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ATFAQ035
Show notes:
Panel: Brian Norton, Mark Stewart, Belva Smith, and Wade Wingler
Q1. Tinting you screen color for easier reading? Q2. Making Office easier to see. Q3. Eyegaze tech and how to get started Q4. Waterproof Braille/talking watch? Q5. Environmental Control Units (ECUs)
WADE WINGLER: Welcome to ATFAQ, Assistive Technology Frequently Asked Questions with your host Brian Norton, Director of Assistive Technology at Easter Seals Crossroads. This is a show in which we address your questions about assistive technology, the hardware, software, tools and gadgets that help people with disabilities lead more independent and fulfilling lives. Have a question you’d like answered on our show? Send a tweet with the hashtag #ATFAQ, call our listener line at 317-721-7124, or send us an email at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org. The world of assistive technology has questions, and we have answers. And now here’s your host, Brian Norton.
BRIAN NORTON: Hello, and welcome to ATFAQ episode 35. My name is Brian Norton and I’m the host of the show. I want to welcome in the studio with me Mark Stewart. Mark, you want to say hey?
MARK STEWART: Hey, how’s it going everybody?
BRIAN NORTON: Also I have Belva Smith over here. Belva?
BELVA SMITH: Hi everybody.
BRIAN NORTON: Mark and Belva are both on our clinical team here at Easter Seals crossroads. Mark is on our mobility and cognition team, and Belva is a team lead on our vision and sensory team. I’m so glad they’re here today. We do have a vacant state in the studio today. Usually Wade Wingler is here with us but he is out today. Hopefully we will be he will be back with us next episode. He’s usually the audio engineer back here’s I’m actually sitting in his seat so we really hope this turns out well and that we can get everything recorded and then up for everybody out there who’s listening with us today. Just a couple of notes for new listeners to our show, just a little bit about what we do here. Our show is a question and answer format, and so we set around every couple of weeks and take in questions from around the country and from many other countries as well. We are listening to and quite a few different countries. We accept questions. We also take and feedback from a variety of different places. And then we set around here and try to answer those as best we can. Speaking of feedback, if you are listening, when we get to the questions today, if you have any kind of feedback, if maybe we don’t completely answer a question, please chime in. We love to hear from you. You have a couple of different ways for you to participate in our show. Simply by asking questions or providing feedback, we have a listener line which is 317-721-7124. You can email us at tech at Easter Seals crossroads.org. Or you can send us a tweet with the hashtag ATFAQ. We monitor all of those things throughout the week and we collect information. If you are looking for ways to tell other folks about our show or to find our show, you can find us on iTunes, you can go to our website, ATFAQshow.com. You can also find us on stitcher or at www.eastersealstech.com as well. Without further ado, I think would jump in to our questions today.
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BRIAN NORTON: Our first question today came to us through email. It wasn’t necessarily specifically for the show itself, but it was just an email I see as a part of a couple of different list serves. I thought it was an appropriate motion for the show. The question was, I’ve been using the Zoom text express for some time primarily for a way to tint the screen colors for patients who need a simple magnification program. It isn’t supported past Windows 7 as per their tech support. Do you know any other software that will color tint the screen with many options up to Windows 10? I’ll throw that out to the group. It’s an interesting question. I know there are some things out there like that. What you guys think?
BRIAN NORTON:
BELVA SMITH: I don’t. What’s going on with Zoom text express? Are they discontinuing that? Are they not making it compatible with Windows 10?
BRIAN NORTON: I don’t know. According to the email, it says tech support says it’s not supported past Windows 7.
BELVA SMITH: I honestly have never recommended that software because it is so limited with the features. It never was a good fit for any of the consumer that I was working with. I do know that it was low cost and I’m sure that it was helpful obviously for a lot of people because now, if they don’t have Windows 10, people are missing it. There were some good responses or recommendations that were made through that list serves email. You list them here. Are you going to try to read out the answers or just list them on the website?
BRIAN NORTON: We can go ahead and look at those different answers. I will say I did go back to AI Squared website and they do say very specifically that Zoom text express only runs in Windows 7 and XP. For Windows 8 computers and Windows 10 computers, it wouldn’t do the job. It looks like it just won’t run in the newer operating systems. Mark, one of the things I listed out there is the screen ruler software. I know you have lots of expensive at that.
MARK STEWART: It’ll be compatible. It’s a very simple nonintrusive software as far as the memory it uses and stuff like that. The website is crossboweducation.us. They have some physical items I’ll mention and they have a virtual reading ruler they call it. Then they also have a screen overlay. They are fairly similar. The ruler is what you would think. It’s more designed to go over certain text you are reading. The overlays are designed to go over your full-screen. There are a whole spectrum of color options and you can change the translucency of the color. If I’m not mistaken, the company kind of started out as a type of dyslexia support software for certain folks with dyslexia. They seemed to gain quite a bit of ability to focus and attention to the characters if they have it in a certain color. So they are kind of playing off of that, but then they’ve gotten into the theme of visual stress. So for whatever reason or nevertheless, here is some software where you can have a lot of control and a lot of color tint change.
BRIAN NORTON: What I think is unique about the software is it lets you run those particular colors and other programs. Is that right? It’s computer wide?
MARK STEWART: It’s computer wide, right.
BRIAN NORTON: I know Kurzweil and several other software packages that have a specific learning disability bend to them –
MARK STEWART: I see what you’re saying.
BRIAN NORTON: Have tents available within the program itself. But things like the screen ruler software is a computer wide —
MARK STEWART: Yes. This is very cost-effective and computer wide software in and of itself that you can have run on or off. You can run Kurzweil and have this as the overlay or different modification program and then use this. Simple, add-on software that I’ve had a lot of success with.
BRIAN NORTON: There is another one out there. This is specifically for webpages and only for Google Chrome. I was reading some information about – actually it is a crumb add-on called Visor. Chrome Visor allows you to, within chrome, change your tint colors much like the screen ruler does, just with your chrome browser you can tint those windows individually. So if you’re using things like online documents, anything like Google docs or other things, that might be able to provide some assistance with being able to tint your screens. But again, if you want for the entire screen, screen ruler is a great option for folks. And then one other thing that I had found out, there is another product called – again, I’m not sure how to pronounce the first word. It’s Irlen Clings. Essentially what they are is they are clings that stick to your monitor. They are little sheets of what used to go on overhead projectors, but they cling to the front of your monitor, that static cling thing. You can get lots of different color options and put it on top of your monitor and have some sort of a tinting option for those. Those are pretty and respective overlays from what I found.
MARK STEWART: That crossbow education website, it’ll describe it to you nice and simple. But they also have physical rulers in different colors. You can get a pack of five most popular colors and use those for regular books and things like that. It doesn’t have to be just software.
BRIAN NORTON: Belva, do you know as far as modification programs – I know with Zoom text, the full version, you can change colors and contrast and things like that. Are there other less-expensive options out there?
BELVA SMITH: Not really. You’ve got the Zoom text magnifier and then magic magnifier, does the medication software versions. They are right around $400. I’m thinking that the Zoom text express was way cheap. It was under $100, so I’m assuming they want to stick with something that’s low in cost. I’m just assuming , maybe I shouldn’t, that they have awareness, this individual person, of the ability to change the contrast settings within Windows 10. I know that the selections aren’t as good as what you can get from a magnifying software, but they do in the ease of access, they do have quite an option for you to choose from as far as inverting the colors. Also it may be something where you have to look at the computer program differently than perhaps your web browser. Because I know that Firefox and Google both offer display contrast settings within their programs that are free , maybe had to go there and change or contrast settings and stuff like that for when you are on the web. I have some individuals that use Zoom text magnifier reader, but they have Zoom text be disabled when they go to Firefox or Google Chrome because they like their high contrast settings within the program better than what the Zoom text is and I would suggest if you don’t know how to get to those settings, you can just Google it and same thing for the Windows 10. If you just Google contrast settings, it’ll give you – you will find several places that will give you the step-by-step. The short of it is, in the control panel under ease of access – and also, one of the best things about Windows 10 visually is the addition of the flexibility of what you can do with the magnifier. A used to be at the magnifier was on, magnifier was on and you could adjust the size of the window and that’s it. Now you really can control what area of the screen is being magnified and what one’s not.
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BRIAN NORTON: So our next question is from Sue. She is a VR counselor here in Indiana. She had set me an email – a vocational rehabilitation counselor. She had sent me an email last week talking a little bit more about backgrounds, may be leaning into a little bit of your answer earlier , Belva. She mentions, our office is having issues with a stark white background on our screens. We would do better, especially ones of us who are south of 50 with a bit less glare, either beige or light gray. Still contrast but less washing out. I have looked through the themes options where one used to be able to change the default colors, but I can’t find it in this version of Windows. We just upgraded to Microsoft office 2013 and it is even more noticeable. I thought you folks might have the answer. The Mac Sue, I’m confused as to whether you’re axing about the version of Windows that you are using or the version of Microsoft office that you’re using. Because it’s obviously two separate settings. But I noticed that you did say that you just upgraded to Microsoft office 2013, and you can still make those contrast settings or display settings. If you open up any one of your Microsoft Office programs – you can open up Word or Outlook, either one doesn’t matter. Click on file and go down to options and then go to the general and look on the right side of the page when you click on general. You will see personalize for your copy of word. It’s going to be in the middle of that window where there is a drop-down that you’re going to find all of those familiar gray and page contrast settings that you are looking for. Once you’ve applied that in whatever program you have open, that’s going to apply to all of their Microsoft programs, Word, Excel, Outlook, but as luck would have anything to do with the general Windows desktop or Internet explorer, everything like that. Those settings have to be done separately. As for it goes back to what we are talking about earlier with personalizing your display.
BRIAN NORTON: I found with a lot of folks working with now that there are several places where contrast issue becomes an issue for folks in some of the newer software, especially in Outlook, being able to see your emails and the list of you and things like that. You are not the only one Sue. I run into that question a lot, how do I change the contrast. They don’t like light blue on darker blue or whatever, light blue and gray and different color contrast to get in the newer versions of Microsoft office.
MARK STEWART: I’m going to take an attempt at the crossover here between these two questions. Just skimming the surface. The first one we are talking but has little more of a visual acuity theme. We are talking about contrast, not just for this reason but one of the things is to get that crispness of the line so you don’t have to unnecessarily increase magnification because if you don’t have to you don’t want to because it’s more inconvenient. And then also a major theme that perhaps if not this person and someone else really wants a particular color because there certain visual conditions we just maybe can’t see it with this: but you can see what this color or this combination of colors. I know I’m preaching to the choir with you guys. There is that theme. When I went into the second question, looking at it. I may not have been exactly right in what they were looking for but I kind of got that, I took it as more of a eyestrain. What computer to to us with the light coming of the computers and the refresh rate issues and the white glaring background and can help us with that kind of thing.
BELVA SMITH: That’s kind of what I think she’s getting at in this question. I know a lot of folks are using monitors that don’t have a really good refresh rate. They don’t have a really good display over all. That can have a whole lot to do with eyestrain. Also your overhead light, window reflections, all of that can play a huge role. If any of you guys come into my office, Lucy nine times out of 10 my lights off in my blinds are facing up because I can’t do well with the overhead lights on.
MARK STEWART: That’s where I think, while it was fine to mention the thing I mentioned, crossbow education software, for the first question I think a little more traditionally it was developed for the visual trip strained type of thing if not the dyslexia focus. Isn’t that fascinating? Dyslexia may in fact have its own visual thing where, with certain colors is not nearly as much of an issue for some anatomical reasons. It’s just amazing. Again, for this question, I’m going to mention the same software I mentioned. The color overlay software. A few other things. ASUS makes monitors that we find a bunch of success with because they are crisp, HD, but have a matte finish. I think that unnecessary glare bouncing up where it may look best from a distance friendly or something like that, for computer use it essentially unnecessary. A matte finish helps a bunch. And then there are some others out there, 3M, etc. You guard.com is a company I’ve had a lot of success with who makes – I don’t know, someone can check me on this. I don’t know that they make different colors, but you can take a glossy finish monitor about any size. I think they go up even to the 30 inch widescreen now. You can by the separate overlays, physical overlays, that you put over a monitor either as a privacy filter or just simply matte antiglare filter.
BRIAN NORTON: Belva, you mentioned all that can go into – it’s maybe not simply a software change on the computer, you said lighting, your monitor itself. There are some the things I can play into its
MARK STEWART: Distance, eye position.
BRIAN NORTON: Where you are positioned in the office. Remember to take your eye breaks. Remember every 15 to 20 minutes, look away and look at something as far away as he can to rest your eyes. If I’m outside or whatever, if I read an email and look up, I can feel that my eyes have got to readjust from being focused on the screen and back to real life. Remember those eye breaks.
MARK STEWART: Blinking. It’s the nitty-gritty may be, but it’s not the negligible. I blinking and perhaps check with your eye doctor about certain types of drops, but not instead of leaking. Brian mentioned the position of the monitor, but not external monitor arms – I won’t go down the physical tools. External monitor arms that used to be this luxury $300 thing now are, what, $100 or something. You can get this articulating monitor arm where you can reach out with two fingers, whatever font size is, get it just right. That’s going to help a bunch if you actually use it.
BRIAN NORTON: Mark, you picked up on something that I just found that when you’re talking about the differences between the color combinations that might be used for someone who has dyslexia versus the color commendations for folks who have visual impairment. We work within certain applications that allow you to change the way things are visually presented for the person based on either having a visual impairment – I’m thinking of the program called open book which will give you lots of color commendations that bring really stark contrast between text and background. You get a yellow on a black or white on black or blue on black where there is real stark contrast to it. But then for folks with learning disabilities, a lot of times the text remains black. It’s just a different shading like a pastel color in the back or a light brown in the back. Just with the anatomical difference between what’s going on, they see different things. It’s just fascinating what people pick up on and what works for them with regard to either having a visual impairment or something like dyslexia. Very cool.
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BRIAN NORTON: Don’t forget, if you have any feedback about the previous question or have a question of your own, please let us know. You can give us a call on our listener line at 317-721-7124. Our next question today is from Helen Robinson. She is an OT and send us an email with regard to an article – it’s a YouTube post that was out there. She mentioned I work with an 18-year-old man. His name is Jason who has cerebral palsy and uses the eye gaze technology for communication. He is a huge music fan and is a mission is to be a DJ. I’ve read the amazing story of David Anderson and wonder if you can offer Jason any advice regarding how he starts this process or any information on any software that is available. The story about David Anderson is he is a person who has ALS, which is Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s a YouTube video that we had highlighted on our blog series as a blog here. We highlighted that story and share the link to the YouTube page talking about eye gaze software that he uses and that folks help customize for him to be able to use a hold DJ set up to be able to go and run a New Year’s Eve or a New Year’s party for a bunch of friends and family. The question he is asking is how does he start this process or if there’s any information on software that is available.
MARK STEWART: That that www.eastersealstech.com. It’s all good. We ask for calling and input. If you go to the website, you’ll find references to other folks around the world.
BRIAN NORTON: We do lots of success stories. This would certainly be one. You can go to www.eastersealstech.com and in the search field search for David Anderson and be able to find that story and take a look at it. I throw it out to you guys first.
BELVA SMITH: Mark, did you work with a guy way back several years ago that was a DJ?
MARK STEWART: I did. He didn’t use eye gaze. It was a traumatic brain injury. It presented a little bit like mild moderate cerebral palsy, significantly affected both arms, moderately affected, so we didn’t need to go the eye gaze approach. We want a lot of physical positioning and other types of access methods but could actually get to the buns and things like that. Frankly a little bit of – it was quite a bit of technology that brought him into using technology that otherwise he would be able to use quite well. But there was a little bit of a job modification as well where the group is only so large and he only had to go so fast and things like that. That pretty much took care of it for him.
BRIAN NORTON: So when you’re looking into that particular job for the client, you are working with – are there places you went to be up to find adaptive DJ equipment or did you just use mainstream stuff? Were there places you called to be up to figure out what would be the best software speakers, other things that are used?
MARK STEWART: Perhaps one of the answer to this is vocational rehabilitation.
BELVA SMITH: That’s where I was going because I think the bottom – I think the real question is how does it get started. I think vocational rehabilitation and then an assistive technology specialist to sit down with them and try to figure out what’s going to be –
MARK STEWART: She’s an OT, but don’t assume. We get a lot of referrals to voc rehab. And that’s not something that she had thought of, absolutely voc rehab is probably extremely appropriate here because this is a vocational based situation. As of the key is very motivated and very talented.
BRIAN NORTON: If you are looking for local resources – I don’t see specifically in the email whether they’re from Indiana or elsewhere. If you go to our website, it’s www.eastersealstech.com/states, to find a listing of all of the tech act project or assistive technology act projects for the United States and all of its territories. There are 56 products just like us here. Ours is called INDATA, which is the Indiana assistive technology act. So we are based in Indiana. There are other ones around the country that you can give a call and they can tell you about the local resources for vocational rebuilt vision or other funding sources people tap into to perfectly start that process of looking at very specific what the clients needs are, what they’re working to do, what the goals are and starting to much of technology with them. The Mac I’m sure it’s going to take research because these are probably going to be mainstream devices – they may be but with some adaptation being made. It’s probably going to take some research and trial and error to find exactly was going to be appropriate. To make this is preaching to the choir a little bit as far as her being an OT, but we could try to take a stab. She said that her person has cerebral palsy but we don’t know the specifics so we would be getting around there. I think the most helpful thing to do is to let her know that probably even another state, this really is a system in a team that probably can do really well. Again this case it would have a lot of momentum because of the vocational need and call. She is an OT, so her expertise were colleagues of hers and assistive technology can look at things and a very personalized assessment. And I’ll throw in there, I can’t imagine that this creative opportunity isn’t there in the district as well. Early you mentioned, the approach I took with my individual. Not to refer to the specific technology because that may not help here this is probably going to present differently, but always frankly so cool or so — it may be really motivating to this OT, is that in coordination with vocational habilitation and that counselor and her resources, whatever they did was partner with a really large music store. I got with one of their reps and confidentially talked and cordoned with him on what equipment this person would need, what size of a set up he would need, and then I was thinking about assistive 20 of occasion and stuff like that. While we actually have done and full of DJs here at Easter Seals, that was the first one for me. I was just able to build this team, part of it adapted, part mainstream. There are employment consultants you work with as well that might work with the employer. We really got a lot done.
BELVA SMITH: oftentimes that’s what it is. It’s a team in group of people working together for one common goal.
BRIAN NORTON: Right. Just about every service you mention from the employment consultant to the AT specialist, that all start from Voc rehab in our specific situation.
MARK STEWART: This doesn’t help with anything, but I’m dreaming to myself because there was a little bit of the hesitation. If I’m going to be humble about it, yeah, there was some AT but a big part of what I did was learn a whole bunch of the equipment to the DJs used and does help the VR counselor coordinate what he needed and what he didn’t need and just a little bit of seating and positioning. I learned a lot there.
BRIAN NORTON: If you think about the totality of what you have to think about in that situation, would be all the way down to what size venues are you going to be using, what are you really wanting to do with the equipment. I just want to do wedding parties or small get-togethers? Do you commit can change vastly from one menu to another.
BELVA SMITH: Don’t use different equipment if you are indoors present outdoors? I would assume so.
MARK STEWART: It’s fascinating how much is on a Mac software-based ways to be a piece of equipment.
BRIAN NORTON: If you have any feedback about the previous question or want to send us a question of your own, don’t hesitate to do so. You can do that at www.eastersealstech.com. We are looking forward to hearing from you. The Mac it would be great if we had some snow that were differently abled DJs and could call or send us an email with whatever it is they are using and how it’s working for them. That would be great.
BRIAN NORTON: Perfect.
MARK STEWART: Eye gaze certainly would work with that. Is there anything else you want to add about –
BRIAN NORTON: The actual technology.
MARK STEWART: Again we don’t know the particular consumer but the actual technology and little bit about how that might look.
BRIAN NORTON: Eye gaze technology is where there are typically some infrared cameras that focus on the person’s eyes or the people pupils of their eyes and follow them and track them on the computer system. So as a look at a particular area of the screen, the focus of the computer will focus where their eyes are looking, and then in conjunction with software which typically takes the function of either mouse clicks, like a single click, double-click, a drag will allow them to interact with different areas of the screen. I know in this David Anderson case, they did a lot of customization to that because they had to use several DJ specific software packages, so there’s quite a bit of customization that was done. Again, that may be needed depending on the software you use to make sure that this particular input method, eye gaze software that works well for them. Eye gaze software is expensive at times. It’s coming down and cost quite a bit. A couple of pretty popular versions of eye gaze systems – PC Eye Go is an option for the computer system. It sits on her laptop and will then be calculated as you come up and sit in front of the laptop so that as you sit in front of it, it’s taking into consideration any adjustments necessary for seating and positioning and other kinds of things. PC Eye Go would definitely be when I would mention.
Finding places where you can actually try the software out is great as well. We mentioned the Assistive Technology Act that you can find on our website at www.eastersealstech.com/states. Some of those places have low libraries and would be able to loan you a particular device. I know we do that here and we do have some eye gaze software that you can borrow. To borrow from ours, yet to be a resident of Indiana and have a disability or work with someone or an interest in a particular situation centering around a person who has a disability or disability specific needs. Other places would have the same resources we have as well.
BELVA SMITH: Isn’t the eye gaze system something like if I just call up the library and say I’d like to borrow it, is not something I’m just going to pick up and try to use without probably having some training and set up.
BRIAN NORTON: You’re going to need it very specifically set up for you. Make sure it works for you as well.
BELVA SMITH: I love that our library does have it so that if an individual who is currently using it, for whatever reason has to have it repaired or is down for a while, they can borrow it to stay on track. Is not one of those things that most people are going to be able to just take out of the box and use.
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BRIAN NORTON: Don’t forget to give us a call. Provide us. Feedback. If you have a question of your own, you certainly get a hold of us at tech at Easter Seals crossroads.org. We look forward to hear from you. Our next question is a question from Cole. Cole is a listener of the program. He sent us an email. His question was I am totally blind college student in North Dakota. I’m starting to consider joining the world of competitive swimming. I’m trying to find a waterproof braille or talking watch for the swimming pool. I’ve owned several water resistant watches that I can get wet washing dishes or taking a short shower, but they get destroyed as soon as I hit the pool. I’ve tried the Bradley braille watch and the Apple Watch as well. Having a question about a waterproof talking watch.
BELVA SMITH: I’m sad to hear that he tried the Bradley because I believe that the Bradley was made for or even invented by a blind competitive swimmer. When I was researching, that was the one that I came back with even though I found several models that were not necessarily for competitive swimming. They were a couple of them that were, but beyond the Bradley I didn’t find anything, especially not braille.
BRIAN NORTON: I looked up the Bradley watch and a very specifically says about water and shock resistance, it’s at the Bradley will easily withstand splashes or brief immersion in water like getting caught in the rain or washing hands. However, it is not sufficiently resistant for water sports like swimming and bathing. Bradley is not intended to be worn during high level activity sports.
BELVA SMITH: That’s interesting because when I looked it up, I did find one model that said that it was for swimming. Wasn’t that watch made for named after a swimmer?
BRIAN NORTON: I don’t know.
BELVA SMITH: I’m pretty sure it was. If you Google Bradley watch, to get a whole list of them. There were like 10 different models.
BRIAN NORTON: So maybe there’s a particular model.
BELVA SMITH: I think there was a particular model. I think it was like $320. He says he has tried that and not had good success with it.
BRIAN NORTON: For those that aren’t familiar with the Bradley watch, it’s a watch with some three-dimensional services. Even as we have the ability to feel what time it is. It also has almost a ball bearing that was around that three-dimensional surface to be able to tell you the time and help figure out what that time is. It’s a different type of watch. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before.
BELVA SMITH: I think that’s a really unique request, which is probably why there is really not much out there for it. Like he said, most of the waterproof watches are you can get in and out of the shower with it. You definitely can’t get in deep.
BRIAN NORTON: It’s a question lots of people are asking about. There is a message board from the American Foundation for the Blind talking very specifically about people asking questions, hey, have you heard of a waterproof watch, talking about how there are lots of water resistant watches but nothing that really states it is complete waterproof. It sounds to be question a lot of people have answers be a need that is out there. Hopefully there are listeners who are listening in right now they may have an option. If you do, chime in and let us know. I love to be get that back out to Cole.
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BRIAN NORTON: Our next question is also from Cole. In a subsequent email, he says I am majoring in the ministry to become a care pastor with the Assemblies of God. This is the technology I already have, but is there anything else I may need or want to make my job and or life as a pastor easier. Currently he has a laptop with JAWS, a braille note apex, iPhone with voiceover, open book with a scanner, and a pen friend. I have the following up as well: the one that actually helps him tell of the letter on or off. He got a color reader, a money reader, a couple of scanners that read barcodes, and the book reader from book share. It sounds like he’s got quite a bit of technology pure,
BELVA SMITH: His got a toolbox full of cool tools. However, the one thing I didn’t hear in the apps department is I didn’t hear the K NFB reader app. That might be something to consider. It is one of the best OCR apps that I am aware of – or I should say it’s one of my favorites for the iPhone. It does typically cost around $99, however every now and then they do put it on sale.
BRIAN NORTON: Let me just mention, as of last week, one of our other coworkers mentioned that he found it for $20 on the Google Play Store.
BELVA SMITH: The Google version has always been cheaper. I don’t know why that is. It’s typically like $40. When I read this question, I was thinking about a gentleman that you and I had both worked with that was studying ministry. There was something where he needed a different language to go –
BRIAN NORTON: He was trying to learn Hebrew. There wasn’t really a great braille translation software package that worked with Hebrew. I know things have come a way since we last worked with him.
BELVA SMITH: That was quite a few years ago.
BRIAN NORTON: Again, that may be something you want to look into and figure out if something like that is available for you.
BELVA SMITH: At that time, it really wasn’t – or did you find – and that you found some sort of a —
BRIAN NORTON: We did but it didn’t work out. There was a different screen reader – the person I had you work with also use jobs, however we found a different screen reader which we ended up working with Voc rehab to purchase. Once we actually got it, they had sworn up and down for the manufacturer side that it would read and do a really good job. It was on their website as well. But what he had found his once he had it in his hands and was trying it out, it didn’t work nearly as well is what the manufacturer said it would. I forget the name but it was not a very household name when you think of screen readers. I forgot the actual name of that particular screen reader. You mentioned the braille note apex. There is the braille note touch these days which offers a little bit of a different feel and look to a notetaker. I’m assuming you may be using your notetaker as a braille panel for the computer when you use a regular computer. That would always be a good option just to get braille feedback when you’re using JAWS on the computer, also with the iPhone as well. Open book is a great scan and read system. It’s comparable to the other ones that are out there and like Kurzweil 1000. The pen friend I think is a really reliable device when you think about a labeling system for things in and around your office, being able to identify things around the office. Belva, do you know of the competing products that are like that?
BELVA SMITH: The name of it isn’t coming to me, but there is a lower cost pen friend. It is similar to the pen friend and basically works the same way and is a little lower in cost, but I can’t think of the name of it right now. Again, it sounds to me like either you spent a couple of years getting this toolbox put together or you had one really good evaluation because it really sounds to me like you got a good set of tools that should cover you. Should care you just about everything other than just updating it as a get into your career and to be finished with your education is up like that.
MARK STEWART: It sounds like he’s looking to be prepared for a lot of the situations, swimming and back to school.
BELVA SMITH: I would like to say, if you do end up coming across the watch, let us know because that is something that would be great to share with others. He also sounds like the kind of guy that won’t quit digging until you find what he needs.
***
BRIAN NORTON: Our next question is from Carmen. This was actually a message.
SPEAKER: My name is Carmen. I just got some information from one of my friends. I don’t know which one it is, but it’s about the technology turning on the lights and different things like that.
BRIAN NORTON: It sounds like Carmen has a question that we actually stop that recording quickly because she gave us her phone number and we didn’t want to broadcast that over our podcast. She has a question about technology to help her turn on and off her lights. I’m assuming the question is about environmental controls and what are they and what kinds of things exist out there. I’m not sure specifically what environmental control she’s asking about. Environmental controls are often referred to as ECUs, which are environmental control units. There are lots of things to consider and lots of controls out there that folks can use. If you are looking for basic control of appliances, being able to turn things on and off, I’ve used devices like the PowerLink to be able to blog in an appliance and be able to use a switch, any kind of switch. A switch could be anything from something that would allow me to blink my eye, wiggle my big toe, move my head side to side to be able to turn something on and off. There are thousands of different options which is out there available for folks. It’s a really basic control type of device. Nowadays we also find lots of technology that’s readily available at hardware stores, places like Lowe’s and Home Depot. You can find things that are called WeMo controllers. We actually use those in our lab. Essentially what happens with those is you plug in an appliance to it and you plug it into the outlet in your wall. Usually what happens is you have some sort of a mobile device which can be operated from a switch or any other type of control you have, be able to use a touch screen to turn things on and off. That is using Wi-Fi so it using the Wi-Fi in the room to be able to communicate from your mobile device and whatever control unit are using to that particular appliance modules is plugged into the wall. Another real common ones out there is called Insteon. Both Insteon and WeMo – we have an interesting set up in our lab where we actually have Amazon echo, the virtual home assistant thing where you can ask questions of it and use voice control to be able to control the WeMo and Insteon controllers in our labs. That’s a little bit more sophisticated than just the basic PowerLink which is essentially electric and you can turn it on and off. Then if you are really looking for a souped-up systems, there are lots of more traditional environmental control units for folks who need lots of support in and around their home. There are systems from Sage, which is the Sage powerhouse. They are based out of Chicago. They provide a computer system with voice input to be able to control just about everything and everything in your home. That could be your heating and cooling, your fans, your lights, your appliances, blinds if you have those set up for yourself.
MARK STEWART: Was control systems.
BRIAN NORTON: Anything in and around your house. That’s either switch access or voice control. It would also double and allow you a lot of time to be able to then control a computer system and other software. Sage powerhouse is a good option. Other ones that I’ve had some entrance in the past with is Nanopack has something call the sea care pilot. That’s a real basic but complex unit that lets you control lots of different things in and around your home as well. I think a couple of things to keep in mind when you think about environmental controls, you need to think about the types of control you want. Do you want to be able to just turn things on or off or are there things that require some variable control like volume up where there is incremental changes in how it operates. Volume up, volume down, other kinds of variable control units in and around your home. Depending on what you are trying to control, it would depend on the type of unit you end up getting. I think there are three different kinds of environmental control that you might look at. There are AC units. That’s kind of an older technology , using the existing wiring in a person’s home to control appliances. You may have heard of those. A long time ago they were called X10 modules. They are still available. You can still purchase those. But a little bit older technology.
BELVA SMITH: Though those may be older, do you think that they might be a little bit more reliable in that those don’t require – if I’m correct. I have on their work with the X 10 modules a couple of times and it’s been a long time ago. Those don’t rely on any kind of Internet connection. You plug that into the wall, you connect the device to it, and it works with the switch. Is that correct?
BRIAN NORTON: Most of the time, yes. They are a pretty reliable technology.
BELVA SMITH: A lot of newer things, though they may be fancy and stuff like that, most of them do require an Internet connection.
BRIAN NORTON: Most of them do. Most of the newer controllers require an Internet connection. Again, depending upon how reliable your Internet – I know in our lab we have some issues where we have to reset our device occasionally. It’s always a good idea to repower your wireless router in your home every once in a while just to make sure you have a clean connection and it’s going to be reliable the next time you need it. If you’re having trouble turning on and off your old lights, the power in your router may be a difficult task for you.
BELVA SMITH: That’s one of the reasons I like or I would definitely suggest that the X 10 be considered in this type of consideration, because it does depend on exactly what it is they are trying to do. I think she mentioned turning the lights on and off. For me anyway, if it were me, I would probably want to go is something that I could depend on and the reliability would be there. Wi-Fi, let’s face it, it’s flaky. It doesn’t matter if you are in an office building or at home, it’s flaky. Like you were just saying, I know at my house we do have to reboot our router at least every two weeks. But that’s just the rebooting of it. It’ll go down and come back where we don’t necessarily have to reboot it. But if you are unable to get the lights on or off and you are hitting your switch and your Internet just happens to be down but was back in five minutes, that could be frustrating.
BRIAN NORTON: Absolutely. So there are AC controllers for your ECUs, the older kind of technology using the wiring in your house. Infrared controllers using infrared signals require clear sightlines. That’s a topic to it. You have to be able to see it for it to be able to operate. Often times use to control things like multimedia devices like VCRs, TVs, and other kinds of things. Then there are also radio controllers as well where you don’t have to have clear sight.
BELVA SMITH: Neither one of those require Internet, right?
BRIAN NORTON: No. If you are using an RF signal, those can go quite a long distance.
BELVA SMITH: The RF can go through a wall. I remember my Bose system is controlled with an RF remote and it could be controlled anywhere in my house.
BRIAN NORTON: A good common example for everyone would be your garage door opener, typically use RF signal to open. So if you have a closed garage door, they can still communicate with this system inside. Back to Carmen’s question and very specifically what she was interested in as far as technology that could turn out her lights, I’m not sure if it was a particular reference to a particular piece of technology that we highlighted in some way on our tech tip videos or what not, but there are lots of options out there for you.
MARK STEWART: There was just a little bit of reference to this in a previous show. Wouldn’t it be nice if the information were getting out, a friend listen to that show, told her about it and she called in. What we were talking about – I didn’t quite hear you mention this, Brian, and I want to make sure it mentioned because of her question. At Lowe’s, Menard’s, Home Depot, other stores, that most simple unwired connection like the type of radiofrequency connection that turns on your Christmas tree lights, it doesn’t have to be your Christmas tree that return on from a distance. It could be just a regular lamp.
BRIAN NORTON: Even a real simple – we’ve all seen the foot clicker. It’s essentially an extension cord with a little circle in it. It’s got a little foot button they can press.
BELVA SMITH: That could be a fan, a radio.
BRIAN NORTON: Any appliance.
MARK STEWART: Sometimes those come up as kind of novelty items on the holidays or something, but what we are saying is, especially these days, you can get them all the time.
BELVA SMITH: You’re right, Mark. We did just talk about this a couple of weeks back because I remember I’m excited and I want to find that switch that you guys were talking about for the Christmas tree, because I want that for my Christmas tree.
BRIAN NORTON: They do work well. I got one from mine.
MARK STEWART: I use it all year long from the lounge chair. Brian, you don’t know this question is coming, so where do you see what’s on the cutting edge –
BELVA SMITH: Are you throwing the wildcard question?
MARK STEWART: No, I’m not throwing the wildcard question. This is in a wildcard question for Brian.
BRIAN NORTON: You did say Brian didn’t know it was coming.
MARK STEWART: This is down the middle frame. We talked about Sage. What some of the bleeding edge stuff that’s going on out there with environmental controls?
BRIAN NORTON: It’s the whole Wi-Fi enabled control of your environment, especially with devices like Amazon echo, I think Google is putting something out pretty soon, Google home, where it’s a virtual voice assistant very much like you have on your phone. You can just simply ask it to interact with these other devices to be able to control your environment as well. What I love is how technology changes from these dedicated things you had to go to a very special place to purchase, to now it is readily available in hardware stores and other kinds of places that are just run-of-the-mill places where you find pretty interesting technology right at your fingertips.
BELVA SMITH: Brian, I remember way back when I first came here. It was maybe my second or third week here. You and Wade were working with a young girl to automate pretty much all kinds of things in her house. It was right at the holiday and we were fixing it so she could simply say Christmas tree on, Christmas tree off, lights on, lights off, fan on, fan off, TV on, TV off, volume up, volume down, things like that. It was all voice controlled. I remember that there was a lot of training that had to go in there to make sure that she knew exactly the right command to use. Now with this newer technology, it’s not voice controlled, so it’s probably easier, I guess quicker, to learn how to do it because it’s a switch.
BRIAN NORTON: Amazon echo is was controlled, but it’s a lot more intelligent. Voice recognition has come a long way. You don’t have to sit there and trained it to be able to recognize a very specific command and more.
BELVA SMITH: It just kind of picks it up.
BRIAN NORTON: It just picks it up. A learned over time. It still learns and adapts, but is not something that you have to spend hours and hours training, for the most part. There are occasions where that’s going to be required depending on what your voice sounds like and if you have any difficulty with speech.
BELVA SMITH: Maybe I’m learning something here. Are you saying with the Amazon echo I could turn my lights on and off?
BRIAN NORTON: Yes. A
BELVA SMITH: I did not know that.
BRIAN NORTON: In our lab, we have WeMo controller modules plugged in to our appliances. The Amazon echo will let you interact with the WeMo app and allow you to control those modules to be able to turn those things on and off.
BELVA SMITH: If I wanted to turn a light on and off with the Amazon echo, first out that Amazon echo, I had to have Wi-Fi, I had to have the WeMo modules. Do I have to have a special lightbulb?
BRIAN NORTON: No. You can get special WeMo lightbulbs. There are WeMo specific lightbulbs.
BELVA SMITH: That’s what I thought.
BRIAN NORTON: But in this particular instance, I know, you can plug a regular lightbulb in, and as long as the light is on and is plugged into the module, it’ll go ahead and turn it on and off.
BELVA SMITH: and I don’t have to have any other – I don’t have to have a smartphone or tablet? Or do I?
BRIAN NORTON: Having a tablet is often helpful , you don’t have to physically have it if you’re using Amazon echo to access it. A tablet would be nice because there is a WeMo app that you can control from the tablet and use the touchscreen as kind of a backup device. I don’t believe you have to have that.
BELVA SMITH: So there are a lot of things that have to come together to make that light on/lights off work.
BRIAN NORTON: Again, when you hire a professional who can come out there and help you assess the situation, figure out exactly what you need, and then work with you to be able to accommodate that environment.
BELVA SMITH: I remember I bought the clapper when it first came out.
BRIAN NORTON: Nice.
BELVA SMITH: We took it back because we can get it to work.
BRIAN NORTON: Of the original environmental control units. Excellent. What usually happens right now is our wildcard question of the week. That’s usually where I throw it over to Wade who is usually in the studio with us. He asks us off-the-wall question, one that we haven’t had an opportunity to review before the show. Unfortunately he is not here today, so I think for today we are going to go ahead and postpone them not do this because we just don’t feel it would be right without Wade here to do a wildcard question of the week. Is that how everybody feels?
BELVA SMITH: I agree.
MARK STEWART: Yep.
BRIAN NORTON: Just to wrap up, for those that are interested in trying to find our show, if you want to tell friends, family, other folks who are interested, you can search for our show on iTunes by typing in assisted larger questions into the search field. You can also find us on stitcher. Or visit us at ATFAQshow.com. Please, send us your questions, or you can give us a call, leave some feedback if you have feedback on the other question we had answer today. You can do that through a variety of different ways. You can give us a call at 317-721-7124. You can send us a tweet with the hashtag ATFAQ. Or email us at tech at Easter Seals crossroads.org. Certainly we want your questions. Without your questions, we really don’t have a show. Definitely be a part. We look forward to hearing from you.
BELVA SMITH: Help us help Cole find that braille swimmers watch.
BRIAN NORTON: Please do. I want to thank everybody here in the studio and our well-wishers are with Wade. Thank you, Belva; thank you, Mark.
MARK STEWART: Thanks everybody. Get better, Wade.
BELVA SMITH: See you guys soon, or talk to you soon.
BRIAN NORTON: Take care everyone. Have a good day.
WADE WINGLER: Information provided on Assistive Technology Frequently Asked Questions does not constitute a product endorsement. Our comments are not intended as recommendations, nor is our show evaluative in nature. Assistive Technology FAQ is hosted by Brian Norton; gets editorial support from Mark Stewart and Belva Smith; is produced by me, Wade Wingler; and receives support from Easter Seals Crossroads and the INDATA project. ATFAQ is a proud member of the Accessibility Channel. Find more of our shows at www.accessibilitychannel.com.
