This week the ‘D’ List – New Things in the World of Disability – reports on CES , the global consumer electronics and technology tradeshow that takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2017 there were a number of devices spotlighted in the disability space. Here are a few of them:
1st Aipoly is a free app for blind people that was an Award Winner in the Accessible Tech category. It uses image recognition software to tell blind people about their surroundings. You point the app at an object and it will describe what’s on the screen.
2nd, Gaspard is an intelligent wheelchair mat. It is a positioning device for wheelchair users that identifies bad posture. You can see more below but essentially it alerts a user to re-position when they are not in their optimum posture. Clever…….
3rd The Geko Smart Whistle will tell your contacts where you are and record sounds – a good device if you fall or get into trouble prices range fro $40 to £19.99 and is available now. It connects via Bluetooth to SMS or email to three contacts at a time. It looks much better than most alert devices and OMG it’s also available in different colours! The Geko Whistles can be found at Amazon.
4th The Dring Smart Cane is a safety device for people who are prone to getting lost or falling and injuring themselves. It tracks the user’s location and tells someone if they’ve fallen, left a certain area, or need help – a pretty good idea. The sensors and GPS module are all in the handle, and it can call, text, or email a set number of contacts with an alert when the cane (and possibly the user) has fallen, or when the button is pressed. Not available yet but was made using a Fayet cane and it’s worth looking at their site where you can get any kind of quirky cane. We particularly like the one that hides a corkscrew or a pipe in the handle, take a look at sticks with secrets section – love a literal translation!
