Instagram announced today that it’s rolling out new features that will make the app easier to use for people with visual impairments. The changes will allow screen readers to describe photos, either automatically using AI or by reading custom descriptions added by users.
Read MoreMike Glenn thought something was wrong with his Fitbit. The 34-year-old was camping in Wyoming in May when he started having trouble breathing. He felt fine overall, but his left shoulder began to ache and he broke out in a sweat. "It's probably just a chest cold," Glenn thought.
Read MoreAmazon reportedly plans to start selling software that can read medical records and make suggestions for improving treatment or saving money, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Read MoreAlphabet Inc.’s experimental medical technology unit Verily halted one of its longest-running projects on Friday: the development of a contact lens that measures glucose levels of people with diabetes.
Read MoreMore than 400,000 people have signed up for a Stanford University study being sponsored by Apple Inc. to examine whether Apple Watch can detect patients with undiagnosed heart rhythm problems, one of the largest heart screening studies ever to be conducted.
Read MoreStarship Technologies, the maker of autonomous six-wheeled robots that carry groceries or even a hot meal straight to your home, is expanding into the world of package delivery.
Read MoreWhen she was a graduate student in her native Bulgaria about five years ago, Kristina Tsvetanova was once asked to help a blind friend sign up online for a class. Understanding why he could not do so opened her eyes to the lag in technological innovation to benefit blind and visually impaired people.
Read MoreTalk of articial intelligence often leads to speculation about how machines may displace workers. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella thinks we should talk more about how AI algorithms can expand the workforce now—by helping people with disabilities.
Read MoreWe become accustomed to technology so quickly, it’s easy to forget that Amazon’s Alexa was a pioneer just six years ago.
Read MoreThe TechWatch editors have selected this news item because it is analogous to our LiveWell development project BreatheWell Wear. We hope you can try out both BreatheWell Wear and Google's web-based breathing exercise.
Read MoreFor many years, Dr Andrew Bastawrous could not see clearly enough to spot the leaves on trees or the stars in the sky.
The Georgia-based Global Partnership for Telehealth doesn't think the commercial telehealth market is helping rural and remote providers. So the group created its own connected health platform.
Read MoreThis September, Xbox will release a new video game controller that has been developed intentionally for people with limited mobility. For those with physical impairments, the standard controllers that come with an Xbox can be impossible to use. Because of this, Xbox has designed a controller that includes ports for a multitude of other devices such as switches, specially made joy sticks, and foot controllers. They advertise that the adaptive controller will include “"Nineteen 3.5mm ports and two USB 2.0 ports for external inputs. One 3.5mm stereo headset jack for audio." Xbox is also selling other accessories such as wheelchair mounts and leg mounts.
Read MoreMrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, on behalf of millions of people with disabilities, today I wish to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, NIDILRR, and its 40 years of accomplishments and contributions to the lives of people with disabilities.
Read MoreThe US Army’s medical division has been building a mobile technology platform that will streamline triage and communications in the event of medical evacuations. The Medical Hands-free Unified Broadcast, or MEDHUB, initiative looks to leverage wearable sensors, accelerometers, and other FDA-cleared technology as a means for medics to more easily communicate with teams at a receiving field hospital during an emergency situation.
Read MoreThe Xbox Adaptive Controller is the first of its kind. It's a plug-and-play option for people with disabilities -- it connects to the Xbox One or a Windows 10 PC via Bluetooth, and powers on just like the Elite. The controller itself is a clean white rectangle, about 11 inches long and 6 inches wide, with two large black buttons on its face. The buttons aren't touchpads, but they are light-touch enabled, clicking down with the softest of taps so players can roll their palm between the two or otherwise click them without exerting much force. Each button makes a slightly different noise as well, offering an extra layer of sensory input.
Read MoreMicrosoft continues to position itself as a paragon for inclusivity - but it's also keen to get more developers, publishers and platform holders involved in the conversation.
The firm gained a great deal of attention earlier this summer when it announced the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a device that enabled disabled gamers to adapt standard control schemes with a variety of custom inputs suited to their unique circumstances.
Read MoreMozilla, the organization behind Firefox, is exploring a very different web browser called Scout that's operated by voice rather than keyboard, mouse or touch-screen taps.
The nonprofit revealed the Scout project in an agenda item for an all-hands meeting taking place this week in San Francisco. "With the Scout app, we start to explore browsing and consuming content with voice,"
Read MoreIndependence. For people with disabilities and the aging population, it’s more than a word—it’s a catalyst for fulfillment and dignity. Home is where that independence and quality of life can be realized. The aging population wants to safely live in their own homes as long as possible. People with disabilities want a home designed for their specific needs. Ultimately, a more accessible home will help people feel connected and valued, and reduce loneliness.
Read MoreExcitement is building ahead of Apple's annual iPhone launch which is scheduled for Wednesday evening. The company is rumoured to be unveiling a new version of the iPhone X with a 5.8 inch screen, which will possibly be called the "iPhone XS". It is also expected to launch a new iteration of its smartwatch while an updated version of the iPad Pro is possible but considered unlikely.
Read MoreThe Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Information and Communications Technology Access (LiveWell RERC) is funded by a 5-year grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (grant number 90RE5028). The opinions contained in this website are those of the LiveWell RERC and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or NIDILRR.
