Wednesday, July 18, 2012

HumanWare Unveils Communication App for Deafblind People


HumanWare, in partnership with Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille (INLB), has unveiled the HumanWare Communicator, the first multilingual face-to-face conversation app for people who are deafblind. This unique app will help people who are deafblind communicate on an everyday basis by connecting a HumanWare Braille device (BrailleNote Apex or Brailliant) with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

New HumanWare iPhone app will get deafblind and sighted people talking. Photo: HumanWare
New HumanWare iPhone app will get deafblind and sighted people talking. Photo: HumanWare
HumanWare is the leader in digital communication for people who are deafblind, introducing DBC, the first portable face-to-face chat solution in 2008. The system combined the simplicity and portability of the popular BrailleNote with a companion visual interface running on a cell phone. For the first time, a deafblind person had portability and independence when having a face-to-face conversation, and since a familiar cell phone keyboard was used, the sighted individual had a very small learning curve to engage in a conversation.

“With the popularity and inclusion of assistive technology features in Apple’s iOS devices, HumanWare has received a high demand to bring the face-to-face concept of the popular Deaf-Blind Communicator to the popular Apple devices. “The HumanWare Communicator app breaks everyday face to face communication down to its simplest form and will get everyone talking,” says Greg Stilson, HumanWare product manager.

In 2000, HumanWare introduced the first BrailleNote. In 2005, the BrailleNote mPower was launched bringing USB connectivity and increased speed and efficiency to this range of productivity tools. Launched in December of 2009, the BrailleNote Apex, with a completely redesigned look, while maintaining the successful ergonomic design of past BrailleNotes, saw HumanWare pack the most powerful BrailleNote into the thinnest package available.

The HumanWare Communicator app will be available for standard download from Apple’s app store at the end of July 2012. This app marks a major step forward in using mainstream technology to bring everyday communication to the deaf-blind population.
For more information, visit www.humanware.com

Source: HumanWare, GAATES

Transport App Cab:App to Assist Wheelchair Users During London 2012 Paralympic Games


WheelPower, the National Disability Sports Charity and Smart Phone application, cab:app have joined forces to improve access for persons with disabilities using public transport in London during the Paralympic Games.

cabapp logo
The partnership will add a Wheelchair Assistance button to its taxi app, encouraging wheelchair users and persons with disabilities to take advantage of the large amount of space and availability of access ramps in black cabs this summer.

To celebrate the partnership, a competition to design a wheelchair and disabled assistance button for the app has been launched. The design must be an iconic and eye-catching so that it is easily recognisable to both passengers and drivers.

The winner of the competition will win a paid trip from anywhere in UK to London for two people which includes a two night stay in the Belgraves-Thompson hotel, a dinner for two at HIX restaurant, a London Eye champagne experience for two and a night time guided tour of London given by the creator of cab:app.

cab:app will donate £1 from every cab:app journey taken during the Paralympic Games to WheelPower.
“We are delighted that cab:app is supporting WheelPower’s work to transform the lives of persons with disabilities. “By providing persons with disabilities a simple, fast and easy to use mobile phone app to hail black cabs, cab:app is transforming access to transport for many persons with disabilities.” Paul Rushton, Head of Fundrasing at WheelPower said,

After the 2012 Paralympics, cab:app and WheelPower want to promote black cab travel to passengers with disabilities as a long term initiative.

For more information, visit www.cabapp.net or www.wheelpower.org.uk

Source; GAATES