Tuesday 16 September 2014

How Technology Can Improve the Lives of Those with Disabilities

Technology is an amazing thing. It has allowed things to happen that previous generations of people could only imagine. It has done the impossible; sending a man to the moon, putting amazing computing capacity into the palm of our hands, and even creating electronic robots that can perform highly precise surgery. It also has made life much easier for those who have disabilities. For people who were born without the ability to see or who faced an injury later in life, technology has made a big impact on their quality of life.

For those who have mobility issues electronic devices like joystick controlled wheelchairs have meant a new found sense of independence. Parents of children who have autism or other sensory processing issues have found that technology has meant breakthroughs in their child’s ability to communicate. Children who cannot speak have also found a voice through technology. Type to talk programs mean they can type what they want to say and have the program speak their words for them. For children who can’t quite type yet, having online photo galleries available on a touchscreen device allows them to point to what they want to say.  Web photo albums are a great way to store point and say word cards.

Every day new advances and solutions are being invented. Technology like EyeMax systems take communication to another level. Those who can’t talk or use their hands to type are able to communicate what they want to say through eye tracking through text and picture prompts. Cars are being developed that will allow those who can’t see to safely drive. In fact there might be a completely driverless car in the near future – in fact it’s already street legal in Nevada. Maybe you’ve seen videos of children receiving cochlear implants? This technology advance has delivered the gift of hearing to many and further technology advances are making it even better.

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