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Assistive Technology Update - A fast-paced weekly update for AT professionals and enthusiasts


Jun 10, 2011

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Links:

Apple, Mac OSX Lion accessibility features: http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html#accessibility

Enhanced Captioning: http://bit.ly/kVcjC7

Eye-com tracking system: http://youtu.be/pNYbDv_9nsc

Check out our blog:  http://blog.eastersealstech.com

Follow us on Twitter: @INDATAproject

Need a transcript?  Check this episode's comments.


Wade
almost thirteen years ago

“Hi, this is Wade Wingler with the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads in Indiana and this… is your Assistive Technology Update—a weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs”



First off, This week Apple announced a number of new products including an upcoming release of the iphone operating system, the new icloud storage system for music, documents and photos and the new version of the macintosh os-10 operating system—lion. Included in the over 250 new features, Lion has a number of accessibility improvements. These include a number of new international voices for the voice-over screen reader, customizable preferences that will allow voice over to use different speech settings for different computing tasks, picture-in-a-picture zoom, crisper cursors for users with low vision, and a new drag-and-drop feature designed to improve the ability to move items around the screen. Watch for other new accessibility tools from apple in an upcoming episode.


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Did you ever realize how much music and sound effects add to the movie going experience? Sometimes the subtleties of music and sound effects are lost for move-goers who rely on captioning. A new service call “Enhanced captioning” is attempting to convey this underlying content by using a visualization at the bottom of the screen for Deaf and hard of hearing viewers. On the project’s web site, the trailer for the popular movie “inception” is enhanced with this new technology that conveys the impact and eeriness that was intended by the filmmakers. Visit our web site for a link to check out this exciting new technology for yourself.



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Lastly, Eye-com has developed a new eye-tracking system for use by individuals with significant mobility impairments. The E-C-7-T system is a wearable devices that looks like a pair of glasses equipped with infrared sensors to detect and track the user’s pupil. Traditionally, many eye-tracking systems were mounted on the computer system. This new wearable system reduces the difficulties related to positioning the eye tracking system and allows users to more easily use eye movements to send an email, browse the web or play computer games.

“Want more? Find links to all this great new technology at check out our blog at
EasterSealsTech.com or follow us on Twitter @INDATAProject. Until next time, this has been your Assistive Technology Update.”