Lifekludger has the desire to connect people together around a project to solve a problem. For the long term it’s desirable that the number projects are scalable as well as the funding for them. Coming from that thinking I’m running a kind of Pilot project to see if there’s a way that projects can be funded using the site “fundable.com”.ContinueContinue reading “Lifekludger Project 001 – Pilot Pledge”
Category Archives: Devices
Revisiting touch on the OLPC XO laptop and hardware access design
“Accessibility is about accommodating characteristics a person cannot change by providing options” — Joe Clarke, 2001 * An outline * some ideas in olpc first look was promising * accessibility and usability are hardware issues too * accessibility should venture out of the online space into hardware design Last year I had a first lookContinueContinue reading “Revisiting touch on the OLPC XO laptop and hardware access design”
USB Autheticated Deadbolt Servo
Neat project demonstrating potential use of a USB drive access to a door. [wp_youtube]JKTXRlaXLDQ[/wp_youtube] YouTube – Makers Local 256 USB Autheticated Deadbolt Servo: Couldn’t seem to get into the website mentioned. [via Hack a Day]
Phone designed for the Blind shows importance of feedback
SENS concept phone. by Japanese designer, Takumi Yoshida I’ve written previously about the importance of the correct type of feedback for input, especially when one or more of your senses fail you. This SENS phone uses a combination of tactile sensors and audio feedback to the user. When a person key is pressed the phoneContinueContinue reading “Phone designed for the Blind shows importance of feedback”
Bicycle Design for People with Disabilities | Future Technology
Great to see some good asthetic thought as well as pure functionality put into accessible design in this bicycle. From the Tuvie site: Bicycle designer Gavin Smith has come up with a new bicycle design that will help people with disabilities to ride the bicycle independently. Sometimes disabilities like cerebral palsy can affect the basicContinueContinue reading “Bicycle Design for People with Disabilities | Future Technology”
Mouse Control with voice sounds
Researchers from the University of Washington are developing a mouse that’s controlled using sounds made with your voice. [wp_youtube]PXmccs4GIqI[/wp_youtube] I have nothing to add.
Working Touch Screen Netbook running Mac OSX
Now folks we are talking about something I want and would actually be able to use. Compact, Mac OSX and a Resistive touch screen allowing me to control the cursor as I couldn’t o this device and can’t with the current track pads all Macs have. I couldn’t find out who did this, but ifContinueContinue reading “Working Touch Screen Netbook running Mac OSX”
The Touch Barrier – Stylus enquiries continue
I received an email from a reader, Scott Sands, around the touch barrier issues I’ve been writing about here and here on the blog. Scott graciously agreed for me to put his email here for my response so all might benefit from the issues discussed. Scott outlines how he uses his computer and his issuesContinueContinue reading “The Touch Barrier – Stylus enquiries continue”
iPhone app to monitor your Heart
Interesting app detailed in this video that monitors your heart rate with nothing more than your iPhone and an app. Now, imagine combining this with an sms alert function to notify a chosen number of a care provider. Gets interesting. Now that’s consumer convergence with utility. http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1791560&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1 iPhone App – Heart Monitor from John BallingerContinueContinue reading “iPhone app to monitor your Heart”
NuTouch iPod case – ‘touch through’
Thought : If this iPhone plastic case allows touch to go ‘through’ it, I wonder if it could help with my ‘touch barrier’ – if it has some special properties. From the Fommy site: Introducing the NuTouch Case, a breakthrough product offering full navigational control of your iphone’s touch screen through a crystal hard case!ContinueContinue reading “NuTouch iPod case – ‘touch through’”
Jitterbug – Mobile phones simplified
Jitterbug – Mobile phones with simplified interfaces and operator monitored Services. Model with just 3 buttons too. Would just like to see a non-flip style for ease of use for those with not so dexterous hands. I suspect the flip style is to protect the keypad. This is a killer idea with a untapped, growingContinueContinue reading “Jitterbug – Mobile phones simplified”
Door lock operated by Internet or mobile phone.
Set to launch in October : A door lock that can be activated by mobile phone and over the internet. Can also notify via phone when someone enters. I could use this as I can use my mobile but not open my door without assistance of a keypad. This has huge potential in the communityContinueContinue reading “Door lock operated by Internet or mobile phone.”
New iPod and the Importance of Input Feedback
Being the geek I am, as well as the sleeper I am, I found myself following the Apple ‘Let’s Rock’ event at 2.30am. One interesting thought about the new stuff that was announced is the accessibility aspect is being thought about and incorporated at th design stage. Like most of the things to do withContinueContinue reading “New iPod and the Importance of Input Feedback”
The Touch Barrier – Testing the pogo stylus
pogo no go After writing an article about my concerns over the pervasive use of touch I was alerted via a comment to the pogo stylus [thanks @garthk] . The Touch Barrier pogo stylus I thought it might’ve been a solution so I wrote to “Ten One Design” outlining why I’m so interested. The responseContinueContinue reading “The Touch Barrier – Testing the pogo stylus”
Tongue Control
clipped from gtresearchnews.gatech.edu For Immediate Release June 30, 2008 A new assistive technology developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology could help individuals with severe disabilities lead more independent lives. The novel system allows individuals with disabilities to operate a computer, control a powered wheelchair and interact with their environments simply by movingContinueContinue reading “Tongue Control”
Hardware prims
Some various links to sites highlighting some of the thinking and experimenting being done around ‘adaptable’ hardware. Some of it ‘open-source-hardware’. Anything used as a basis to build something else I like to refer to as a “prim” – borrowing from the secondlife concept of “primitives” – small basic building blocks used to build allContinueContinue reading “Hardware prims”
Computer reads hand signals
This is kind of like using gestures without contact. Wave Power: The G55 picks out key hand signals from webcam video feeds. Photo by Toshiba Funny how, apart from the attempts with voice commands, input always seems to come back to hands. At least this one isn’t touch related. [via Popsci]
Dave the Lifekludger gets a mention by Mark Pesce on New Inventors
Over a month back I mentioned in a blog post titled “Mind control interface a near reality” the Epoc Headset, being developed by Emotiv. The other day on the New Inventors on the ABC here in Australia my friend Mark Pesce gives a shoutoput to me. Ref 1min in.
Wireless Accelerometer Based Mouse Pointer
Caught this via Hacked Gadgets. Accelerometer based input devices could be a great boon for alternative access. Dave Technorati Tags: adaptive
The touch barrier — responses
After my previous post about the “Touch Barrier” as referring to the inherent issues of the pervasive use of touch technologies I had some good responses. @lucychili pointed me to work Peter Hutterer is doing with MPXLaurel wrote a blog post “Disabilities social networks games” pointing to a article DISABLED GAMERS’ COMPRISE 20% OF CASUAL-VIDEOGAMEContinueContinue reading “The touch barrier — responses”
Bluetooth Wireless Input Pen
SMK Corp developed “Wireless Input Pen,” which can transmit characters written in the air and displays them on a monitor. According to SMK, it is the world’s first pen-type device that can transmit characters written in the air to a monitor … I caught this via a story on Engadget. Engadget mention the pen canContinueContinue reading “Bluetooth Wireless Input Pen”
ConnectingUp – Get ConnectED: Weaving A New Social Web for People with Disabilities.
The following is fro the Blog of Beth Kanter, a friend who’s up in Brisbane at the ConnectingUp Conference for Non-profits. Big thanks to Beth. I am posting her notes on this breakout session as it highlights some of the key Benefits and Barriers for people living with disability participating in the digital space -ContinueContinue reading “ConnectingUp – Get ConnectED: Weaving A New Social Web for People with Disabilities.”
Alarm backup power from phone lines?
I came across this site called 5min.com. It’s a how-to style video sharing site with heaps of neat tricks and tips. This video below got me thinking about emergency backup sources for such things as alarms etc. Watch it to the end. http://www.5min.com/Embeded/12198/ How to Get Free Electricity Watch more DIY videos on 5min.comhttp://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Get-Free-Electricity-12198 NearContinueContinue reading “Alarm backup power from phone lines?”
Turn phone into walking radar to detect physical spaces
The “Walking Radar” project connects up a Basic Stamp and IR sensor to your cell phone in order to detect objects in the environment and influence games on the device or trigger SMS messages to be sent. [Make] It occurred to me this gadget if hooked up to the vibration part of your phone couldContinueContinue reading “Turn phone into walking radar to detect physical spaces”
Modeling Second Life virtual objects in the Physical – Paper Prototyping
I recently came across this site called Export To World which offers a method of taking virtual objects created in Second Life and creating a physical paper model of it in First Life. In effect making physical objects from virtual ones. Novel concept you say, but so what? Well, think of the situation where aContinueContinue reading “Modeling Second Life virtual objects in the Physical – Paper Prototyping”
