Category Archives: lifekludger

Comprehensive Stylus Reviews

There’s been some large comprehensive reviews and comparisons of Styluses on offer for the myriad of capacitive type touch devices that now surround us. A stylus is of particular interest to me as I don’t use my fingers. One thing I find with these “Best of” or even the “comparative” type reviews is they areContinueContinue reading “Comprehensive Stylus Reviews”

The Descriptive Camera

  The Descriptive Camera works a lot like a regular camera—point it at subject and press the shutter button to capture the scene. However, instead of producing an image, this prototype outputs a text description of the scene. I’d like to see the description passed through to a text-to-speech conversion process and read out audiblyContinueContinue reading “The Descriptive Camera”

3D-printed, individually designed prosthetic legs

[wp_youtube]fir5HI0Gwrc[/wp_youtube] What I love about this is how the people feel re-connected with themselves. 3D-printed, individually designed prosthetic legs that are unabashedly artificial and completely personal. Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/69031806758345278/ via Lifekludger on Pinterest

The Leap – Motion control device

“Leap Motion, a San Francisco start-up, wants to change the way you control your computer with a little device called The Leap. It is a small 3D motion sensor that goes in front of your computer and creates a 3D interaction space of 8 cubic feet from which you can use your hands and fingersContinueContinue reading “The Leap – Motion control device”

Windows 8 & Metro Accessibility

  Great article outlining Windows 8 & Metro Accessibility: “Our accessibility goals in Windows 8 are to: Improve the assistive technologies that are components of Windows, and provide a good experience with the Metro style UI. Provide developer tools that have baseline accessibility built in, so that accessible Metro style apps are available in the Store.ContinueContinue reading “Windows 8 & Metro Accessibility”

BrailleTouch – a Braille-like texting app

Georgia Tech has come up with BrailleTouch – a Braille-like texting app. This ia a prototype app for touchscreen mobile device. You can Text not even having to even look at the device’s display at all – which bodes well for the visually impaired, of course. “Research has shown that chorded, or gesture-based, texting isContinueContinue reading “BrailleTouch – a Braille-like texting app”

Kinect and VR Goggles

Kinect and VR goggles to help with Phantom Limb Syndrome… This project uses a Kinect and VR goggles to put the patient in a virtual environment…so they get a virtual representation of their whole self projected into their goggles. http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=36085689&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0Phantom Limb Pain therapy with Kinect from Benjamin Blundell on Vimeo. Source: hackaday.com via David NContinueContinue reading “Kinect and VR Goggles”

Lifekludger on ABC Radio – Second life, disability & education

      A couple months back I was contacted to see if I could give some input for an ABC Radio National program segment on Second life, disability and education. My input was focused around barriers to access to technology generally and from my Lifekludger perspective. Also touched on the importance of technology forContinueContinue reading “Lifekludger on ABC Radio – Second life, disability & education”

BreathBird : Breath activated scanning input comes to iPad

Techcrunch report on the (free) BreathBird twitter app for the iPad. BreathBird employs the well honed concept of ‘scanning’ that’s been used for alternate input selection on software like on-screen scanning keyboards for years and applies it in a fresh way to this iPad app, using breath as the trigger rather than a switch. I’mContinueContinue reading “BreathBird : Breath activated scanning input comes to iPad”

Make your own Touchscreen Stylus Brush

Rainy Day Magazine features an article on how to make a stylus and brush for capacitive touch screens like the iPad/iPhone etc out of some stripped copper wire and a ball point pen casing. The article contains lots of great information, links, ideas and photos and is well worth a read. [via] DIY iPad Brush…ContinueContinue reading “Make your own Touchscreen Stylus Brush”

Wireless Foot Mouse

Flip Flop Mouse “The Toe Mouse is especially designed for those who have upper limbs disability and cannot use their hands to move the mouse. This ergonomically designed gadget uses our natural ability to grip between the toes, for manipulating the Mouse. You need to slip it on, between the big toe and second, justContinueContinue reading “Wireless Foot Mouse”

iPad/iPhone Capacitive Stylus Roundup

Over on the “Cool Quirks” blog, there’s a good post on stylus pens for iPad/iPhone etc. It gives a good general look at “7 of the Best iPad Stylus Pens of 2011”. It has good photo’s too which is helpful info. for any kludgers needing something to modify. One thing I wish reviewers, and moresoContinueContinue reading “iPad/iPhone Capacitive Stylus Roundup”

Readability plugins for your browser

If you don’t use Safari and it’s built-in “Reader” functionality these web browser plugins could be just the ticket. Readability Redux extension for Chrome Readability addon for Firefox “Readability is a simple tool that makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the cluter around what you’re reading.”

Hitachi stylus compatible, capacitive touch panel

This interesting development was flagged to me recently and is of great interest personally as I battle with the “Touch barrier” that the pervasive use of capacitive type touch-screens pose. Hitachi Displays has developed a projective-type electrostatic capacitance touch-panel that can convert input from a non-conductive object into electrostatic capacitance, thus allowing the use ofContinueContinue reading “Hitachi stylus compatible, capacitive touch panel”

Apple keyboard & touch pad tray

The Combine collective is a group of like minded artists working together to achieve a common goal. They have come out with these stylish keyboard trays, designed to combine the mac wireless keyboard and trackpad into one clean unit. It occurred to me that this idea could be good for people requiring a way ofContinueContinue reading “Apple keyboard & touch pad tray”

iPhone/iPod Touch as touchpad plus – ATMac

Over on ATMac blog, Blake Watson has a great review of the HippoRemote app for iPhone/iPod Touch that turns your device into a multi-touch touchpad, as well as many other things… HippoRemote will connect to your computer and hand the reins over to you. Your iPhone is now a fully-featured multi-touch trackpad. Tap the keyboardContinueContinue reading “iPhone/iPod Touch as touchpad plus – ATMac”

Just5 Simple features Mobile Phone

Just5 Mobile phones take the less is more approach with a phone ideally aimed at older persons and those with a disability with a phone that boasts 5 simple features: 1. Big Buttons : These big buttons really do make a difference. Easy to dial even without putting on glasses. 2. Ease of Operation :ContinueContinue reading “Just5 Simple features Mobile Phone”

Sonamba Wellbeing Monitor for Independence

Sonamba is an easy-to-use, stand-alone device designed to enhance caregiving for seniors or people who need a little assistance living on their own. Sonamba can send and receive messages, track normal activity patterns and warn of any changes. It provides medication and appointment reminders, and it even calls caregivers or emergency numbers. Anyone with aContinueContinue reading “Sonamba Wellbeing Monitor for Independence”

Wired: People with Quadriplegia prefer to control robots manually – thank you very much!

Wired has a great article about the use of robot arms by people with Quadriplegia. It’s definately worth a read as it surfaces some important considerations around such things as: the importance of feedback mechanisms from devices, the sense of being in control to the degree one’s abilities allow, the importance of quality user testingContinueContinue reading “Wired: People with Quadriplegia prefer to control robots manually – thank you very much!”

Mosspuppet makes a stylus – Shuddup!

Not sure how effective or durable this stylus would be, but I love Mosspuppet and he does offer a little interesting commentary on ‘conductive foam’ availability – something other DIY stylus, like these here, here and here use. I suppose protein bar and other foil type wrappers are yet another alternative in our ‘Touch Barrier”ContinueContinue reading “Mosspuppet makes a stylus – Shuddup!”