Donna was involved in two motor vehicle accidents nine years apart. Both incidents contributed to significant upper neck and back injuries and frequent migraine headaches.

In the past, Donna worked as a part-time Medical Office Assistant, where being on the phone and typing simultaneously was a painful task. Repetition, ill-fitting chairs, or static posture would intensify her pain. “My days off were often spent incapacitated with stress-induced headaches. Life being like a ‘yo-yo’ forced me to accept the problems of being employed,” she says.

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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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Since as far back as he can remember, Roy Forbes has been passionate about music. “It’s something that’s in my DNA”, he explains. “Even before I could walk or talk, I somehow knew that I would have a life making music”. For over 46 years, Roy has made his living playing music, making a name for himself as one of Canada’s premiere singer-songwriter-performers. His passion for the musical life is not just limited to performing, writing songs and making records. For the past 11 years, Roy has also hosted a weekly radio show, “Roy’s Record Room”, on Alberta’s CKUA Radio Network, spinning an eclectic mix of vinyl and shellac from his extensive record collection.

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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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In case you haven’t heard of it, the LipSync is a next generation USB mouse emulation device which can be used in conjunction with any smartphone, tablet, or PC. The device is small and portable, and it can easily be mounted to a desk or wheelchair, allowing users with limited mobility to more easily interact with technology by controlling mouse clicks with a mouthpiece.

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Patrick has been volunteering as a Project Manager for Spinal Cord Injury BC’s Access North initiative. The initiative catalogues and showcases accessible outdoor spaces in Northern BC and around the province. As part of his role, Patrick completes accessibility audits and makes recommendations for improving accessible amenities to parks, recreation sites, and trails.

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We recently received the WorkFit-TL Sit-Stand Desktop Workstation from Ergotron. A standout feature is that the keyboard tray can be positioned below the level of the desk. This is great news for shorter users who are constantly reaching up with their arms and shoulders to access their keyboard on the desk surface. The lower keyboard platform encourages proper ergonomic positioning of the upper extremities by reducing the amount of reaching required while keyboarding from a seated position.

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