FCC ACTS TO ENSURE THAT DEAF-BLIND INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO 21 st CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES

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On April 4, 2011, the Commission established a National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution

Program (NDBEDP) to enable low-income individuals who are deaf-blind to access 21

st Century communications services. The pilot program will help ensure that qualified individuals have access to the Internet, and advanced communications, including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and information services.

This action implements a provision of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The CVAA allocated $10 million annually from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund for this nationwide equipment distribution effort. The Commission concluded that the best approach would be to establish a two-year pilot program, with the option of extending this for a third year, so that the Commission can assess the most efficient and effective method of administering the NDBEDP on a permanent basis. Under the NDBEDP pilot program, the Commission will certify and provide funding to one entity in each state to distribute equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind.

The Commission will make the full amount of the authorized funding, $10 million, available for each year of the pilot program. Of this amount, the Commission will set aside up to $500,000 per year for national outreach efforts. Each state will initially receive a minimum initial funding allocation of $50,000, with the balance of the available funds allocated in proportion to each state’s population. Certified programs will have to submit documentation to support claims for reimbursement for NDBEDP equipment and related services, up to each state’s funding allocation. Certified programs must submit reports on their activities and expenses every six months, disclose potential conflicts of interest, and conduct annual independent audits

The Commission adopted the following rules and policies for the NDBEDP pilot program:

· Certified Programs: Entities must apply for certification to receive funding support under the NDBEDP pilot program within 60 days of the effective date of the rules. The Commission will certify only one entity for each state.

· Consumer Eligibility: “Individuals who are deaf-blind,” as defined in the Helen Keller National Center Act, are eligible to apply for equipment. Because of the unusually high medical and disability-related costs incurred by these individuals, the Order sets a low-income eligibility threshold of 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.· Equipment: The Order permits distribution of specialized and off-the-shelf equipment, separately or in combination, as long as it meets the needs of the deaf-blind individual and makes communications services covered under the CVAA accessible. The reasonable costs of the equipment distributed, warranties, maintenance, repairs, and refurbishing will be covered.

· Related Services: The reasonable costs of state and local outreach efforts, individual assessments of a deaf-blind person’s communications equipment needs, equipment installation, and individualized training of consumers on how to use the equipment will also be covered under the NDBEDP.

Action by the Commission, April 4, 2011, by Report and Order (FCC 11-56). Chairman Genachowski, and Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn and Baker. Separate Statement issued by Commissioner Copps.

The Republic - A Look at the World Over 50

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By Jane Glenn Haas The Orange County Register

We know baby boomers are turning 65 at the rate of one every seven seconds, but what about the 50-year-olds?

The millions turning 50 will reshape the "active aging" market to meet their own needs and desires, says Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council of Active Aging, based in Vancouver, B.C.

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New German Robot Designed to Help Caregivers

A new robot being developed in Germany is expected to be on the market within the next few years. Researchers hope that the machine, called Casero, will hopefully be able to accommodate some of the growing need for health products and services by aging baby boomers and seniors, according to TMCNet.com.

Unlike other electronic caretakers under development, Casero is strictly designed as a service vehicle for senior living homes and can carry up to 100 kilograms.
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Military Technology Helps Wheelchairs Detect Hazardous Terrain | Wheelchair Accessibility Blog and Disability News

by Destiny

Researchers are working on developing a wheelchair that can detect hazardous terrain and self adjust its settings to move more smoothly and safely over different types of landscapes. The new technology helps electric wheelchair users avoid accidents involving wheels slipping, sinking, or tipping over.

The idea originated from automatic terrain-sensing controls for unmanned military vehicles and multiple four-wheel-drive automobiles that are already on the market. Emmanuel Collins from Florida State’s Center for Intelligent Systems stated that the device is known as a laser line striper and is used to recognize different terrain conditions.

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Obama signs technology access bill for disabled

Image via CrunchBaseBy DARLENE SUPERVILLE -The Associated Press

Blind and deaf people will be able to more easily use smart phones, the Internet and other technologies that are staples of life and work under a bill signed into law on Friday.

Such a step has been a priority of advocates for the millions of people who cannot see or hear.
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NPR: Technology Can Help Seniors Stay In Homes

Image via WikipediaNPR continued its series on seniors aging at home.

Part two examined a company called Adaptive Home, "one of a growing number of startups that use monitoring technology to revolutionize elder care. These companies are also betting on a big market as the baby boomers enter old age. Chris Bridgers says a basic package includes about a dozen motion sensors placed strategically around a house. They can provide adult children with a stunningly detailed rundown of a parent's day" (Ludden, 8/23).

Part three continued looking at "wired homes," with an example of a older couple in Georgia monitored via live video hookup to a company in Indiana. "The scene may not seem so strange in the era of Skype, when many people use the computer to keep in touch with far-flung relatives. But ['telegiver' Denise] Cady can see almost every move the Fitzgeralds make. Their house is wired with video cameras ... ResCare's services start at $600 a month and can run well over $1,000 depending on how much active monitoring is needed. But that's still a lot less than the average nursing home" (Ludden, 8/24).
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A Day of a Person With Quadriplegia

by Tom Babinszki

Tied up with an invisible chain -- you’d probably think this to yourself if you suddenly found out that you can’t walk, move, lift your arms, or even just curl your fingers.

This could easily be anyone’s reaction if they’ve had a spinal cord injury and is left paralyzed from the neck down. But this doesn’t have to be so. For the many people living with quadriplegia, life doesn’t have to slip away from them even if it had slipped away from their limbs.

This is exactly what our friend will show us as he invites us to a day in his life. We will see the daily challenges that he has to face and how assistive technology and adaptive tools are helping him to overcome them.
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How Do Deaf Blind People Communicate?

by Tom Babinszki

In an earlier post, I have written about how a deaf blind person does her daily tasks with the help of assistive technology. Let us now focus more on the communication devices that deaf blind people use to connect with other people and exchange information with the world around them.

There are many ways for deaf blind people to communicate. The methods that they use vary with the degree or combination of their vision and hearing loss, their background, and education. And with the recent advancements in assistive technology, deaf blind people are now finding more ways to connect with other people, whether they are sitting side-by-side or kilometers apart.
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Additional Resources:

Words in My Hands: A Teacher, a Deaf-Blind Man, an Unforgettable Journey

Sign Language Used in Technology

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by Tom Babinszki

We all know that sign language is used by people who are deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with other persons. But while this form of communication is essential to this group, only a small percentage of hearing people know this language.

To address this issue, developers of technologies have created ways to use sign language in software and similar products. Below we offer a glimpse of some of these assistive technologies. You may be surprised by how innovative these products are.
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Mobile Ability: The Transformational Impact of Wireless Innovation for People with Disabilities | Mobile Future

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In each of our modern lives, broadband holds a pivotal key to enhancing economic opportunities, expanding access to education, improving our health and participating in civil society. Nowhere is this potential more powerfully on display than at the intersection of broadband and mobility.

And, arguably no community has put this nearly limitless potential to more transformational use in their daily lives than the 1 in 5 Americans who, today, are living with disabilities.

This paper examines the progress being made through advancements in mobile devices and services to enhance quality of life and inclusiveness for Americans with disabilities. This intersection of mobile innovation and broadband technologies is unleashing tremendous opportunity for people with disabilities in the areas of employment, health care, education and emergency response.

Additionally, the paper explores next generation technologies and the future of mobile innovation in this area.
Key Innovations

* For the nation’s 37 million adults who experience trouble hearing, a new wireless system developed at the Georgia Tech Research Institute offers those with hearing difficulties the ability to caption events in real-time. The device translates spoken words into text and displays it on a screen.

* For those who have difficulty seeing, new mobile apps can use smartphone cameras to scan labels and announce the contents of grocery items, their nutrition labels, and even pill bottles. When merged with GPS technology, these apps can liberate the visually impaired by giving them step-by-step directions through their smartphone.

* For the 6 to 8 million Americans who have problems speaking, there are many low- or no-cost communications apps available for their cell phone. There’s voice output software that conveys typed messages; downloadable text-to-speech software can be an effective, less-costly alternative to speech devices covered by private insurance and Medicare.

The report also points out several key areas where policymakers can make a difference. They include:

* Freeing up more spectrum,
* Removing bariers like high taxes and fees on communications services,
* Encouraging collaboration between innovators and the disability community,
* Supporting efforts to modernize local 911 infastructures.

The report also points to several key areas where policymakers can make a difference. The most pressing need is to free up more spectrum to accommodate growing demand. Other recommendations include removing economic barriers like high taxes and fees on communications services; leading by example by expanding online footprints for government agencies and making resources more accessible to mobile users; encouraging collaboration between innovators and the disability community; and supporting efforts to modernize local 911 infrastructure.

With the release of its National Broadband Plan and subsequent report on broadband for people with disabilities, the Federal Communications Commission is signaling its own commitment to encouraging these life-changing innovations. At this important juncture, we offer this paper to help inform both great products and meaningful policy.

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Robots May Aid Stroke Recovery from MedPage Today

By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Robot-assisted rehabilitation resulted in some improvements in motor function and quality of life for patients with chronic disability following stroke, a randomized trial showed.

Significant gains in both basic motor function (P=0.02) and the time to complete everyday tasks (P=0.005) were observed in the robot-assisted group at 36 weeks compared with usual care, the researchers reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

This despite the fact that on the primary endpoint -- determined at 12 weeks, immediately after rehabilitation ended -- motor function was not significantly improved in the robot-assisted group, according to Albert Lo, MD, PhD, of the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Rhode Island, and colleagues.

The findings "provide evidence of potential long-term benefits of rehabilitation and challenge the widely held clinical belief that gains in motor function are not possible for long-term stroke survivors," Lo and his colleagues wrote.
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Making Broadway Accessible for the Disabled - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com

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By ERIK PIEPENBURG

The next time you complain about not being able to see the stage from the nosebleed sections of a Broadway theater, think about not being able to see the stage at all.

“No one wants to feel left out of a performance,” said Lisa Carling, the director of the Theater Development Fund’s accessibility program, which offers assistance to theatergoers with physical disabilities. “If you miss a punchline or a dramatic statement, everyone else is included but you are not.”

The Theater Development Fund, which also runs the city’s TKTS discount ticket booths, helps coordinate services for the blind or those with low vision, the deaf or hard of hearing and patrons who can’t climb stairs or need wheelchair seating.

“When we started 13 years ago, advocates for the disabled came to us and said, ‘Please, I haven’t been able to go to the theater for years because my hearing has deteriorated,’” said Ms. Carling. “People were staying away from the theater.”

Ms. Carling recently spoke to The Times about what kinds of services the TDF Accessibility Program, or TAP, offers to the disabled. Following are excerpts from her conversation. Continue Reading

What Is A Braille Display And How It Is Used

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by Tom Babinszki

Reading your electronic documents using your hands instead of your eyes may sound almost impossible. However, this is actually what many blind persons do. This is done through a device known as a Braille display.

Braille displays are hardware that enable users to read in Braille the text displayed on the computer screen. Using this device, blind people can navigate through the computer’s desktop, create and edit documents, and browse the Internet.

A Braille display can also be called a Braille terminal.

How Does a Braille Display Work?
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How Blind People Identify Paper Money

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by Tom Babinszki

Before you pay for a movie ticket or for a new pair of shoes, you would always make sure you’re handing the seller the right amount. This is really simple, you just have to give a quick look at your money, take out the right amount, and that's it.

But for people who cannot see, this becomes a difficult task. Here, we will talk about the problem faced by blind people, and discuss the possible solutions for this issue.

The Problem with Paper Money

In countries such as the U.S., all denominations of money have similar sizes. This makes it very difficult for blind people to distinguish one denomination from another.

Solutions Done By Governments

Governments have devised a way to help the blind tell apart different money denominations. In countries such as Australia and Malaysia, each denomination of money has a distinct width and length. Along with this, blind people can use a small card device to quickly measure and distinguish money.

Meanwhile, a more specific approach has been done by the Canadian government. In Canada, money is being produced such that there are Braille dots in the bills that represent a specific denomination. Blind people can in turn find the corner containing the Braille dots and read them to know the amount they are holding.

Solutions Done By Blind People
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Is Braille Still Useful Today?

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by Tom Babinszki
Recently, we have seen a significant decline in Braille literacy among blind people in the U.S, and also in some other countries. At the same time, we have seen instances wherein blind people attain success in education and employment. This led to the belief that blind persons can now do without Braille.

Let us find out if Braille is indeed something which the blind can live without.
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Using Braille in Modern Technologies

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by Tom Babinszki

After taking a look at what Braille is, let us find out its current status and the interesting innovations related to this reading and writing system for the blind.

Facts About Braille

Almost every country has adopted Braille as its official communications code for the blind. The United States, European countries such as Germany, Portugal, and Hungary, and Asian countries such as China, Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia have their own distinct Braille codes. Presently, one of the newest Braille codes is the Tibetan Braille code.

In the U.S., around ten percent of the 1.3 million legally blind individuals can read and write Braille. This is according to a 2009 report done by the National Federation of the Blind (resource opens in new window). The vast availability of assistive technology and publications in audio format are believed to be the main reasons behind this small figure.

Braille literacy, however, increases the opportunities of the blind in employment. In the U.S., approximately thirty-two percent of the total blind community is employed. And in this figure, around ninety percent of blind people who have jobs can read and write Braille.
Incorporation of Braille in Various Facilities and Devices

Below are examples wherein Braille has been included in public facilities and specific products.
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A Day Through the Eyes of a Blind Woman

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from Even Grounds blog

Let's look at an ordinary day with the eyes of a blind person. There is so much to take for granted which is not given to others, for example, because they can't see. What happens with people who are totally blind? All of a sudden, many things are done very differently. Sometimes, accessible technologies will solve the problem. This includes any technology which can be used equally well by those who can see and those who can't. In other cases, special technologies need to be used to achieve the same that others do just by using their sight. This is technology which is specifically developed for blind people.

Let's follow a blind person through a whole work day. For the sake of the example, we will call her Lisa.

We will examine how technology helps Lisa throughout her whole day. We will not discuss anything else, but instances, where information technology can help her. We won't look at any other issues she might be facing. There are many more challenges we could talk about, but in order to overcome those, information technology itself will not solve the problem. In this post, I will only demonstrate how much information technology can make a difference.

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BBC News - Blio bets against e-reader devices

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By Maggie Shiels

Software originally designed to help blind people read electronic books could turn the emerging e-reader industry on its head, according to its inventor.

Futurist and artificial intelligence expert Ray Kurzweil, famed for inventions like speech-recognition software, is the man behind Blio.

His vision is to use free software to turn any device into an e-reader, from a PC to a smartphone and from netbooks to tablet computers.

"We will run on all platforms," said Mr Kurzweil

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Old Age, New Gizmos - The New Old Age Blog - NYTimes.com

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By PAULA SPAN

When the vast Consumer Electronics Show, underway this week in Las Vegas, adds an exhibition called Silvers Summit, devoted to new products for the aging and their caregivers, brace yourselves. American tech companies, taking notice of the unmistakable demographic trends, have launched a surge.

“When you have a growing market segment, everybody wants a piece of the action,” said Majd Alwan, director of the Center for Aging Services Technologies, itself just six years old.

What’s coming?
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Mr. Fix-its help disabled stay on path to independence - washingtonpost.com

Retired engineers come in handy when students' assistive technology gadgets need repair
By Michael Alison Chandler, Washington Post Staff Writer

Many students enrolled at Fairfax County's schools for the disabled cannot talk. But they greet their teachers every day, pressing a finger or a toe to a switch that prompts a recorded voice to say "Hello!" or "Good morning."

The switches are part of a breathtaking array of technology that helps students communicate or turn on music or choose what they want for lunch. Other devices help them move around the building and play sports. With so many gadgets, it helps to have someone handy around to fix them when they break.

That's where Lee Jost and Bill Porter come in. Both retired engineers in their 70s, they spent their careers working on satellites or elaborate circuits for the railroads. Now they are tightening loose wires and adjusting wheelchairs.
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