Global Resources and Promising Practices for Building and Refining Accessible and Inclusive Smart Cities from Darren Bates LLC.
A renewal of public spaces is underway and underpinning this is new technology. Throughout history, public spaces have enjoyed many different roles in social, political and economic life, changing to suit the needs of the time. We know the ancient Greek agora and Roman Forum as the primary political centres of the city and the spatial cradle of democracy. In…
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Researchers at EPFL developed a system that combines virtual reality with artificial tactile sensations to help amputees feel their prosthetics as if they are a part of their body. Source MASHABLE: Researchers at EPFL developed a system that combines virtual reality with artificial tactile sensations to help amputees feel their prosthetics as if they are a part of their…
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Homework is a drag for any high schooler, but for the class of 2006’s Laura Palmaro Allen, even starting an assignment required a laborious, multistep process. She and her family had to strip her textbooks from their bindings, run the pages through a high speed scanner, and digitize them — all before she could use text-to-speech software to actually ingest…
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Smart technologies, such as robotic telepresence and the Internet of Things (IoT), are capturing the attention of adaptive technology programs in state and local governments, as well as educational institutions, according to experts. IoT and robotic telepresence are among the latest adaptive technology (AT) efforts states are deploying, as they seek to deliver on the 30-year-old Technology-Related Assistance Act of…
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Technology can help people with disabilities get around cities – but it must provide reliable information tailored for varying needs BARCELONA – Entrepreneur Josep Esteba became so frustrated trying to get around his native Spain in a wheelchair for more than 20 years that he embarked on a mission to map cities for disabled people all over the world. “Many…
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Today marks the seventh Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a celebration of inclusion and digital access for people with disabilities. Microsoft took the opportunity to unveil the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a gaming controller designed to accommodate a range of special needs, and Apple announced that its Everyone Can Code curricula for the Swift programming language will come to schools with vision- and hearing-impaired students.…
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At this week’s AI for Good Global Summit,artificial intelligence (AI) experts, ethicists, academics, technologists, United Nations representatives, and youth gathered to discuss how AI can help support educational initiatives and improve the lives of young people worldwide. They noted that while AI has the power to a resolve some of humanity’s grandest challenges, these technologies also risk leaving the young,…
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The benefits of Smart Nation should extend to all segments of society, especially those with disabilities. We take a look at 5 of these devices. Thank you to SPD for showing us these great assistive tech designs. Source: Government Technology Agency of Singapore Published on May 10, 2018
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Inclusive smart cities need tools of this type to empower people who now depend on others. It is hoped that Bluetooth guiding systems such as this will be widespread in city centres in the next few years, and perhaps by 2020-2025 no blind person will need to be accompanied by a sighted person to move within their city. Empowering vision…
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Ford has unveiled a prototype smart car window that will allow blind people to “feel the view” that sighted drivers can enjoy. “From rolling hills to mountain ranges, views make any road trip memorable, but for blind passengers this is part of the experience that they miss,” the company said. The smart car window aims to change this by enabling…
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At a recent user experience-focused meetup group in PhillyCHI’s “Designing for Accessibility” Mikey Ilagan, an accessibility specialist at Think Company and Comcast. led a panel to discuss why accessible design matters. The panel shared insights and key factors for why accessible design matters. Checkout the full article below from Generocity to discover four key takeaways to to help you become an accessible design advocate…
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In recent months, Uber has shone a spotlight on the importance of cultivating diversity in tech, but there’s one aspect of diversity that remains largely untouched: Ability. People with disabilities–such as deafness, blindness, or conditions including autism and Asperger’s syndrome–comprise roughly 6 percent of the U.S. labor force, according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau.…
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One of the criticisms of the technology industry is that, by focusing on products and platforms, it has forgotten about people. Advocates for disability rights are adding that they want to see a greater commitment to disability inclusion in product development as well as global development. Last month, a group of civil society organizations published a call to action on Devex arguing…
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Nearly one in five individuals report having a disability. This number is expected to rise as the baby boomer generation continues to age. Technology is part of the answer to addressing the lack of overall accessibility the disability community faces on a daily basis. Tech companies have taken note and entered into a market that represents $1 trillion in annual…
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How a paint developed at Ohio State can make cities safer and smarter: BTN LiveBIG By Matthew Wood, 2 days ago end post-meta The Ohio State University How a paint developed at Ohio State can make cities safer and smarter: BTN LiveBIG By Matthew Wood, 2 days ago end post-meta Following the “yellow brick road,” or any road, has never…
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BARCELONA, April 19 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Entrepreneur Josep Esteba became so frustrated trying to get around his native Spain in a wheelchair for more than 20 years that he embarked on a mission to map cities for disabled people all over the world. “Many years ago I travelled a lot for work, and would arrive in cities that…
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IND: create a column 8/12 columns the width the parent container AND APPLY CONTINIOUSLY responsive text class to anything inside this column Against a backdrop of revolution and protests on Barcelona’s streets over the last 18 months, Francesca Bria has been conducting her own battle to tear up the strategy of her predecessors and put citizens at the head of…
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Bluetooth technology, crowdsourcing, and connected devices are making mobility easier for blind, visually impaired or disabled transit riders. In Boston, transit officials, through a partnership with Perkins School for the Blind, have been contributing data to the app BlindWays, which combines GPS data with special clues to get users to the exact location of a bus stop. The clues are…
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COLLEGE PARK, Md.– University leaders, local government officials, community partners and academic researchers recently launched a new collaborative initiative aimed at using smart and connected technologies to improve the safety, engagement, accessibility and quality of life along the College Park areas of the Baltimore Avenue (Route 1) Corridor. Sponsored by the National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) and the College…
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City of Boston, Aira partner to offer assistive technology for residents and visitors with blindness or low-vision for One Boston Day and Boston Marathon. Do not add additional content to the following right column. Secondary content should be included in a new right column below the left (main) columAira’s app will be available for free use during the Boston Marathon…
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