when there’s activation.
The switch is powered by a standard coin cell battery, which is readily available in many retail stores. Under normal use and depending on the range setting, battery life can range from several months to several years.
Other features include:
- The sensing range can be adjusted for any four distances, allowing for multiple positioning and access needs
- Comes with device, CR2032 battery, 30-inch cord, and removable protective silicone cover
- Can be plugged into any communication device, adapted toy, or computer interface
Visit Adaptivation.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals cannot operate traditional switches and buttons. If you or a loved one have limited movement, check out the HoneyBee Switch.
The HoneyBee Switch is an “innovative, easy-to-use” switch that senses the proximity of a hand, finger, head, foot, etc. To activate the HoneyBee Switch, the user simply places his or her hand, head, or other body part over the sensor window. An audible tone will sound when there’s activation.
The switch is powered by a standard coin cell battery, which is readily available in many retail stores. Under normal use and depending on the range setting, battery life can range from several months to several years.
Other features include:
- The sensing range can be adjusted for any four distances, allowing for multiple positioning and access needs
- Comes with device, CR2032 battery, 30-inch cord, and removable protective silicone cover
- Can be plugged into any communication device, adapted toy, or computer interface
Visit Adaptivation.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Traditional toothbrushes are not always ideal for individuals with oral sensitivities and/or poor dexterity. If you or a loved one have autism, Alzheimer’s, or other special needs, check out the Collis Curve Toothbrush.
The Collis Curve Toothbrush is a three-sided toothbrush that features short center bristles to clean occlusal surfaces and two outer rows of curved bristles. The two outer rows of curved bristles gently nestle their way between the tooth and the gumline to remove plaque and food debris.
It was developed by American dentist George Collis whose father had a hard time using a traditional toothbrush due to having Parkinson’s.
Other features of the Collis Curve Toothbrush include:
- Easily cleans around braces, crowns, and implants
- Quick and easy brushing technique
- Reaches into pockets and recessed gumlines
- Adaptive device for limited manual dexterity
- Ideal for persons with arthritis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and more
Visit CollisCurve.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Traditional toothbrushes are not always ideal for individuals with oral sensitivities and/or poor dexterity. If you or a loved one have autism, Alzheimer’s, or other special needs, check out the Collis Curve Toothbrush.
The Collis Curve Toothbrush is a three-sided toothbrush that features short center bristles to clean occlusal surfaces and two outer rows of curved bristles. The two outer rows of curved bristles gently nestle their way between the tooth and the gumline to remove plaque and food debris.
It was developed by American dentist George Collis whose father had a hard time using a traditional toothbrush due to having Parkinson’s.
Other features of the Collis Curve Toothbrush include:
- Easily cleans around braces, crowns, and implants
- Quick and easy brushing technique
- Reaches into pockets and recessed gumlines
- Adaptive device for limited manual dexterity
- Ideal for persons with arthritis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and more
Visit CollisCurve.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Research suggests that listening to or singing songs can provide emotional and behavioral benefits for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Many of these individuals, however, may have a hard time operating modern music-playing equipment. This is where the Simple Music Player comes in.
The Simple Music Player has been designed to be as easy as possible to operate for many people. The styling of the player is reminiscent of old radios and is instantly recognizable as something which plays music.
To operate, there are only three controls:
- To start playing music just lift the lid
- To skip a song press the big button
- To stop the music close the lid
Other features include:
- You can upload favorite music, books on tape, and podcasts from your computer using a USB cable
- Highly durable construction consisting of a strong wooden enclosure with a high-strength plastic covering
- Rubber feet to ensure the music player doesn't slip
- And much more!
Visit AlzStore.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Research suggests that listening to or singing songs can provide emotional and behavioral benefits for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Many of these individuals, however, may have a hard time operating modern music-playing equipment. This is where the Simple Music Player comes in.
The Simple Music Player has been designed to be as easy as possible to operate for many people. The styling of the player is reminiscent of old radios and is instantly recognizable as something which plays music.
To operate, there are only three controls:
- To start playing music just lift the lid
- To skip a song press the big button
- To stop the music close the lid
Other features include:
- You can upload favorite music, books on tape, and podcasts from your computer using a USB cable
- Highly durable construction consisting of a strong wooden enclosure with a high-strength plastic covering
- Rubber feet to ensure the music player doesn't slip
- And much more!
Visit AlzStore.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Music can be a powerful tool for individuals of all ages and abilities. If you or a loved one have dementia, check out Vera. Vera is a new music wellness app dedicated to helping individuals with dementia by creating personalized playlists that stir different parts of the brain.
According to the app’s description, the app can “bring joy, reduce agitation, and improve the quality of life.” To help ease daily care routines, there are 3 personally curated music stations unique to each listener. The stations are called Relax, Reminisce, and Energize.
Features of Vera include:
- Users can access over 1 million hits from the past
- Rediscover long-forgotten songs from artists such as Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Elton John, and much, much more
- Ability to like or remove songs that have different impacts
- It may help increase motor and cognitive functions, as well as memory, mood, and sleep
- 24/7 access to the Vera support team with open feedback and communication channels
Visit VeraMusic.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are thousands of different types of plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs found throughout the world. Did you know there’s an app you can download to help identify over 10,000 different types of plants? Check out PictureThis!
PictureThis Plant Identifier allows users to take pictures of real plants and flowers and submit them for identification. In addition to identifying plants, users can also learn facts and care information for plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs.
With PictureThis you can:
- Identify plants, flowers, and trees instantly with an artificial intelligence-driven plant identification system
- Diagnose plant problems automatically and get treatment suggestions
- Get advice from botanists in one-on-one conversations
- Use our plant guides to help you choose and grow beautiful, healthy plants
- Keep notes, get reminders, and record the growth of your plants, trees, and flowers
- Take better photographs with the “easy-to-use” interface
Visit PictureThisAI.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are thousands of different types of plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs found throughout the world. Did you know there’s an app you can download to help identify over 10,000 different types of plants? Check out PictureThis!
PictureThis Plant Identifier allows users to take pictures of real plants and flowers and submit them for identification. In addition to identifying plants, users can also learn facts and care information for plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs.
With PictureThis you can:
- Identify plants, flowers, and trees instantly with an artificial intelligence-driven plant identification system
- Diagnose plant problems automatically and get treatment suggestions
- Get advice from botanists in one-on-one conversations
- Use our plant guides to help you choose and grow beautiful, healthy plants
- Keep notes, get reminders, and record the growth of your plants, trees, and flowers
- Take better photographs with the “easy-to-use” interface
Visit PictureThisAI.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
ImaginAble Solutions creates assistive devices to improve the quality of life for people living with cerebral palsy, arthritis, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and more. Their new Guided Hands device enables anyone with limited fine motor skills to write, paint, draw, and access technology through a touchscreen device.
According to the developer’s website, Guided Hands helps individuals reach their full potential in school and in life. It promotes communication, cognitive skills, independence, self-expression, and creativity.
To use the device, simply place it on a flat, sturdy surface then select the handpiece that’s most comfortable. Next, attach your desired utensil like a paintbrush, pen, or stylus and secure the velcro strap around your wrist for added stability. Now you’re all ready to paint, write, draw, or control a touchscreen device!
Features of Guided Hands include:
- It’s a multipurpose device compatible with pens, paintbrushes, markers, styluses, and more
- Designed to enable controlled and guided hand movements
- Ergonomic wrist rest and adjustable strap
- Variety of ambidextrous hand pieces to choose from
- And much, much more!
Visit ImaginAbleSolutions.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
ImaginAble Solutions creates assistive devices to improve the quality of life for people living with cerebral palsy, arthritis, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and more. Their new Guided Hands device enables anyone with limited fine motor skills to write, paint, draw, and access technology through a touchscreen device.
According to the developer’s website, Guided Hands helps individuals reach their full potential in school and in life. It promotes communication, cognitive skills, independence, self-expression, and creativity.
To use the device, simply place it on a flat, sturdy surface then select the handpiece that’s most comfortable. Next, attach your desired utensil like a paintbrush, pen, or stylus and secure the velcro strap around your wrist for added stability. Now you’re all ready to paint, write, draw, or control a touchscreen device!
Features of Guided Hands include:
- It’s a multipurpose device compatible with pens, paintbrushes, markers, styluses, and more
- Designed to enable controlled and guided hand movements
- Ergonomic wrist rest and adjustable strap
- Variety of ambidextrous hand pieces to choose from
- And much, much more!
Visit ImaginAbleSolutions.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the years, we’ve written about different medication dispensers such as the Hero Smart Pill Dispenser. Another available option is Dose Flip, which is a portable smart pill box. It can be set up to match an individual’s medication schedule, to ensure they receive the correct medications at the right times.
At the scheduled time, the Dose Flip will sound an alarm and flash a light. To dispense the medication, you simply flip the pill box over into your hand or a cup so you can take your medication.
The device can notify caregivers if medications are not being remembered or taken as directed. It can send notifications via a phone call, text message, or email.
Dose Flip is easy to set up. It features a built-in touchscreen that walks users through a simple setup process. They offer 24/7 support and free over-the-phone setups if necessary. The on-screen animation also shows how to correctly fill medications in each compartment.
Another neat feature of Dose Flip’s services is that the company provides adaptive equipment to ensure the dispenser is accessible for everyone—at no extra cost.
Other features include:
- One tray will hold up to 2 weeks’ worth of medications
- Lockable to avoid unwanted openings
- With a cellular connection, the device can detect if a dose is being tampered with from anywhere
- No WiFi is necessary!
Visit DoseHealth.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A few weeks ago I talked about the Mobi-Mat RecPath, which you can place over grass, sand, gravel, and more. Another available option is an Ekomat. Ekomats are “dynamic, multipurpose tools that offer flexibility, slip-resistance, durability, and versatility in a wide range of applications…” They can be placed on all sorts of terrain to increase accessibility.
A neat feature of Ekomats is that they are made of plastic shopping bags and diverted landfill-bound material.
Other features include:
- They are water-impervious and flexible
- They hold up in all-season weather and temperatures from -40ºF to 158ºF
- Increase accessibility to remote sites
- Provide a slip-resistant and stable surface
- Can be used as a temporary, impact-resistant flooring option
- And more
Visit Ekomats.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a way to make your home or building more wheelchair accessible, check out Roll-A-Ramp! Roll-A-Ramp offers a “one-of-a-kind portable ramp for easy and convenient access into homes, buildings, vans, and more.”
Roll-A-Ramp will always be portable and never permanent, so a building permit is not necessary. It simply rolls up like a sleeping bag for convenient storage and portability. Another neat feature is that you can change the length at any time by adding and removing links.
Other features include:
- Measures 8 feet long by 30 inches wide
- Weighs around 46 pounds
- Add length or separate into shorter sections for easier handling
- Holds up to 1,000 pounds
- Snow and rain drain through instead of collecting on the ramp, making it a non-slip surface at all times
- Raised ridges run across each tread providing great traction
- Handrails can be added to one or both sides
Visit RollARamp.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are so many apps available to help individuals with visual impairments. If you’re looking for an app that translates Braille to text, check out the Braille Scanner app.
Braille Scanner allows users to take a photo of a piece of paper with Braille on it using their iPhones, and then within seconds, it’s translated to text.
Other features include:
- Auto-document scan
- Braille conversion using Unified English Braille, grade 1
- Braille/text-to-speech
- Export converted Braille as text
- Export Braille characters
- 17 different app icons
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the years we’ve written about different phones available for individuals with visual impairments, such as the BlindShell phone. Another available option is RealSAM Pocket, which is a “revolutionary voice-operated smartphone for people who are blind or visually impaired.”
According to the phone’s website, RealSAM Pocket “takes away the stress of figuring out complicated phone interfaces when you can’t see or can’t see well enough what’s on the screen.” The device enables users to communicate with friends and loved ones by phone or text by simply using their voice.
With RealSAM Pocket, users can:
- Make and receive calls
- Send and receive messages
- Add contacts by voice
- Use video magnifier
- Read text with OCR
- And much more!
Visit RealSAM.us to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the AgrAbility project, which helps agricultural workers with disabilities. Another available product from their AT Toolbox Database is the Troy-Bilt JumpStart Engine Starter.
The Troy-Bilt JumpStart Engine Starter eliminates the need to pull-start most of the newer Troy-Bilt gas-powered lawn tools including their trimmer, edger, blower, and more. The Engine Starter is especially useful if the tool has not been started for a while or its engine is cold.
To use the device, simply plug it into a regular household outlet and connect it to the JumpStart port on your equipment and easily start your Troy-Bilt handheld equipment with the push of a button!
Visit Eastersealstech.com/agrability to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A newer artificial intelligence (AI) app is available to help individuals with visual impairments. MyFinder is a free-to-download iOS app that allows users to hear surrounding objects, text and scene descriptions, and more.
According to the App Store:
“MyFinder AI provides audio descriptions of objects and navigation guidance towards them. It reads out text and describes a scene in the frame…”
To use the app, simply hold your phone’s camera towards any text, your surroundings, objects, people, or products and the app will describe it to you.
Other features include:
- Realtime object explorer allows you to instantly hear the names of the objects in the frame
- Immediate human support is available 24/7
- With newer phones, the app provides a digital cane to users who are blind, notifying them of obstacles in the way
Visit MyFinderR.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
AgrAbility is a program on a mission to “enhance the quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America.” On their website, you’ll find The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database, which features several available products. One of the listed products is the Mobi-Mat RecPath Rollout Pathway.
The Mobi-Mat RecPath is a portable, removable rollout beach access mat for pedestrians, individuals in wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles, and light all-terrain vehicles. It provides a “firm, safe, cool, and stable surface for a wide range of users…”
Other features include:
- You can place the mat over sand, dirt, gravel, or grass
- Rapid 2-minute setup and pack-up time using Mobi-Roll ‘N Stow
- Resistant to rot, termites, UVs
Visit the National AT Toolbox Database at eastersealstech.com/agrability to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for a new, discreet fidget to use in the office or on the go, check out the ONO Roller fidget! The ONO Roller mimics taking two highlighters in your hand and rolling them around.
According to its website:
“With a continuous, relaxing, natural rolling motion, the ONO keeps your hands moving and puts your mind at ease. So you can fidget in a way that feels good and is good for you…”
Other features include:
- Available in 3 unique styles and different colors to suit your style
- Keeps your hands busy while rolling out your muscles
- Helps you break bad habits like biting your nails, leg bouncing, and more
- Toss it in the freezer for a few for an “extra soothing massage session
Visit ONOroller.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
BodyBilt is a “leading ergonomic solutions provider.” One of their available solutions is the Sola Workstool. According to their website, the Sola Workstool is the “total low-to-high workstool solution.”
This ergonomic seating solution is inspired by the changing nature of work environments.
Features of the Sola Workstool include:
- The breathability of a mesh back, ergonomics of the BodyBilt seat pan
- Halo foot ring designed for multiple-height workstations
- Adjustable, built-in lumbar support with eight positions
- The cylinder provides a height adjustment range of 7.25″
- The integrated seat depth adjuster and back tilt adjustment allow for perfect positioning
Visit BodyBilt.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re looking for an app that allows you to annotate anything on your screen, check out Presentify. Presentify is a macOS menu bar app that helps users “give better presentations, online classes, or video tutorials by letting you annotate any screen, highlight your cursor, and more.”
While using the app, you’ll be able to annotate anything on the screen including videos, PDFs, images, code, etc.
With Presentify, you can:
- Draw anywhere, anytime
- Draw on or annotate any screen you wish. Simply select Annotate Screen from the menu bar and start doodling
- A lot of drawing shapes are available as well as text
Other features include:
- Works on iPad connected to a Macbook via Sidecar, Astropad, or Duet
- Compatible with all video calling software like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, and more
- Handy control panel to switch between different annotation tools and colors
- Ability to highlight your mouse pointer to grab the attention of your audience
- And much, much more!
Check Presentify out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
The American Academy of Family Physicians is saying that up to 50% of children will experience some sort of sleep challenge. Sleeping issues are especially common among children with autism or other special needs. If your child experiences sleeping difficulties, there is a new potential solution: introducing zPods!
zPods are fully enclosed capsule beds that provide children with a “customizable sensory-friendly sleeping pod.” These sleeping pods come jam-packed with features such as intelligent lighting control, white noise generation, an innovative air filter, and more.
The pods feature sliding doors that are easy to install and remove. The company even offers door design so you can match the doors to your room decor!
The bed also features a BLE 5.0 Bluetooth-connected control panel which you can control via the zPods App either from inside the bed or outside the bed on your mobile phone or tablet. While using the app, parents have the ability to lock and unlock selected features of the bed.
Other features include:
- The bed comes with 2 Bluetooth speakers
- Simply connect the speakers to your smart device and stream white noise or calming music
- There are two fans built into the pod to help with air circulation
- The bed ships flat and will require roughly 30 minutes of assembly time for two people
Visit zPodsforsleep.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you’re in the market for a new portable digital video magnifier, check out the new Smartlux Digital portable video magnifier! This portable magnifier has a full HD camera that features a 5″ reflection-free display.
The Smartlux Digital has an easy-to-use interface with four color-coded tactile control buttons that provide a customizable writing and reading solution for individuals with visual impairments.
Other features include:
- Ergonomic portable video magnifier with a 5″ reflection-free display, large field of view, and customizable setting options
- LEDs are individually adjustable
- 14 color contrast mode options, adjustable lines and blinds, and more
- 8GB internal storage
- And much more!
Visit Eschenbach.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the years we've talked about several smart thermostats. Did you know Amazon now has their very own? The Amazon Smart Thermostat gives you the power to control your HVAC system using your voice!
The thermostat itself doesn't have any built-in speakers, so it requires an Alexa-enabled device to work. You can also control the thermostat at home or on the go via the Alexa app!
Other features include:
- The Amazon Smart Thermostat is an easy way to switch from a traditional thermostat and help reduce energy usage
- You can install the thermostat yourself in 45 minutes or less! Simply follow the step-by-step instructions in the Alexa app to get started
Visit Amazon.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I'd like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Snapchat is a mobile messaging application used to share photos, videos, text, and drawings. This free app recently released a new American Sign Language (ASL) lens.
This new ASL lens teaches users how to fingerspell their name and practice the ASL alphabet. Users can also play games to test their signing skills.
It was made in partnership with SignAll, a company that designs AI technology for sign language translation.
You can use the lens on Android and iOS devices by searching for “ASL Alphabet” in the Lens Explorer.
Visit Snapchat.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Many individuals aging in place often have strict medication regimens to follow. If you’re looking for a solution to help them take their medications on time, check out the Tricella Smart Pillbox!
The Tricella Pillbox features individual sensors for each of its pill drawers. It can detect specifically which dose your loved one is missing. Further, family members can receive alerts if a loved one forgets to take their medication, or takes the wrong dose.
Other features include:
- This smart pillbox is designed for one dose per day. You can sync multiple pillboxes for multiple doses
- History log tracks progress over time to help your loved one reach their health goals
- Pill drawers are easy to open, even for those with dexterity problems
- And much more
Visit Tricella.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Fun and Function offers several sensory solutions for children of all ages, such as weighted blankets, sensory clothing, sensory putty, and chewies. One example of a chewy product they offer is their Break-Away Bite Bands.
Break-Away Bite Bands are super absorbent necklaces ideal for children who chew and bite on their clothing or other items. Unlike plastic or silicone chew necklaces, these terry cloth bands soak up drool, “keeping shirts dry even after extended periods of chewing.”
Other features include:
- Helps with sensory processing disorder, ADHD, autism, or oral motor needs
- For moderate chewers
- Comes with six colorful bite bands
- For children ages 3 and up!
Visit FunAndFunction.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Since I originally began writing about fidgets back in 2016, they have only grown in popularity — for children and adults alike. PILPOC offers a variety of fidgets, one of them being their Fidget Controller Pad.
The PILPOC Fidget Controller Pad is a pocket-sized, lightweight fidget featuring eight different fidget functions. The pad’s ergonomic design fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
Other features include:
- Comes in an exclusive protective case
- Made out of high-quality ABS plastic
- Comes with a bonus Fidget Flippy Chain
- Ideal for individuals with ADHD, autism, and more
Visit PILPOC.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I’d like to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Last week I talked about Vayyar Care, which is a fall detection system that works exclusively with Amazon Alexa and the Alexa Together subscription service. Another Alexa compatible fall detection device is SkyAngelCare.
SkyAngelCare is a fall detection pendant that can be worn around the user's neck. If the device detects a fall, OR if the user presses the SOS button, Alexa will automatically call the Urgent Response emergency helpline and notify a designated caregiver, ensuring a loved one gets the help they need.
Other features include:
- Waterproof fall detection pendant that can be worn while showering or taking a bath
- Uses WiFi so pendant must be in WiFi to work
- Requires Alexa Together subscription service
- Automatic software updates so as new features are released, you'll receive them automatically
- And more
Check it out on Amazon's website to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Last week I talked about Alexa Together, which is a new subscription service from Amazon that “helps you care for the ones you love.” The service offers 24/7 hands-free access to trained agents who can help your loved one get assistance. If you use a compatible fall detection device like Vayyar Care, Alexa contacts Urgent Response and notifies emergency contacts in the event of a fall.
Vayyar Care is a touchless fall detection device that works exclusively with Amazon Alexa and an Alexa Together subscription. Simply mount the device to a wall to get started.
Unlike several other fall detection devices, there are no buttons, no cords, no wearables, and no cameras so privacy is maintained at all times. The device monitors the room 24/7 “in all conditions: in complete darkness and even in dense steam.”
Other features include:
- Unique touchless fall detection system that mounts on a wall and provides round-the-clock protection
- No cords, buttons, or wearables
- No cameras so loved one’s privacy is always protected
- And much more!
Visit Vayyar.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs. I’ve written and talked about several Amazon Alexa devices over the years as they can help improve one’s independence. Amazon is now offering a new subscription service, coined Alexa Together, that can help increase independence while helping you care for loved ones.
According to Amazon’s description, “Alexa Together is a new way to provide support for loved ones, keeping you together even when you’re apart.” Alexa Together features activity alerts and an activity feed, so you can get an idea of what your loved one is doing. This helps keep you in the loop while keeping them independent.
Additionally, this service includes a “professionally staffed” 24/7 Urgent Response team that your loved one can reach by simply saying, “Alexa, call for help.” Or, if a compatible device detects a fall, Alexa will ask if your loved one wants to connect to Urgent Response and alert you of the call.
Other features include:
- 6-month free trial
- Requires an Echo device for the person receiving support
- 24/7 hands-free access to trained agents who can help your loved one get assistance
- See how things are with snapshots of your loved one’s Alexa and smart home interactions
- And much, much more!
Visit Amazon.com/Alexa-Together to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Last week I wrote about Apple’s AirPods Pro, which are a “higher-end version of its existing AirPods with a unique design, noise cancellation technology, and better sound.” Apple has yet another model of AirPods available: introducing AirPods Max.
Unlike other AirPods, the AirPods Max are over-the-ear headphones. The headband is made from a breathable knit mesh, so it distributes weight to reduce on-head pressure. The stainless steel frame is wrapped with a “soft-to-the-touch material for a remarkable combination of strength, flexibility, and comfort.”
Other features include:
- Industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation to deliver an “unparalleled listening experience”
- Telescoping arms smoothly extend and stay where you set them, for a consistent seal and fit
- Digital Crown allows users to control volume, skip between tracks, answer phone calls, and activate Siri
- Available in five different colors
Visit Apple.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC, the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Since releasing the first generation of AirPods back in 2016, Apple has released some newer models. Apple’s AirPods Pro are a “higher-end version of its existing AirPods with a unique design, noise cancellation technology, and better sound.”
Users can choose from three sizes of soft, flexible silicone tips that click into place. These internally tapered, tips conform to your ear shape, keeping the AirPods Pro secure.
Further, these AirPods feature Active Noise Cancellation technology.
Other features include:
- The outward-facing microphone detects external sound, then the earphones counter it with equal anti-noise, canceling the external sound before you hear it
- Want to hear what’s happening around you? Just press and hold the force sensor on the stem to move between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode
- With the MagSafe Charging case, AirPods deliver more than 24 hours of battery life
Visit Apple.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Did you know you could borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and more from your local public library — for free?! Libby, by OverDrive, is a free app that connects you to your local public library virtually.
This user-friendly app is ideal for individuals of all ages who have reading disabilities like comprehension difficulties, dyslexia, low vision, and more.
Other features of Libby include:
- Browse your library’s digital catalog of books, from classics to New York Times best-sellers
- Borrow and enjoy eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines
- Download titles for offline reading, or stream them to save space
- Listen to audiobooks via Apple CarPlay
- And much more!
Visit OverDrive.com/apps/libby to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
iReliev is a company that believes that “everyone deserves to get relaxation, relief, and comfort.” The company offers several FDA-cleared, consumer-friendly electrotherapy devices to meet various needs, one being the Wireless Hand and Wrist Massager.
The iReliev Wireless Hand and Wrist Massager makes it easy to relax after a long day. It works by airbags inflating and deflating to provide pressure at specific reflexology points to relieve pain and improve circulation.
Other features include:
- Users can personalize their massage experience with six levels of intensity and an optional heat mode
- Features a long-lasting, fully rechargeable battery that lasts for five to six hours on a full charge
- Automatically turns off after 15 minutes
- And much more!
Visit iReliev.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Last week I talked about Vision Buddy, which is the world’s “first TV watching wearable headset virtual reality system for individuals with visual impairments.” Another VR headset available for those with visual impairments is the Patriot Viewpoint.
According to the product’s website: “This wearable Samsung virtual reality technology lets you be completely hands-free while doing the things you enjoy, both near and far!” While wearing this device, users can see family and loved ones’ faces, read books and computer screens, watch television, continue hobbies like painting, and more.
Other features include:
- Large wide-screen with a 101° viewable field
- 1x – 20x magnification
- 11 high-contrast color modes
- Comfortable fit with adjustable strap
- Accurate and fast OCR reads text out loud
- And much more
Visit the Patriot Vision Industries website to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or a loved one have low vision and are looking for a way to watch television, check out Vision Buddy! According to Vision Buddy’s website, it is the “world’s first tv-focused assistive device for the visually impaired.”
To use the device, plug the Vision Buddy Streamer into an existing cable box, streamer, or any other provider to watch your favorite television programs with enhanced image quality. You can easily zoom in or out to “enjoy a movie theater experience right in your living room!”
In addition to helping individuals with visual impairments watch television, the device can help users perform other tasks such as reading, operating a microwave, and more.
Other features include:
Built-in OCR so it can read text aloud from books, magazines, newspapers, and more
With the click of a button, users can switch to magnification/camera mode to see their surrounding environment
16-megapixel camera
And much, much more!
Visit GetVisionBuddy.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
We first talked about Tile products way back in 2014, which are small devices you can attach to your keys, wallet, purse -- anything you might lose. Apple now has its very own version: introducing Apple AirTag!
According to Apple's website, Apple AirTag is a "super-easy way to keep track of your stuff." Simply attach one to your keys, purse, wallet, backpack, and more. Once it's set up, you'll be able to view it on the Find My app!
Additionally, you'll also be able to play a sound on the device's built-in speaker by going to the new items tab in the Find My app. You can also say, "Hey Siri, find my keys," for example. If the item is hiding nearby, just follow the sound and your search is over!
Other features include:
With the Precision Finding feature, you'll see the distance to your AirTag and the direction to head in
If you leave something behind at work, the gym, beach, etc., the Find My network helps you track down your AirTag
Designed to protect your privacy every step of the way
Only you can see where your AirTag is
Efficient so there's no need to worry about battery life or data usage
Water-resistant
And much more!
Visit Apple.com/airtag to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There have been countless robot vacuums to hit the market since the first Roomba came out in 2002. There are many models that also mop floors in addition to vacuuming. If you're in the market for a new robot vacuum and mop, check out the Roborock S7!
The robot features VibraRise technology, so the mop lifts whenever it detects a carpet, "so you can mop hard floors and vacuum carpets in a single clean." It also raises when cleaning is finished to avoid spreading dirt.
Other features of Roborock S7 include:
Roborock's "most powerful, convenient robot vacuum"
VibraRise system is the first in the world to combine intense sonic mopping with automatic mop lifting
Using its powerful 5200mAh Lithium polymer battery, the Roborock S7 delivers up to 180 minutes of nonstop cleaning on a single charge
Noise dampening acoustic design minimizes unpleasant noise, freeing you to clean whenever you want
And much, much more
Visit Roborock.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
There are so many smartwatches available on the market today. If you're looking for a new smartwatch for your kiddo, check out the MPG Kids Smart Watch!
The MPG Kids Smart Watch is far more than just a timepiece. It is jam-packed with neat features that set it apart from other children's smartwatches. For instance, it features fitness tracking to encourage children to be active, as well as GPS tracking so parents can track their child's location at all times.
Another unique feature built-in to this timepiece is the watch's HD camera. The camera allows kiddos to take pictures of themselves on the watch. Additionally, parents can also take photos of their kids remotely using their phones!
Other features include:
Built-in "high-accuracy" GPS positioning so parents can keep track of their child's location at all times
Ability to set the child's activity range in electric fence mode; if the child leaves the set area, the app on the parent's phone will trigger an alarm
The two-way calling function allows the child to make AND receive phone calls
IP67 water-resistant: watch can withstand dust, water splashes, and rain; please note the watch should NOT be submerged underwater
Available in blue and pink colors
Visit My-PremiumGifts.com to learn more about the MPG Kids Smart Watch!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
In America, 70% of adults report that they obtain insufficient sleep at least one night a month, and 11% report insufficient sleep every night. If you or a loved one experiences sleep issues, check out Dodow!
According to Dodow's website, it is a simple metronome-like device with a light system that "combines meditation, yoga, and behavioral cognitive therapy... it aims to work quickly, effectively, and naturally to counteract the effects of stress that are detrimental to sleep."
Using the device is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Simply tap the touch-sensitive surface for the 8-minute mode or twice for the 20-minute mode. Begin inhaling as the blue light expands, then exhaling when the light retracts. At this point, users will be "in the ideal body state to fall asleep naturally."
Other features include:
Inspired by the science of cardiac coherence, which is a stress and emotion management tool used by fighter pilots and more
The French Cardiology Federation recognizes cardiac coherence as one of the "simplest and most effective techniques" to fight against anxiety
For individuals six and up!
The device will automatically shut off after the exercise is complete.
Visit MyDodow.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Sao Mai Vocational and Assistive Technology Center for the Blind is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001. One of their main missions is to “empower the blind by using and developing assistive technology in education, employment, and daily living activities.” This nonprofit organization developed SM Music Reader, an app that allows users - with or without sight - to read scores written in MusicXML format.
According to its description on AppleVis, SM Music Reader is a “free and fully accessible app” that supports drawing music scores, as well as playing and reading them. It’s fully accessible via VoiceOver, so both “sighted and blind users can exchange the same score at the same time.”
Other features include:
Users can read music files written in MusicXML format
They can also play MIDI files
Adjust the tempo, customize metronome options, volume, and select instruments' voices for each part
Navigate to a certain bar or line
Access thousands of songs in the Sao Mai music sharing library
And more
Check it out on the App Store or Google Play to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
HumanWare is a company on a mission to "develop solutions enabling people living with visual impairment, vision loss, and even learning disabilities to develop their potential and maintain their autonomy." One of their newest products is the Mantis Q40, which is a first-of-its-kind integrated keyboard and refreshable Braille display.
According to HumanWare's description, the Mantis Q40 is the "first-ever Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard and 40-cell refreshable Braille display that you can pair with your screen reader or smartphone or simply use as a standalone device." Either way, you have Braille at your fingertips, every time.
Whenever a student or professional is typing on the Mantis, the refreshable Braille below the keyboard provides a "multimodal Braille complement to the screen reader, making it easier to participate in, and succeed at, school or work."
Other features include:
Contains the following built-in apps:
Basic editor for notes
Book reader to download and read books in Braille
Calculator to perform basic math calculations
Clock to check date and time
File manager to organize one's work
HumanWare signature thumb keys and home button
15 hours of battery life with rechargeable, removable batteries
16GB of internal storage
SD card slot and USB port for flash drives
And more
Visit Humanware.com to learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana
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Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Many individuals may benefit from their toilet seat being higher. However, replacing a toilet can be expensive! If you're looking for a more affordable way to raise the height of your toilet seat, check out the Toilet Seat Riser from Vive Health!
Vive's Toilet Seat Riser is an ideal solution for individuals aging in place, those with limited mobility, and more. It adds 3.5 inches to your existing toilet seat to help reduce painful bending, twists, slips and falls.
Other features include:
Installs on both traditional toilets as well as elongated toilets
Comes with hardware to accommodate different toilet seat sizes
Easy-to-clean: simply lift the lid, seat, and riser up and out of the way for convenient, thorough cleaning
Made out of durable, split-resistant composite material
Supports up to 350 pounds
Measures 13.75 inches wide
Visit ViveHealth.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the always lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Jumping from stone to stone on the rocky shore of a rushing river is not only exciting, it also encourages gross motor skills, coordination, balance, and more. The Nordic Gonge Riverstones from Fat Brain Toys takes this concept, removes all the danger while bringing out “tons of fun and education!”
Fat Brain Toys' website further describes the toy:
“Three large and three small - each riverstone is tastefully colored with an attractive earth tone, features different angles and ridges, and is built with a non-slip surface and rubber edges, so there's never any fear of falling…”
The game comes with a game guide to give you different ideas of how to play with the stones. It recommends starting simple with the stones in a row for children to walk across. Then play a game of musical stones where kids have to find a big stone to stand on when the music stops. Or set out the stones in a random scramble and let children find their own paths!
Other features include:
Set of angled platforms for children to walk and hop across
Comes with 6 stones total - 3 large, 3 small - each featuring gripping ridges and different angles
Encourages gross motor skills, coordination, balance, weight-transference
Great for both individual and group play
Comes with a game guide that details different ways to play
High-quality construction and materials for lasting durability
Stones stack on top of each other for easy storage
Visit Fat Brain Toys website to learn more about the Nordic Gonge Riverstones!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Looking for a way to record shopping lists, reminders, and more with your voice? Check out the newest version of the Wilson Digital Voice Recorder!
The Wilson Digital Voice Recorder is a compact device that gives users up to 8 hours of continuous recording time. They can easily playback messages through its built-in speaker, or privately by using the earpiece it comes with.
This “state-of-the-art” digital voice recorder is simple to use: “Simply press the record (REC) button, listen for the beep, and watch for flashing LED light then speak in the direction of the Wilson to pause recording press REC button to continue press REC button again. To listen to your message press the Play button.”
In addition to recording reminders and shopping lists, users can also record and playback phone numbers, addresses, to-do lists, notes, appointments, directions, meetings, lectures, or virtually anything they want to remember!
Other features include:
- Personal digital voice recorder that allows users to record and playback virtually anything they want to remember
- Easy to add and delete messages
- Easy message retrieving system
- Velcro to belts, visors, purses, and more
- Requires 2 AAA batteries (not included)
- Comes with handy case with velcro strap
- New reverse and forward message count
- Low battery beep notification
- And more!
Check it out on MaxiAids.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
For many individuals, putting on socks independently is very challenging if not impossible. If you’re looking for a product to help make this daily task easier, check out the RMS Sock Aid!
The RMS Sock Aid allows users to put on socks or hosiery independently in “4 easy steps”. The sock aid is an ideal tool for individuals who can’t bend over, have limited mobility, are recovering from back, hip, knee surgery, and more.
According to the product’s description: “The sock assist device is made of high quality molded plastic that is durable but flexible enough to work with all sizes of socks from small to extra large for both men and women. It works with all types of socks including athletic socks, dress socks, stockings, or casual socks…”
Other features include:
Features comfortable foam grip handles making them easier to grab and hold on to
Slip-resistant foam pad keeps socks from slipping off the Sock Aid
The ropes are adjustable to your ideal length by tying new knots as necessary
And much more
Check it out on Amazon to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Fat Brain Toys is a company on a mission to “enrich families and provide a smarter way to play by inspiring creativity and sparking curiosity.” One of their available products is their Dimpl Pops. Dimpl Pops is a fun bubble-popping fidget toy made out of squishy silicone.
According to the website’s description: “The squishy silicone is fascinating for the fingers. Young, old – no matter who you are – your fingers just can’t stop! Experience the joy of Dimpl in its purest form with Dimpl Pops.”
The toy features 18 Dimpl bubbles in two different sizes, all built into a strong, high-quality plastic frame.
Other features include:
18 bubbles in a rainbow of colors
Encourages:
Fine motor skills
Sensory learning
Calmness
Perfect for all ages
Ideal for travel, relaxing at home, sensory discovery, and learning
Bubbles made out of 100% food-grade silicone
BPA-free
Hand washable
And more
Visit Fatbraintoys.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
A few years back we talked about an adaptive controller available for the Xbox. Did you know there is now an adaptive controller available for the Nintendo Switch?! The Flex Controller is a "new and exciting" addition to the gaming community that allows gamers with disabilities to use external switches and joysticks to play video games on the Nintendo Switch!
In addition to helping gamers play on their Nintendo Switch, the Flex Controller may also help them play games on a Windows 10 PC.
According to its description, "Instead of the traditional controller shape, the Flex Controller allows additional assistive switches and joysticks to be connected via the auxiliary and USB ports. This allows users to customize the setup and interface to meet their individual needs..."
Other features of the Flex Controller include:
- Designed and developed under the supervision of Technotool Co., Ltd., a company specializing in developing products specifically for individuals with physical disabilities
- Features 18 different socks for different types of switches
- 2 USB sockets for joysticks
- And much, much more
Visit InclusiveTLC.com/flex-controller to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
We first talked about the Reminder Rosie Alarm Clock several years ago. Now there is an all-new model available: introducing Reminder Rosie 2! Reminder Rosie 2 is an alarm clock that doubles as a voice reminder assistant.
Reminder Rosie 2 boasts an "extra-large display" with 2-inch LED numbers, making it ideal for individuals with low vision. With Reminder Rosie 2, you can personalize reminders to take medications, go to doctor's appointments, or even attend plans with friends!
You can easily set up reminders using voice prompts. To wake Rosie up, simply say: "Wake up Rosie." In addition to setting reminders, you can also ask questions like, "What day is it?" or "Tell me today's reminders."
Other features include:
Ability to record up to 25 personalized voice messages
Does not require WiFi
No costly recurring monthly charges
Easy to configure with verbal prompts for setup and recording messages
Plugs into any outlet, but also features battery backup in case of power outage
3 brightness settings
3 volume settings: high (up to 120dB), mid, and low
Visit Rosie2.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Chopping vegetables is challenging for individuals with arthritis, poor dexterity, and more. One potential solution for this tedious task is the Nutri Chopper. The Nutri Chopper is a compact, handheld kitchen slicer that “cuts your fruits and vegetables with just one snap!”
The engineers behind this kitchen gadget combined five different slicing options into one super slicer; with this single gadget, you can chop thin slices, thick slices, cubes, and more!
According to its website, it works five times faster than a knife and is super easy to use: simply squeeze to chop your fruits or veggies into desired shapes. The device comes with a container that attaches to the slicer to keep the chopped food in one place. The container also seals to keep your foods fresher longer!
Other features include:
An easy-to-use kitchen gadget that helps users chop and slice fruits and veggies "with just one snap!"
Works 5x faster than a knife
Easy to clean: it can be disassembled into pieces and placed in the dishwasher
Portable and easy storage: measures only 8.25 inches long
Features a quick-lock function that allows you to store the gadget in a drawer safely and secure
Visit NutriChopper.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.a
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
We originally talked about the Pocketalker Ultra Personal Amplifier way back in 2016. Since then, Williams Sound has released a newer, sleeker model. Introducing the Pocketalker 2.0 Personal Amplifier!
The Pocketalker 2.0 features a modern, sleek design with several other noteworthy upgrades. For example, it's louder when you need it to be (63dB vs 50dB); it also features a built-in microphone.
This slim, ergonomic personal amplifier helps users hear the sounds and voices most important to them; it amplifies what they want to hear while reducing distracting background noise.
According to its description on Diglo's website, the device "couldn't be easier to use." Users simply plug in the headphone or earphones, position the built-in microphone near the preferred sound, adjust the volume to their comfort - and start listening!
Other features include:
A slim, ergonomic personal amplifier that helps users hear the sounds and voices most important to them
The device automatically amplifies what users want to hear, while reducing distracting background noise
Up to 63dB amplification
Omnidirectional internal microphone with another omnidirectional plug-in mic to enhance sound pick-up
Comes with 12 ft TV extension cord to amplify the sound of your TV
It also comes with:
Both headphones and earphones
3.5mm stereo headphone jack
2 AAA batteries
USB port for charging rechargeable AAA batteries (rechargeable battery kit soled separately)
Belt clip
Lanyard
Up to 105 hours of use with 2 AAA batteries
Visit Diglo.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Zoomax is a company that has been committed to developing assistive technology for individuals with visual impairments. They offer a full line of low vision aids including handheld, portable and desktop magnifiers, as well as wearable devices. One of their newest devices is the Luna 8 Handheld Video Magnifier.
The Luna 8 Handheld Video Magnifier features a "compact body and a lightweight design" with 8 hours of battery life, making it an ideal magnifying solution to take with you wherever you go! According to Zoomax, this handheld video magnifier is "simpler to use than a calculator."
The device features no advanced features, only simple buttons so you can easily zoom in or out, adjust high contrast and a camera button for taking pictures of things you'd like to view later.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you are looking for a watch to help remind you to take medications up to 8 times a day, check out the E-Pill CADEX VibraPlus watch!
Features of E-Pill CADEX VibraPlus Watch:
Discreetly reminds wearers to take their medications with a strong vibration
Because it alerts users via vibration, this watch is ideal for individuals with hearing impairments
Users have the option to have the watch alert them via vibration and/or a sound alarm
Set up to eight alarms per day; alarms auto-reset every day
Key Lock feature prevents accidental changes
Countdown interval timer feature: long interval from 15 minutes to 24 hours with unique Auto Start
Features a backlight to make it easy to view the time day or night!
Visit epill.com/vibraplusto learn more.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Many individuals have a hard time regulating their body temperature; some people are always freezing, while others can overheat easily. I wrote about the original Embr Wave back in 2018. It is a wearable scientifically proven to help you feel cooler or warmer in minutes! The same company now offers a newer model: introducing the Embr Wave 2!
According to its description, this second-generation Wave uses temperature sensations to help you find “relief, gain comfort, and give you more control over your life.”
The Wave uses a compact thermoelectric heat pump to create a series of cool or warm sensations that you feel on your inner wrist. You control the temperature level and set the duration from 5 – 60 minutes, based on your needs…
Other features include:
A sleeker, lighter, and smaller design means “a more comfortable fit you’ll want to take with you everywhere”
More advanced thermal technology allows the Wave 2 to “deliver the most powerful cooling of any wearable on the market”
A completely new app and new features help wearers understand and optimize their thermal wellness
Available in black and rose gold
Visit EmbrLabs.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I’m Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Many individuals use a stylus to help operate phones, tablets, and more. Paul Tudisco came up with the idea to create a different kind of stylus for individuals with little to no hand dexterity. His product, the Limitless Stylus, is “extremely lightweight and durable which makes it easy to use on a daily basis.”
The website offers several different models to meet the needs of different users. The Limitless Stylus features a simple design that wraps around the user’s wrist with two velcro straps. Each stylus has been designed for long-term use and optimal comfort.
Other features include:
A stylus that comes in different sizes and angles to meet the needs of different individuals
Available in the following angles:
121º, 125º, 135º, 145º, straight
Lightweight, non-invasive design
Features two velcro straps for additional stability
Designed for long-term use and optimal comfort
Stylus tips screw on and straps slip on
Two different sizes available for adults/teens as well as children
Compatible with most touch screen devices
Visit limitlessstylus.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
If you're looking for an app to help scan text, currency, barcodes, and even your surroundings, check out Supersense. According to its website, Supersense is the “smartest and simplest scanner application” available for individuals with visual impairments.
Supersense utilizes a unique artificial intelligence technology and a “super user-friendly interface” to make it as accessible as possible for users with visual impairments. By utilizing AI, the app "automatically figures out what you are trying to scan, guides you on how to point the camera, and reads the content in the right format."
Other features include:
Smart Scanner feature allows the app to quickly detect a piece of text, a document, currency, or a barcode
Smart Guidance feature guides users on how to point the camera and finds the best angles for the most accurate results
Object Explorer and Find feature scans the user's physical environment and tells them about the objects surrounding them
And so much more!
Check it out on the App Store or Google Play to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Sudoku puzzles have many benefits including improving concentration, memory, and problem-solving skills. Unfortunately, they may be too challenging for elementary school students. Kidoku is a sudoku puzzle app designed specifically with kiddos in mind!
Kidoku features two different game modes: classic sudoku number mode and cute animal mode. Both modes feature the same rules of sudoku, but the cute animal mode is easier for younger users.
Other features of Kidoku include:
- The easy-to-use interface makes it ideal for children in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school
- Two different game modes:
- Classic sudoku number mode and
- Cute animal mode
- Number mode supports hints, notes, undo, and eraser
- Over 60 different levels
- Fun brain training for logic, development, memory, and cognitive skills
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Reading articles and other texts online can be challenging for individuals with dyslexia and more. If you're looking for a free online resource to help summarize articles, check out SMMRY.com.
According to its website:
"SMMRY's mission is to provide an efficient manner of understanding text, which is done primarily by reducing the text to only the most important sentences..."
It accomplishes its mission by ranking sentences by importance using a core algorithm. It also removes unnecessary clauses, transition phrases, and excessive examples.
Using this online tool is easy: simply paste an article, text, or essay in the large box on its website. At the top of the webpage, type in the number of sentences you want it to narrow down to. You also have the option to upload a file or paste a URL.
Other features of this website include:
It is completely free to use
You can bookmark the widget so you can access the site easier
You can paste an article or essay in the large box on the website directly, OR
You can also summarize PDF and TXT documents by uploading a file or by pasting a URL in the appropriate box
Vist SMMRY.com to learn more. That's S-M-M-R-Y dot com.
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Over the years we've written about different seating options for fidgeters such as the Vidget. Fun and Function offers another solution with their Modern Ball Chair. The Modern Ball Chair is the "ideal seat for kids who need to wiggle and move to help focus, but need extra support."
This seating solution offers the benefits of sitting on an exercise ball but with a backrest. It also features locking wheels to ensure active bouncers won't roll away. Some benefits of sitting on an exercise ball include increasing core strength, improving posture, and decreasing discomfort.
According to Fun and Function, it also helps "hyperactive children channel restless energy so your classroom or clinic can be a more productive learning environment for all..."
Other features of the Modern Ball Chair include:
Ball Chair is an ideal seating option for hyperactive children who need to wiggle and move to help focus
Features backrest for children who need extra support and locking wheels to ensure users won't roll away
For children ages 7 and up
Ball measures 20.86" in diameter and 53 cm in height
Weighs 15 pounds
Holds up to 250 pounds
Latex-free
And more
Check it out on Funandfunction.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Looking for a discreet sensory fidget to keep your hands busy? Check out the Push Pop Fidget Toy from Amazon! According to its description, this particular fidget "effectively relieves anxiety and stress when you press the bubbles."
If you love popping bubble wrap but hate the noise, this fidget offers the same relief just much quieter! In addition to making a great fidget, it can also be used as a game. Here's how to play:
“Players simply press down any number of bubbles they wish in a single row. The player who presses down the last bubble loses. Each player can press one piece at a time or multiple pieces; however, they must be connected and in the same line at a time.”
Once all the bubbles are pressed, turn it over and start all over again!
Other features include:
Push pop fidget toy is effective at relieving stress for individuals with anxiety, autism, and more
Made out of easy-to-clean, durable silicone
Great for use in the office, classroom, car, and more
Comes in a variety of fun shapes and colors
Check it out on Amazon to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Vive Health is a company “committed to helping you live better.” They offer a wide variety of daily living aids, bathroom safety solutions, mobility products, and more. In addition to their catalog of products, they also offer a free app coined Vive Fit!
With the Vive Fit app, you can reach your fitness goals with free workouts in the app you can do in the comfort of your own home. "In addition to various exercises, you can get professional advice from certified physical therapists and yoga instructors for flexibility, injury rehab, and recovery..."
Other features of the app include:
You can track your progress:
By distance, time, or calories
Daily, weekly, monthly, or annually
Track progress by the type of exercise
Some examples of available exercises within the app include:
Abs
Legs
Stretching exercises
Yoga workout
Cardio
And much, much more!
Check it out on the App Store or Google Play to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Looking for a fun way to teach your child or student(s) about online security? Check out the Finn Goes Online App!
Finn Goes Online is an app that teaches children all about online safety, including password security, cyberbullying, and staying safe online. The app plays just like an adventure game where the guide Finn, the fox, crashes his spaceship on earth. He, and the user, are guided by his new friends that he quickly finds after arriving on earth.
While playing Finn Goes Online, children will learn various aspects of online safety like:
- Data Privacy: understanding and preventing the disclosure of private information, photos, and sensitive data
- Cyber mobbing: dealing with cyberbullying and how to confront and report online bullies
- Passwords: how to choose safe passwords and secure access to online accounts and devices
- Child Protection: understanding and reporting internet abuse
Other features include:
- It is an educational, adventure game app developed specifically for elementary school children ages 7 and up
- Step-by-step adventure story where children learn the most important basics for online safety
- Uses digital media in a variety of motivating missions
- And much more
Check it out on the App Store or Google Play to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
InclusiveTLC is a major educational supplier of different assistive technology products. If you or a loved one experiences hand tremors and are looking to use a computer mouse, check out the company's AMAneo USB Assistive Anti-Tremor Mouse Adapter!
The AMAneo USB Anti-Tremor Mouse Adapter enables individuals with hand tremors to use a computer mouse. According to the website's description, the device "electronically filters the trembling of the hand, which can be very strong, so that the mouse pointer on the display moves smoothly."
To use it, simply plug this device into any PC or Notebook for smoother control. It can be adjusted to compensate for tremors of varying intensities.
Features of the AMAneo USB Anti-Tremor Mouse Adapter include:
Easily plug into your mouse of choice and PC or notebook via USB
You can also connect the device to your tablet via Bluetooth
Works with any mouse and any operating system without any software installation
Includes a click delay and an integrated automatic click function
And much, much more
Visit InclusiveTLC.com to learn more about this device!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
The Instant Pot was originally introduced in 2010. It became super popular in recent years for individuals of all ages and abilities. If you're unfamiliar with the Instant Pot, it is a "best-selling multicooker that allows users to cook meats, soups, vegetables, and more -- up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. While there are at least 8 models available on their website, I wanted to highlight the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus model.
According to Instant Pot's website, this newer model is their "most" one available. It is a 10-in-1 electric pressure cooker, capable of replacing your traditional pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, sterilizer, and food warmer.
Other features include:
A pressure cooker that boasts a large LCD display which provides everything you need to know about cooking time, temperature, pressure, and status
Push buttons allow you to easily select a Smart Program to suit your needs
This particular model has 10+ proven safety mechanisms built into it including Overheat Protection and Safety Lid Lock
And much, much more!
Visit InstantPot.com to learn more about their Duo Evo Plus!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com.
I want to take a moment to thank InTRAC the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation for sponsoring our transcript today. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com.
That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Children and adults living with autism or other special needs have a tendency to wander more than most. This is also common among individuals who have Alzheimer's, dementia, and more. AngelSense is a GPS Tracker "designed to create a safe world for individuals with special needs."
The device uses advanced, customized algorithms to provide the "most accurate location tracking." The tracker easily attaches to clothes, pockets, bags, and more. It includes 3 security pins that require a special magnetic key for removal, so your loved one(s) don't lose it or take it off.
Other features of AngelSense GPS Tracker includes:
Designed for special needs and wandering prevention
Reliable safeguard GPS with accurate location
Continuous all-day monitoring
Non-removable, sensory-sensitive wearable
2-way assistive speakerphone
And much, much more
Visit AngelSense.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovelyLaura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
TinkerTech Labs is a company on a mission to "design and build accessible, inclusive, and innovative technology solutions for people with disabilities." Their flagship product is TranscribeGlass, which is a comfortable wearable device designed for individuals with hearing impairments.
TranscribeGlass displays real-time closed captions from any source on a transparent display in your field of vision. To use, simply snap it onto your everyday glasses.
Many live captioning technologies available are displayed on mobile devices or screens you have to look at. Having to look down at a screen can make you miss out on several important communication aspects such as lip reading, hand gestures, facial expressions, etc.
Features of TranscribeGlass:
An affordable and comfortable wearable device for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
Snaps onto your existing eyewear and projects captions in real-time
Supports any language that Google's speech-to-text supports
Caption position and size can be adjusted
Full-day battery life
And much more!
Visit TranscribeGlass.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
Individuals with visual impairments may often need assistance finding specific items around their home or office. The PenFriend 3 Voice Labeling System is one potential solution. According to MaxiAids, the PenFriend 3 is a “best-selling, affordable audio labeler for users who are blind or visually impaired.”
The PenFriend 3 allows you to label anything and everything with discreet audio labels all in your own voice. This upgraded model of the PenFriend is slimmer compared to the original model.
Other features of the PenFriend 3 include:
With this labeling system, you can:
Label food/freezer items, film/music collections, household objects
Organize letters and other paperwork
Record shopping lists
Leave audio messages
Use it as a portable notetaker at the office or classroom
Comes with 8 GB internal memory expandable to 16GB with SD card
Up to 250 hours of recording
Comes with:
127 colored labels
10 magnetic labels (ideal for use on tin cans)
1 key fob with 4 recording spots
Neck lanyard
1 tactile audio instruction card
2 AAA batteries
Use the backup features on your computer to save recordings using a USB cable (not included)
Visit MaxiAids.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Over the years we’ve written about several different text-to-speech tools. Text-to-speech (TTS) is a type of assistive technology that reads digital text aloud. If you’re looking for a tool to help turn handwriting into speech, check out the HandySpeech App!
The HandySpeech App is the only handwriting-to-speech application for iOS devices. It helps provide individuals with speech and hearing impairments a quick and easy conversational tool. HandySpeech’s ability to translate handwriting into spoken language makes it “easier to use” and “more natural” than commercially available keyboarding solutions. It may benefit individuals with muscular dystrophy, ALS, autism, and so much more!
Other features include:
Simple-to-use iOS app where users write what they want to say in any one of the 13 languages and the software converts handwriting to speech
App remembers your favorite and most commonly used phrases so they're readily available for use at the store, work, doctor's office - wherever you go!
The app can read print, cursive, and mixed handwriting styles
Check it out on the App Store to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
If you or a loved one are in the market for a new handheld video magnifier, check out the Mano 6! The Mano 6 is a full HD handheld video magnifier that you can carry with you wherever you go!
This video magnifier features a high-resolution touch display as well as four tactile buttons for easy and comfortable operation. The magnification can be controlled with either the touch display or tactile buttons.
The Mano 6 also includes an "infinitely variable" fold-out handle which can be used as a stand. The magnifier will automatically turn on when you fold out the stand.
Other features include:
Continuous magnification of approximately 2X - 35X
Users can save images in the picture gallery and/or transfer them to a micro SD card
3-hour battery life on a 2.5-hour charge
And so much more!
Visit LSSproducts.com to learn more!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.
Hey there! Welcome to Accessibility Minute, your weekly look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing or other special needs!
There are so many available Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps and devices available that it can be overwhelming to find what works best for you or your child. One available option is the Cboard AAC Web App!
According to its description on the developer’s website, Cboard “helps users with speech and language impairments to communicate with symbols and text-to-speech.”
One unique feature about the Cboard AAC App is that users don't need to log in or sign up to use it; the boards are readily available by visiting Cboard's website. However, if you sign in and create an account, you'll have access to more than 3400 symbols from the Mulberry Symbol Set.
Other features include:
- The Cboard AAC app works on modern browsers and is available on a wide variety of platforms, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones
- Cboard not only focuses on typical everyday content but also on emotions and feelings
- Offline support available on Google Chrome (on both desktop and Android device)
- Supports 33 languages
- And much more
Visit Cboard.IO to learn more or check it out on Google Play!
For more information, to read our blog, or to drop us a line, visit EasterSealsTech.com. That was your Accessibility Minute for this week! I'm Tracy Castillo for the lovely Laura Medcalf with the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, in Indiana.