New voices at patients’ bedsides: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Apple
/At first it was a novelty: Hospitals began using voice assistants to allow patients to order lunch, check medication regimens, and get on-demand medical advice at home.
Microsoft adds a digital health feature to its Android launcher
/Microsoft is adding its own digital health feature to its Android launcher app. While Google has added a similar feature to Android Pie, Microsoft’s Launcher will let any Android users access the ability to track how long apps are being used for. You can track screen time, app usage, and even the amount of times you’ve unlocked your phone. Microsoft Launcher is supported on Android 4.2 and above, so it opens the digital health feature up to a lot of Android users.
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 MoreXbox Adaptive Controller to Improve the Gaming Experience for People with Disabilities
/This 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 MoreMicrosoft Xbox Adaptive Controller first look: A new, necessary gamepad
/The 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 MoreApple, Microsoft and Google join forces to create a universal standard for braille displays→
/A substantial move for technology accessibility was made today as the non-profit USB Implementer Forum (USB-IF) announced a new standard for braille displays – underpinned by an agreement between major tech companies including Apple, Google and Microsoft. The standard will make it much easier to use braille displays across different devices
Read MoreMicrosoft Ends mHealth App Experiment, Shuts Down HealthVault
/Microsoft is closing down its HealthVault Insights platform, ending an mHealth app program that had been around since 2007.
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How the Xbox Adaptive Controller will change the lives of millions of players with disabilities on PC
/Microsoft has done a great service to disabled gamers in creating the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC). It's a new gamepad that features 19 3.5mm input jacks which you can plug all sorts of add-ons into. They're industry standard, so players will be able to purchase a variety of switches to fit their needs.
Read MoreVision-Focused Accessibility Efforts Made by Apple, Amazon, and Others Highlighted in New Report
/A new article published last night by The Wall Street Journal takes a look into how accessibility-focused technology has the "potential to fundamentally change the mobility, employment and lifestyle of the blind and vision-impaired."
Read More21st Century Medicine: Where Big Tech Is Placing Bets In Healthcare
/Tech has already had a major impact on the healthcare industry in areas such as medical record systems, connected medical devices, telemedicine software, and a growing number of digital therapeutics startups that help patients manage chronic conditions at home. And over the last few years, the largest tech companies in the world have begun to bolster both internal development of healthcare products as well as their private market activity in the health sector.
Read MoreMobile technology trends to watch out for in 2017
/Like it or hate it, 2016 was a turbulent year that provided a clear message: Our phones enable fantastic and fast communication. Here are 10 predictions about mobile technology trends in 2017, counting down to the most significant change to look out for.
Read MoreHow tech companies are making their apps more accessible to the disabled
/Last football season, Yahoo's Darren Burton did something he'd never done before: He commissioned a fantasy football league. That may not sound like a particularly impressive feat to you, but for Burton, navigating lists of players, stats, and scores is a unique challenge, because he is blind.
Read MoreThe Best Cortana Tricks to Take Control of Your Computer
/Oh dear—not still clicking around with a mouse and keyboard are you? What is this, early 2015? Cortana comes baked into Windows 10 now, so you can shout out commands and control your laptop or desktop using your voice instead. Here are some of the neat ways you can make use of it.
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