In this e-bulletin, we’re going to put the spotlight on an incredible new piece of assistive technology: The OrCam MyEye 2.0. Designed for blind and partially sighted users, this device employs a lightweight smart camera that’s been designed to read text aloud and to recognize faces, products and money, allowing users to independently interact with the world around them in a way that wasn’t possible before the advent of this technology.

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Sharing digital content across platforms is often a tedious and frustrating task even among the more techno-savvy assistive technology users. Up until now, truly cross-platform solutions were hard to come by.

Enter Flick, a new sharing app that’s designed to be simple and accessible for everyone, regardless of what device they use to access digital content. Unlike most other sharing apps, Flick is available for PC, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Mac, and Linux, so no matter what device is being used, users can share that content with any other type of computer, smartphone, or tablet.

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ClaroRead is an advanced text-to-speech/writing/OCR program for PC that helps users read, write, and study with confidence. Recently, version 7.3 was released, and it’s packed with improvements and new features. Let’s take a look at some of these improvements in this newest version of ClaroRead.

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Today we sit down with Courtney Cameron, a Halifax-based Assistive Technology Specialist with Neil Squire Society, and get the inside scoop on Acadia University’s first annual buildathon featuring the LipSync device.

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We’ve covered the various ways in which a smart phone can be used hands-free, and the ways in which that can serve as assistive technology. But what if there was a device that was designed to be activated and used almost exclusively via voice commands? Enter the home assistant, a new and revolutionary type of virtual assistant that’s already been adopted by millions of households worldwide! Because these devices were created with universal design in mind, they are highly accessible and easy to use; in fact, the vast majority of those users do not actually require assistive technology.

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Tech expert Avery Swartz showed off the LipSync on CTV’s Your Morning today. Watch it here:

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On January 24th, the Solutions team worked with the Neil Squire Society’s Makers Making Change team to build LipSyncs. A LipSync is a mouth-controlled device that helps people with limited use of their arms to operate a touchscreen device. 

The team was given an introduction to soldering, after which they began building the devices. More details about the LipSync and its open-source project files are available here.

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Each year, workplace injuries account for billions of dollars in lost revenue, with many of those injuries being preventable. Since practicing good ergonomics can mean the difference between a safe and healthy work environment, and one in which people experience unnecessary strain and injury, it is important to look at and evaluate each of the principles of good ergonomics. The following checklist has been designed for the modern office environment, and it also provides solutions for dealing with situations that are not in keeping with “good ergonomics”. Please feel free to print and share this checklist with your employer and/or fellow employees!

To download the PDF, click here.

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This is part 3 of 3 of our LipSync Update series. In this last update, we conclude our interview with Neil Squire Society’s Director of Innovation, Chad Leaman. To read part 1, click here. To read part 2, click here.

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This is part 2 of a 3 part series that explores the LipSync device. To read part 1, click here. In this edition, we interview Chad Leaman, Director of Innovation at Neil Squire Society, for the inside scoop on the LipSync.

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