In today's blog you are to discuss in detail your findings regarding assistive technology; what was the most interesting, what was the most surprizing, what technology is most beneficial to users and why.
If you had to use the assistive technology that you researched, how would you feel? How could the technology help you in school, work and everyday life?
Discuss in DETAIL how other people would 'look' at someone using the assistive technology you researched. Are people frowned on, stared at, etc.
Joey Bandi
ReplyDelete1/9/11
Assistive Technology is a very useful thing today in society. The most interesting thing I’ve found is what you can do with all the new technology; for example using facial expressions to control a computer. The thing I find the most shocking is how many people there are with disabilities. I believe I read that about 10% of the population of the world has a disability. In my opinion the most beneficial technology Is wheelchairs. Especially wheel chairs that can help you speak and move and control things. To be honest, I would not like using assistive technology just for the fact that I wouldn’t want any help, but if I did have a disability I would love it. It would help me solve things in schools and to communicate with friends and family. People these days that have disabilities that I can tell are stared at or frowned upon. I’ll be honest, sometimes I have stared a couple times or two, but doesn’t everyone. Some people don’t stare at them like they’re weird but just wondering what their disability is. I think that people with disabilities like this shouldn’t be look at like this because they’re probably similar to us in many ways, they were just born different.
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ReplyDeleteGarrett Magrum 1-9-12
ReplyDeleteI found when I was looking up assistive technology that most of the technologies were hearing aids, I found that to be a surprise because I thought that ether wheelchairs or ttys where going to be the top search. The hearing aid is most helpful I think because people who can’t hear will be able to hear what is going on around them and be able to take part in a conversation. If I had this assistive technology I would be ok with myself because you can buy them really small and almost invisible. It could help me pay attention better or just to clarify what someone said. If someone where to look at me if I had a hearing aid in they might not say or do anything differently than they would now. Most people are treated like normal people but some people might get stared at and they might feel a bit odd but that is all.
I found that there are a lot of different types of assistive technology such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, electric pointers, etc. I found it surprising that president Roosevelt was in a wheelchair. I believe that the wheelchair and hearing aids are most beneficial to users because for one the wheelchair makes it easy for people who are unable to walk to get around and as for the hearing aid well the answers simple it makes it so people can hear.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in a wheelchair I think I would be ok the only thing that would bother me is not being able to do most stuff on my own and it would also bug me when people looked at me with pity.
The thing that I found most surprising about assistive technology was that it helped people so much that had life threatening diseases that had disabled them. With this technology they were able to cut their losses and retain whatever body function they could not live without. The technology that I think is most beneficial is the electric wheelchair because mobility is the main thing that a lot of people lose and need to maintain a normal lifestyle. If I had to use any of the assistive technology I researched I would feel unnatural, but I would know that it is what I would need to maintain a normal body function that I can’t otherwise do without. Many people who look at people with assistive technology seem to think they are better than that person just because they can perform a normal function and that other person can’t without the help of assistive technology. Even though this person thinks he/she is better, they are really not.
ReplyDeleteAfter doing research about many different kinds of assistive technology, I feel like I better understand the concept. In response to the questions I felt that the most interesting piece of technology was Siri, the application on iPhone designed to help assist people with vision problems or poor hand eye coordination. I thought it was interesting because many people use this application without knowing its true purpose. I thought that the most surprising technology was the study of cosmesis in prosthetics. I thought it was surprising because I now know that the technology for disguising prosthetics is getting much more advanced to the point of not telling the difference between artificial and biological limbs. I feel that the technology that is most beneficial to users is prosthetics, I feel this way because it gives people back their independence when they might’ve had to live their life with constant assistance without it.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in the need of a prosthetic limb I would be devastated because although I could still live a normal life, I would probably not be able to do some of the things I enjoy for fun like cheerleading. Although I feel that I would be thankful for the prosthetic, I would always know that I was different. That technology could help me in life by giving me the ability again to drive a car or even to write if I lost my right forearm or leg.
I feel that is someone was in need of a prosthetic limb and did not have cosmesis to disguise it people might stare at them. It’s the way that we are, intrigued by things and people that are different than we are, so naturally they would draw some attention to themselves.
Star Winkler- January 9, 2012
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting assistive technology device that I read about was all the different types of wheelchairs. When I think about wheel chairs I just think about two types 1. The kind of wheelchair that you manually move with your hands. 2. The automatic ones that you push buttons or move a stick around to make it go. Then I learned that there are wheelchairs for many different things like sports, beaches, climbing steps, etc. The surprising thing that I found out was there are even wheelchairs for dogs. Wheelchairs are beneficial to users because they help gain mobility. They allow people with disabilities to get from place to place easier.
If I had to use a wheelchair I would probably feel limited. I would feel independent but dependent also. I would feel independent because I would be able to move around on my own. I would feel dependent because I know there would be things that I would not be able to do. A wheelchair would help me in everyday life because it would allow me to go places that other people go and wouldn’t restrict me to staying at home.
A lot of people look down on people using assistive technology because they think they are not the same. I also think that people using assistive technology get stared at a lot more than others too. Also, I think that many people, when they see a person using assistive technology, think that they cannot do as much as other people can do or they are not capable of things. I personally think that people that use technology are admirable. They are not afraid to use the help that they need. They don’t let their disability keep them stranded at home. Also, they don’t put their life on hold and they try to be very independent. People with assistive technology in my eyes are just like everyone of us but they just need a little more help in their everyday life.
The technology I found was the Tobii PCEye and the Pivot. The PCEye is a eye pad that allows someone to move and use the computer using their eyes. The software monitors eye movements and then translates it to a mouse that then selects what’s needed. The Pivot is a wheelchair that has add-ons to make turning the wheels on the wheelchair similar to rowing a boat. This helps the person in the wheelchair to avoid wrist and shoulder pain and allow them to go longer periods of time without getting tired. The most interesting assistive technology that I found was the Tobii PCEye. The most surprizing was the Pivot wheelchair. The most beneficial would be the Tobii PCEye because it allows the person to communicate and move around.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to use the assistive technology that I researched I would be okay with it because the Pivot allows you to go farther places that you wouldn’t have been able to do in a standard wheelchair and the Tobii PCEye would still allow me to be able to talk to everyone else. The technology would help me with everyday life because it would be kind of normal with a little extra help. I’d still be able to get around and communicate so that’s all that’s needed.
I think that if some people saw others using the technology I researched they would probably get stares more with the Tobii PCEye other than the Pivot but that’s because with the Tobii PCEye you are using your eyes to talk to someone and others would be fascinated by it. With the Pivot you would be moving around and people wouldn’t think anything of it. I don’t think that people would be frowned upon necessarily because they are using it, people would just try to figure out what it is exactly that they are doing.
Grant Gose
ReplyDeleteJanuary 9, 2012
During my research of “assistive technology,” I learned that there is truly some device to help anyone, regardless of what their disability is. There is equipment on the market for people with autism, blindness, deafness, and even Schizophrenia.
The most interesting piece of assistive technology to me is the fact that people can buy touch-capacitive attachments that fit over an existing monitor, enabling the user to enter data into the computer tactilely, rather than in a more traditional matter. This type of technology would help a person who is blind because they would in response “feel” feedback that their input has been registered with the computer.
If I were “forced” to use this assistive technology, I would feel as though I were scorned upon by society, because every time I see someone using assistive technology, it seems as though someone is looking down upon them, despite the fact that they are just another member of today’s society.
Thanks to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) public places need to be readily accessible to people with disabilities. Whether mental, emotional or physical, a store or restaurant (etc.) is forced to provide access to the disabled. This also means that employers must meet the criteria to be classified as an EOE (or, Equal Opportunity Employer). Companies do not have a choice as to whether or not they will conform to these actions; because if they don’t they will have to face legal consequences.
This is my blog post for 1/09/12
ReplyDeleteassisstive technology helps people to do things that would be difficult or impossible for them to do to do on their own. The most interesting thing i found was how small and unnoticeable these devices can be, like a hearing aid can be so small you wouldn’t even notice it even if you looked directly into the ear canal.
If i had to use a hearing aid i probably wouldn’t feel very comfortable around other people , especially if i never need one before. Although, this devise can help you carryout thing that you do everyday like listening, watching TV, or just having a conversation.
There are people in this world who would look at you and just laugh. They do this because you are different and don’t understand what you go through.they aren’t bad people, they just don’t understand.
Sam Greeley 1-9-12
ReplyDeleteI thought that the most interesting technology was the prosthetics. I think that it’s crazy that we can now make almost robotic limbs that we could even control with our brain. I was most surprised about the emotion reader I didn’t think that we could even make something like that. It never really occurred to me that the blind would need to see the emotion on others faces.. The most beneficial technology I think would be prosthetics because they can give amputees who have lost so much part of their old life back. Prosthetics can help people without a leg windsurf or even ski. I would feel left out of my life if I needed the technology I researched. My life depends on me having all of my limbs, or being able to see, to have that taken away, would crush me. If I needed these technologies, I think that the emotion reader would help me connect with my friends, better if I was blind. The prosthetics would help me anywhere I went because it would give me mobility and function over that limb. Overall in everyday life all of the technologies would help. I think that in our society most people that are blind, or have a prosthetic are stared at; most people don’t see the person but only the handicap. Some people when they see someone with a disability will try to avoid that person like that plague.
I find that the most helpful assisted technology are prosthetic limbs, because many people suffer from disabilities such as the loss of a limb, and the prosthetic limbs help people do things they normally would not.
ReplyDeleteThe technology could easily help in school, because a prosthetic hand can allow one to write, and the same for the workplace, and it can also help anyone to hold things in every day life.
I think the most interesting assistive technology was the wheel chair with a sensor that watches your eye movements. I also think that this was the most surprising assistive technology. I think that the most beneficial type of assistive technology is the wheelchair because it helps people get out of the house without someone carrying them. Going off of the wheelchair I think the electric wheel chair is more beneficial to people who are paralyzed. If I could only use my hands because the rest of my body was paralyzed then I could move myself around using the wheel chair. If I personally was paralyzed and could only move my hands this would be a great thing for me because I could go outside and move around and function better than just sitting around on the couch. People might look at me weird but that’s ok because at least I’m trying to function in society.
ReplyDeleteWhen searching for assistive technologies, I came up with Braille Embossers, on-screen keyboards, and Hearing aids. I was surprised to see how many different types of hearing aids there are. There are in- canal hearing aids and some worn outside the ear. One fact I learned was there are disposable hearing aids that save money, but are not rechargeable. Many hearing aids cannot be seen when standing face to face with someone. The on-screen keyboards are not only beneficial to people with disabilities, but also to children, because it could act as a tutorial to typing. It also serves as a back-up in case your keyboard breaks and you’re in the middle of a big project. Braille Embossers are becoming more and more popular. The embossers are pretty much printers that print Braille, instead of regular text. These are used more by big companies and are not often found very cheap. Every one of these inventions is going to have a bright future.
ReplyDelete1/09/12
Helpful technologies
ReplyDeleteMost helpful
I think the most helpful technology made today is the hearing aids. The most surprising about these hearing aids is the cost of these things some get up to $500 that’s a lot of money for just one. While researching hearing aids I found that there was one that cost up to $800-$900. I think that is too much money for people who need hearing aids some people can’t afford it. I think this is benefit to people who can’t hear it gives them a chance to hear for the first time in their life and know how their voice sounds. If I had to use this type of helpful technology I wouldn’t care if I was def and had a chance to hear for the first time I would jump on it in a heartbeat. This would help me in school because I could listen to the teacher and get more information out of it then using sign languish I learn better when I listen so it would help me out a lot. When I am working it would also be a plus because if u works anywhere most the time u need to hear what people are saying to do it and if u were doing something wrong or in trouble they would yell and u would move. I don’t think people would look at them differently because they sometimes can’t even notice that they have a hearing aid they are coming out with more designs that make it more invisible to other people. There is one famous person who happen to be a musician and one of the greatest musician of his time Beethoven was a song writer of his time he performed in many big places he sometimes would not know the song was over and we keep playing it so they had to have people let him know that the song was over so he could bow to the crowed. I think this is one of the most helpful technologies.
Gloria Chun-- January 9th, 2012
ReplyDeleteMy findings regarding assistive technology are very interesting and a little surprising. I never knew how much went into text-to-speech systems, or how much assistive technology can help deaf or hearing impaired people. The most interesting point I found was how all the parts of a deaf alert system were brought together to make a deaf person’s life so incredibility better. The flashing lights and vibrating alarms, and the subtitles and the telecommunication devices all help the person feel normal and independent. The most surprising point I found was not with the deaf alert systems but with the text-to-speech systems. What surprised me the most about those is the rapid growth it has made in such a small amount of time. In about the 50 years it has been worked on, it has went from a slow, robotic voice which can only say certain things, to a quick, human-like, natural voice that can also imitate human characteristics and sounds. Both these technologies are beneficial to users in different ways. The text-to-speech systems help the people with speech difficulties, visual impairments, and/or reading disabilities the most while deaf alert system help deaf and hearing impaired people the most. If I had to use the assistive technology that I researched, I would feel somewhat disheartened for having to use such extraordinary measure just to be a tad bit independent, but mostly thankful the technology and the ability for human to adapt. This technology would help me in school, work and everyday life by either allowing me to communicate or allowing me to do just everyday things. Overall, this technology would help me be self-sufficient. When other people would 'look' at someone using the assistive technology, they are often looking down at the person or people. They are people who frown and stare at the disabled or handicapped, but only because not many people know about their situation and don’t know how to treat them. Truly, those “other” people aren’t so different than the rest of us, and in some ways, the assistive technology they are using makes them better in some things!
The most interesting thing I found about assistive technology was that assistive technology was used by many famous people such as Einstein and some movie actors, I learned that assistive technology was used to help people to do normal thing or it was used to help with disorders that people have.
ReplyDeleteIt was surprising to learn to learn about famous people using them for certain things that the people had and I had learned that some of the people learned about had disorders. Another thing that was surprising was that people that use assistive technology are around us every day, I didn’t know what assistive technology was in till a week ago and that’s when I started to research it and find out more about it and different technologies that people use in everyday life around us.
If I had to use assistive technology how would I feel? Well If I had to use it like if I got in an accident and had to use it for the rest of my life I wouldn’t care if I had to I kind of would be proud of using it because it helps me do normal things and many more people use it just like me and are not ashamed about using it. There would be no point in being ashamed, I wouldn’t be alone in using assistive technology there would be other people out there that would use it just like me. Assistive technology could help with a lot of things if I was to use It could help me get around better or be able to do other things better, it could do a lot of things for people that need it so if I needed it I could be able to do normal things. There are a lot of things that assistive technology could do for me and other people.
How do other people look upon others when they use assistive technology? Sometimes people look at people that use assistive technology like how did they get to be that way of using it? Or why do they use it for that purpose? I think people should not look down on people that have to use assistive technology; I think that people should accept them. Don’t look and stare if someone if in a wheelchair and don’t talk about someone that has to use a different way to get in a doorway just accept them.
January 9th 2012
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting assistive technology is the speech buddy, it helps the little kids speak and say the letters right like r, s, sh, and, ch I think its revolutionary. the most surprising was the ipad helping autistic children speak for them I didn’t know the ipad could any of this good stuff for people that can’t speak and autistic children. I think the most beneficial technology is the hearing aid, I think it has helped tons of people and some hearing aids you can barely see so it’s not that noticeable and embarrassing. If I had to use assistive technology I would feel that I hope this technology helps me in the way that I need help in. The ipad would help me in school by reading speaking for me and for math, and everyday life would to search the internet and work. I really wouldn’t care how people look at me.
If I had to use the assistive technology that i researched my life wouldn't be the same as it is now. I researched mostly about hearing aids and how people said that they were “different ". I don't believe in "different". Everyone is the same to me , if you’re in a wheel chair , deaf , blind , have hearing aids , elitism , I would never treat them like their slow or have disabilities. I grew up with people with disabled people in my life. I got taught to never treat anyone different.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when people I know stair at people that are in a wheel chair or people that have turrets. I smack them and tell them not to stair because you wouldn’t like it if you got stared at if you were like them. And they usually look at me weird because I’m sticking up for people I don’t know , and in their eye’s people that are “ different ” . If I had hearing loss the number one thing my paper was about , like I said before my life would be different then it is now. I would yell at people that I seen staring at me. Tell them I’m no different from you I’m just more special.
One of the most interesting things about assistive technology is how a text to speech program used in voice synthesis can recognize and even predict words. The most suprising thing is that the text to speech program can predict words. The most beneficial is voice synthesis because it allows people who cannot talk to communicate and helps people who cannot read. If I had to use assistive technology, I would be upset. It could help by allowing communication. People who use assistive technology are sometimes stared at, made fun of, and disrespected.
ReplyDeleteKatie Dunnett - January 9, 2012
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting thing about assistive technology is that many different companies design something similar and are updating their product all the time making it easier for people with disabilities to use.
The most surprising thing about assistive technology is that they give the products to younger kids that have just begun school and as they grow and learn more things the device they are using can begin to do more complex things.
I think the technology that I researched is beneficial for users in two different ways. The first product is the screen readers because they do many things such as enlarge font so people who can’t see as well will be able to read it, the device reads things back to you, and while you are using the computer anything that is connected to it the computer will tell you where is it at on the screen such as the pointer for the mouse or even the text. I also researched the vans that are wheelchair accessible which makes traveling a lot safer and easier for people with wheelchairs. With the newer ramps for the vehicles and being able to remove the seats easier and being able to store them anywhere makes the product more efficient.
If I had to use a screen reader I might feel a little weird. However, if I was blind it would make a world of a difference to me and I might even like using the computer a bit more if it made things fasters to use and find. The product may make help learning go faster and less frustration with work and everyday life because I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t use a computer. If I had to use a wheelchair accessible van I think I might feel better about myself because I would be able to transport people in wheelchairs. It might not b e very cool, but if it helps someone that makes a world of a difference to me and that’s all that really matters.
I think people would stare at someone who was using a screen reader because they had never seen or heard something like that before. However, I think the effect would wear off if they were around that person long enough. People might point and life, but if it helps the user do work well or have a better quality of life those people should mind their own business. If someone were to use a wheelchair accessible van I don’t think anyone would point and laugh they might stare just because they have never seen one work before. Other people know they are out there and people are in wheelchairs. Some people may be impressed by the technology and think that is pretty cool.
The most interesting device I found for assistive technology is keyboard it has bigger and smaller letters for the visual impaired. They have the bigger letters for the elder or people that cannot see the smaller letters. And then the bigger letters are for the people that are far sided and cannot see the letters that are close.
ReplyDeleteThe surprising piece of assistive technology is the memory life book it stores the important stuff that you have to do in that day of you have short term memory then this would really good for you because when you get older you forget more stuff a lot more easily.
The device that I think is most beneficial to the impaired is the wheelchair so if u can’t walk then you can get in your scooter and ride around. You won’t need anyone to help you get in it the only thing u got to do is stand up move over and sit down and you are in the wheel chair.
If I had to use assistive technology then I would probably feel that I have learned more about how many more devices there are out there. I would already know that I am not then only one out there is impaired because I have friends that also have to use assistive technology because they are hearing impaired.
Being visual and hearing impaired can help a lot if you are visually impaired then you have to were glasses and then you can see a lot more and clearly. If you are hearing impaired then you would have to wear a hearing device that helps you hear better and you can hear more stuff then other people.
Other people should not be embarrassed or ashamed of what they look like if other people make fun of the people that have to use asstive technology then them people should have to see how it is having to use it to they should not be doing that because then it just hurts the other person well this all I gotta say.
Assistive technology is any tool that helps a student with disabilities do things more quickly and easily by allowing the teacher to use tool that addresses their strengths and their weaknesses. What I found interesting about assistive technology is that they have different tool for each disability. Each disability like hearing and vision has a specialized tool that helps the user do things more efficiently and quickly. One of the most surprising things that I learned about assistive technology is the special computers that allow a person with limited mobility use a touch screen computer that uses hand gestures and voice command to do things like type an essay. Not all assistive technology is that advanced, some small over looked things like glasses and hearing aids help people to. Like me I have to wear glasses to help with my vision. Without classes or contacts I would not easily be able to read the stuff on the board during school or in a text book.
ReplyDeleteMadalyn Keane's blog posting for 1/9/12
ReplyDeleteThe two assistive technologies I researched were iPads and Wheelchairs. What I learned about the iPad is that it helps blind people with daily life. They have voice over which means you say something you want them to say and they repeat it. They also have a option where you can zoom in very close so the blind person can see what is on the screen. The iPad being touch screen makes it so they can have better access to websites. The most interesting thing I found out about the iPad is that braille mirroring where two people can see or talk at once from their iPads, so there is better communication. The most surprising thing I learned about the iPad was that they have the worlds first screen reader that can be operated by using gestures. The other assistive technology I researched was the electric wheelchair and how it helps handicapped people. The most interesting thing I learned about the wheelchair was that you can use an iPod touch or iPhone to control the wheelchair in several different ways, as far as turning it, making it go how fast or slow you want it to go, bending the wheelchair back or forward. The most suprising thing I learned about the wheelchair is that there is a wheelchair that came out last year where the rubber on the wheels are detachable so depending on where you are you won’t, mess up the wheels and also the arm rest on the wheelchairs are detachable as well. I think the technology that is most beneficial to users is the iPad or iPod touch or iPhone because you can use them for many purposes, as far as helping a blind person “see” making it easier for a deaf person to “hear” what the things around them and also having a mirror image of the screen so you can talk to more than one person and be social with people even though they have a disability. The other thing I also like about the iPod touch, iPad, or iPhone is that if someone is paralyzed or if they cant move they can use the iPad, iPod touch or iPhone to move the wheelchair in multiple ways. They would feel more free and not as confined or depending on their parents as much.
If I had to use the assistive technology I researched, yes I would feel sad and down but I would learn to deal with it and think of the positives of using it. If I was blind or deaf the iPad could help me communicate better with the teachers by using voice over or Braille. If I had to be in a wheelchair i could get around by pressing a button, using an iPod or iPhone or moving the wheels with my hands. I would have to have the table or desk lowered but that wouldn’t be much of a problem.
The way people would look at other people using the technology they would be staring at them and looking at them funny because they would be in a wheelchair and wouldn’t be able to move as fast as everyone else and the person might get mad because there in their way.
When discussing assistive technology there were a lot of diverse types of discoveries people have made for different disabilities. One of the most interesting technologies I found was the Brain powered prosthetic, which is still in developemental stages. What I thought was really fascinating about it, was the fact that it could be controlled by your mind, just like a regular limb. When they finish making the prosthetic it’s going to be a huge leap in technology and it’ll help people who have lost limbs live easier, and more productive lives. One of the most suprising technologies I found was the Screen Reader. The Screen Reader allows people who are blind to easily search the web by discribing everything on the screen like text, graphics, control buttons, and menus. I thought that was suprising because of how big the internet is, and the fact that the Screen Reader can describe every web page. The technology that I thought ismost beneficial to users is the Braille code. The Braille code is a series of raised dots that allows blind people to read and communicate. I thought that this technology is the most helpful because although its very simple, it lets thousands of people who have sight impairments to read, write, and overall learn. It also gives them the oppurtunity to understand the world around them by telling them where things like classrooms, bathrooms, and telephones are without needing to see a sign.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to use assistive technology I’d probably feel like I was unequal with my peers. If I had to use a prosthetic leg I wouldn’t be able to swim as well as others, and I would have a harder time maneuvering around the classroom.
Other people would stare at someone who has a prosthetic limb or using a seeing eye dog because they do look a little different, and that interests others. I don’t think they’d be frowned on because they’re still a person, their lifestyle is just different then others and they learn to cope with it.