A wearable sensor to help ALS patients communicate
/Researchers have designed a skin-like device that can measure small facial movements in patients who have lost the ability to speak.
Read MoreAlexa’s Show and Tell feature IDs objects for blind and low-vision users
/The feature is available in the US on Echo Show devices.
Read MoreAtlanta App iAccess Helps Users Rate and Review Venues’ Accessibility
/When Brandon Winfield was a teen in California, he and his friends were obsessed with motocross racing—to the point that one of Winfield’s first words was motorcycle.
Read MoreGoogle Maps now helps visually impaired people cross the street and stay on course
/Using voice directions.
Read More‘It’s my escape.’ How video games help people cope with disabilities.
/When Jackson Reece lost his arms and legs to sepsis after already being paralyzed, he thought his life was over. It was video games that brought him back.
Read MoreGoogle releases Lookout app that identifies objects for the visually impaired
/Announced last year, it’s available on Pixel devices in the US this week.
Read MoreMicrosoft’s Halo-themed prosthetic arm will make kids feel like Master Chief
/Microsoft’s 343 Industries has partnered with bionics non-profit Limbitless Solutions to create Halo-themed, 3D-printed prosthetic arms for children. The prosthetic arms are fully functional, with hands that are capable of gripping objects through EMG sensors. The best part is, they’re donated free of charge to recipients.
Read MoreSmart glasses for the hard of hearing are changing theater in London
/When my Aunt Nicki visits me in London, we avoid musical theater and the cinema.
Aunt Nicki is hard of hearing. Although there are many enhanced listening devices available to help her, such as an Assistive Living amplifier or a closed captioning screen that sits in a cup holder, she tells me they don't work well enough.
Read MoreTechnology: unlocking opportunities for disabled people in 2019
/Technology has presented us with the power to transform the way we live and work, particularly providing life-changing opportunities for disabled people.
Read MoreSmart cities could be lousy to live in if you have a disability
/Cities sometimes fail to make sure the technologies they adopt are accessible to everyone. Activists and startups are working to change that.
Read MoreHey Bixby, control my new Samsung TV, fridge -- and robot from CES 2019
/Pretty soon, you won't be able to avoid Samsung's digital assistant when you use one of its devices.
Read MoreNightWare Won’t Sleep Until PTSD Victims Dream Nightmare-Free
/NightWare, a Minneapolis-based medical-device startup, is creating an Apple Watch app for those suffering from nightmare disorder, a common side affect for those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
Read MoreWhy did it take Instagram so long to add features for visually impaired people?
/Instagram announced on Wednesday, in a short company blog post, that it would make the app more accessible to the visually impaired.
Read MoreInstagram is now using AI to describe photos for users with visual impairments
/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 MoreStarship’s robots can now deliver packages, too
/Starship 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 MoreBraille for a New Digital Age
/When 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 MoreMicrosoft's Nadella Says AI Can make the World More Inclusive
/Talk 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 MoreHow to Find Google's New Built-In Breathing Exercise
/The 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 MoreThe Eye Doctor Who Could Not See the Stars
/For many years, Dr Andrew Bastawrous could not see clearly enough to spot the leaves on trees or the stars in the sky.
Congressional Record Announcement regarding the NIDILRR 40th Anniversary
/Mrs. 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.
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