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Tag: Blindness

February 4, 2018
Tim Schwartz
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Join AIRA for a Described Super Bowl experience!

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AIRA is offering an amazing opportunity for free to anyone who wants to experience this year’s Super Bowl. This promises to be a great way to participate in this type of live event.

I will be listening in and strongly encourage others to do so as well. I will cover The event in more detail on an upcoming episode of the Life After Blindness podcast. If you’d like to share your experiences, please comment below or send an email to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

Here is the official announcement from AIRA:

You’re Invited!

To a virtual Super Bowl party with Aira

on Sunday, February 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EST.

Listen in as Aira agents Patrick and Emily provide live description of the game to Greg Stilson, football fan and Aira Explorer, who is attending the big game in Minneapolis, MN.

Greg will use Aira to get play-by-play visual descriptions of all the exciting action on the field, the commercials, and the half-time show. Aira agents will provide vivid audio narration as Greg sees the field for the first time, shops for souvenirs, navigates the stadium, and experiences the energy of the crowd.

The best part: you can listen to the entire experience live. While most of us will be watching from home, Aira intends to make it easier to get a little closer to the big game.

Ways to Listen

You don’t need to be a current Aira Explorer to listen in — anyone can join the party starting at 6:00 p.m. ET by doing any of the following:

1 Call 1-877-568-4108 and enter 536565714

2 Listen to the Webcast

3 Listen on YouTube

4 Listen on Facebook Live

Don’t Forget to Share

Forward this post to a friend or tweet us @airaio on gameday using #airabowl. Tell us about your favorite commercials, comment on the halftime show, and of course let us know who you’re rooting for!

To read more about this special event, visit our Super Bowl page on Aira.io: http://go.aira.io/superbowl

January 19, 2018
Tim Schwartz
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When activated, adding image descriptions on Twitter is easy. So why isn’t this option enabled by default?

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Twitter has become a very popular social media service among the blind and visually impaired. This is because of how easy and accessible it is to share short bits of text. Unfortunately, images that are shared on Twitter can be a barrier to the blind. By taking a couple of easy steps first, it can make it easier for blind and

visually impaired users to fully have access to what you are tweeting.

Since May 2016, Twitter has allowed you to describe any image that you

include with a tweet. In order to do this you must activate this feature.

First you will need to enter the user menu by selecting your profile icon and select “Settings and Privacy”. Next, under “General”, select

“Accessability”. Once in the “Accessability” section, scroll down

until you find a toggle labeled “Compose Image Descriptions”. This

needs to be turned on.

That’s all you need to do! Once you back out and compose a Tweet,

you’ll be presented with a new box that allows you to compose an image

description for any image that you post.

This enables a blind Twitter user to use a screen reader software (like

Voice Over for iPhone or JAWS for PC) to find out what your shared image is all

about.

Features like image descriptions are nice and much needed in social media. I am quite grateful that Twitter has incorporated this along with so many other accessibility options into its service.

But why hide the option so deep within the accessibility settings? Most people might not even take the time to find it, let alone turn it on.

Unfortunately, it seems as though it was just an afterthought added in by developers. An accessibility feature like this is so very important to someone who

is blind or visually impaired. A feature that is so simple and yet so important should be turned on by default. It’s a small gesture that would go a long way in making a big difference to those who are not always able to be included in the family memory, political joke or trending meme.

May 2, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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Life After Blindness Spotlight Interview with Derek Daniel

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Welcome to the Life After Blindness Spotlight. This is the podcast where I interview someone connected to the blind and visually impaired community.
This week, I speak with Derek Daniel from Life After Sight Loss.
Derek talks about growing up in a small town in southern Indiana after having been adopted at just three weeks old. growing up, Derek discovered he had a passion for the performing arts as well as for helping people. Combined with his interest in technology as well as his experiences through church ministry, Derek is using these talents and interests to help others through his new website and podcast.
Listen as Derek describes losing sight at age 18. And how the love of family and Friends as well as his love for the performing arts, helped him through the transition. Derek also discusses how he manages being a stay at home blind father while producing YouTube videos, blogs and podcasts. He then shares his hopes for the future of Life After Sight Loss before ending with some inspirational thoughts for those who are losing their vision.

Thank you very much for listening to the Life After Blindness Spotlight interview with Derek Daniel.

April 27, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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LABCast #7: AIRA and the Boston Marathon, 3-D Ultrasounds and Movie Reading App with Lauren Hayes

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Tim’s guest this week is Lauren Hayes from AccessibilityOz.
Tim and Lauren begin the podcast by discussing Aira and it’s use in this year’s Boston Marathon. Working closely with Aira, a man completed the marathon using the service. Tim and Lauren discuss how it was used and what could be learned from this test going forward.
Next, Tim talks about a 3-D printing technology used in a hospital in Brazil. A blind couple worked with their doctor in order to have 3-D printed models of their child’s ultrasound in each trimester of pregnancy. This is the first time 3-D printing has been used while built into the ultrasound machine. Lauren and Tim give their opinions on the story as well as the medical and educational possibilities of this technology going forward.
A new app has been released in Australia called Movie Reading. This app enables Aussies to download and sync an audio described track to use with movies at the local cinema. Lauren talks about the current state of audio description in Australian cinemas. She then gives her opinion of the app and discusses it’s accessibility as well as the lacking accessibility of Movie Readings website.
Thank you very much for listening to the Life After Blindness podcast! Please join us again as together we continue our journey to find that there can truly be a life after blindness.

March 8, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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Life After Blindness Spotlight with David Demers from eSight Eyewear

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Welcome to the Life After Blindness Spotlight. This is the podcast where I interview someone connected to the blind and visually impaired community. This week I am joined by David Demers from eSight Eyewear.

In this special spotlight interview, David talks with me about eSight 3. He explains what it is, who it’s for and how it differs from it’s previous versions.
David also talks a little about his own visual impairment and how he came to work with eSight.

Please join me in finding out more about this amazing product as well as hearing about David’s journey with a life after blindness.

March 6, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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LABCast #3: Michael Hingson and 2017 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference Discussion

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This week Tim is joined by Shaun Preece from the RNIB Tech Talk and Audio Pizza podcasts and Frank Facio from the band Steelehorse Country. Frank also conducted several interviews for the podcast directly from the exhibit hall in San Diego, California.
Tim, Shaun and Frank open the podcast by discussing the inspirational story of Michael Hingson Who was at the conference representing AIRA. With the help of his guide dog Riselle, Michael Hingson navigated his way out of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Listen as he tells Frank about the emotions of that day. And be sure to read his full story by getting his book Thunder Dog.

The rest of the podcast is spent discussing many of the products and announcements from this year’s convention.
Aira is a portable, on star type Service for the visually impaired. Does it have the right price point?
Braille note takers and tablets are finding a lot of new competition. Thanks to Innovacion and competition, this product category may not be as stale as it once was.
Tech 4 Freedom is offering a couple of different products that offer a variety of usage for the blind and visually impaired. First is the Box one For All whichh can detect temperature, color and tag and identify various objects. TheBeacon is a pocket-size device that connects to up to 10 waypoint begins that can be controlled by you’re iPhone.
Audio Eye is a behind the scenes service that works with companies and their websites to make sure they are instantly accessible!
Taptilo is a product that is not yet released but will offer lessons through games to teach you to read and write braille using a small box and an app on your iPhone.

Be sure to listen to our next podcast as we Spotlight eSight Eye Ware and their new product eSight 3!

Thank you very much for listening to episode #3 of the Life After Blindness podcast! As we journey together, we will find that there can truly be a life after blindness.

February 28, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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Life After Blindness Spotlight on Mel Scott

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Welcome to the Life After Blindness Spotlight. This is the podcast where I interview someone connected to the blind and visually impaired community.

This week I am joined by Mel Scott from Blind Alive. In this spotlight Mel discusses massage therapy, surviving cancer, the future of her Eyes Free Fitness programs and so much more!.

Please join me as we explore her journey with a life after blindness.

February 14, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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Life After Blindness Spotlight Interview with Holly Anderson

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Welcome to the Life After Blindness Spotlight. This is the first in a series of podcasts where I will interview someone connected to the blind and visually impaired community.

 

If you would like to support Life After Blindness and receive exclusive perks, become a patron. Thanks.

 

This week I am joined by Holly Anderson from the Maccessibility Roundtable Podcast. In this spotlight Holly discusses attending mainstream school, cheerleading, music and what got her into podcasting.

 

If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com.
Please join me again next time as we continue our journey together to find that there truly can be a life after blindness.

February 7, 2017
Tim Schwartz
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Blind Skateboarder, Accessibility at CES 2016, Future of Amazon Echo, AIPoly Review and iPhone impact on the Blind

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This week on episode #1 of the Life After Blindness Podcast, Tim speaks with Shaun Preece from the RNIB Tech Talk and Audio Pizza Podcasts and Holly Anderson from the Maccessibility Roundtable Podcast.

If you would like to support Life After Blindness and receive exclusive perks, become a patron. Thanks.

Tim opens the podcast by asking Shaun and Holly about a recent inspirational article from the Detroit Free Press. The article profiles blind skateboarder Nick Mullins who lost his sight after almost losing his life to MRSA.
The conversation then turns to CES 2016. This year’s Consumer Electronics Show seems to feature more accessible products than ever before!
Tim begins the CES discussion by asking Holly and Shaun to describe the BLITAB® and discuss whether they feel it could be a useful and functional replacement for the iPad.
From BLITAB.com:
“”BLITAB® is the World’s first tactile tablet for blind and visually impaired people. BLITAB® is a next curve Braille device for Braille reading and writing that displays one whole page Braille text at once, without any mechanical elements.”

Next, Holly talks about using an app that was featured at CES called Aipoly Vision. This app can identify text, colors, common household objects, currency and more. Tim, Shaun and Holly discuss the accuracy of Aipoly Vision and whether it’s worth the $4.99 a month subscription fee for expanded functionality.
Later in the podcast, Tim demonstrates Aipoly Vision in action.

Another big development in accessible tech at CES this year was a new service called AIRA – Visual interpreter for the blind.
From the AIRA website:
“Aira develops transformative remote assistive technology that connects the blind with a network of certified agents via wearable smart glasses and an augmented reality dashboard that allows agents to see what the blind person sees in real time. Agents, serving as visual interpreters for the blind, help users accomplish a wide range of daily tasks and activities – from navigating busy streets to recognizing faces and literally traveling the world.”
Tim, Holly and Shaun give examples of AIRA in action and debate the possible subscription options for this service.
Rounding out the CES discussion is the implementation of Amazon Echo technology into so many new products. Shaun and Holly talk to Tim about the future of Echo and what it could mean to the blind and visually impaired.
Tim then demonstrates the Aipoly Vision app. You can download it here for free.

In January, Apple celebrated the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. After the anniversary, Tim wrote a blog post about what the iPhone has meant to those who are blind or visually impaired.

The podcast finishes with Tim, Shaun and Holly discussing this article. They each talk about what the iPhone has meant to them and how it has affected their lives.
You can hear more from Shaun Preece by subscribing to the RNIB Tech Talk or Audio Pizza Podcasts.
You can hear more from Holly Anderson by subscribing to the Maccessibility Roundtable Podcast or by following her on Twitter @DHSHolly

Please subscribe to the Life After Blindness Podcast on APPle Podcasts and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Join us again next week for a one-on-one spotlight interview with Holly Anderson. Then be sure to listen in two weeks when we are joined by Mel Scott and Lisa Salinger from Blind Alive and Eyes Free Fitness.
Thank you very much for listening to episode #1 of the podcast! As we journey together, we will find that there can truly be a life after blindness.