How Alexa can change the life of a disabled person

Guest blog: Colin Hughes

My smart home journey started back in autumn 2018 when the progression of my muscle wasting condition, muscular dystrophy, meant that I could no longer rely on my hands and arms to do things due to muscle weakness. Closing the blinds, turning up the thermostat, and switching on the television had become impossible. As a result, I decided that voice control was the way forward if I wanted to maintain, and even extend, my independence.

Two years ago, I wrote an article about my earlyAmazon Echo with various household task symbols experiences of building a voice operated smart home explaining how, with the help of Amazon Echo smart speakers and connected gadgets such as thermostat, lights, television and blinds, I was able to achieve good levels of independence despite my physical limitations.

However, there were two remaining pieces of equipment I wanted to gain control of and these were old devices from the last century and not easily voice enabled.

1. Open sesame - electric door opener

The first was my electric door opener, which is fixed to my front door. I have never been able to open my front door due to weakness in my arms and hands. My door opener is manufactured by Record, a UK company who make many of the electric door openers you see in office buildings and shops and works by a small hand-held radio remote control, which when pressed, opens the front door so I can get in and out. It is really useful and is my only means of access and exit. However, the problem I have been experiencing in recent years, as my have muscles have got weaker, is reaching for the remote control if it is lying on a table, or on a shelf. So with this in mind I have been looking for a way of opening and closing my flat door with just my voice.

Last year, I saw a YouTube video of someone in the USA controlling driveway gates with Alexa using a inexpensive eWeLink wireless switch module. It got me thinking so I sent the video to Record and asked them whether they could do something similar with their electric door opener. My request got a positive response and the company said their technical department would experiment with my suggestion. However, it wasn't until December when they got back to me to say they had developed a solution.

I live in social housing and my landlord agreed to pay for the works, which are minor, and do not invalidate the warranty. In total the price including labour was £150.00. This was quite a difference to a £5,000 quotation I received from another contractor previously. What is it about companies and exorbitant prices for custom solutions involving disability!

Record's solution involves a smart WiFi switch controlled by the eWeLink Smart Home Control app on my iPhone, which is integrated with Alexa. The smart WiFi switch is hard wired to the door controller. From the eWeLink app you can configure the command you require to trigger the unit to open the door. For example, if you wanted the command could be "Micky Mouse" and the unit would trigger the door to open for a single operation. Both Alexa and the switch unit share my secure home Wi-Fi as a common platform to communicate with one another.

I am also able to open the door from outside my flat Photo of Echo Earbudsbecause Amazon now offer Echo Buds, wireless earbuds with full Alexa integration, which means I can take the Alexa voice assistant everywhere. Inside I can let people in, and myself out, with a voice command to my Echo smart speakers, and outside in the street I can let myself in with my Amazon wireless earbuds.

I should add that the solution controls both my flat door and the communal street door, and both doors also work manually in the normal way with a key, and with the radio remote control. Alexa is just a handy third option for me.

This customisation to an existing system is a good example of how receptive some manufacturers can be to custom requests. The Record engineer told me this is the first Alexa integration the company have ever carried out on their equipment.

I couldn't resist using "open sesame" as my first Alexa command for opening the door but I had to as Alexa didn't understand something obvious like "open the door"; she kept confusing it with another instruction. I will be changing this command regularly in case passers-by happen to cotton on to my Alexa command.

I think it's great that Record have collaborated with me. As one friend joked maybe they should offer me a seat on their board now! However, the serious point is that I wish more companies were receptive to making modifications to their existing products to make them disabled-friendly. Better still, design products from the outset with everyone's needs in mind.

2. Bose home theatre system

In my 2018 smart home article I also wrote of my desire to control my Bose Lifestyle 30 home theatre system with my voice to stream music, podcasts and radio stations. The 20-year-old Lifestyle 30 is no longer manufactured and supported, but I wanted to make it smart and integrated into my Amazon Alexa smart home to essentially turn a 'dumb' stereo into a voice enabled device.

Nowadays this is fairly straightforward. Amazon have been selling Amazon Echo Inputa cheap device called an Echo Input that adds Alexa capabilities to old music systems by connecting via a 3.5 mm audio cable into the AUX input on the back of the Bose, and other music systems. However, the problem I was experiencing was, when the Bose is powered on, it always starts in CD mode by default and it is not possible for me to pick up the Bose remote control to switch it to the required AUX mode to stream music by Alexa commands because it is too heavy for me to handle. It was also not possible to use my existing home radio frequency sender as the RF frequency Bose use is not compatible. Infrared control wasn't an option either as my Bose does not support this.

For two years I looked for a solution with no joy but a breakthrough came last autumn when a friend sent me a YouTube video of someone automating a 20-year-old Bose Lifestyle 20 via Google Home. I could see from this video that what I wanted to do was in fact possible. However, despite this evidence, every expert I spoke to told me it was still very complicated.

As I was unable to get in contact with the YouTube poster I tried the private sector and one company quoted me £5,000 for a custom solution to my problem! That was the highest quote I received and there was another for around £1,000.

With a prompt from AbilityNet, I remembered Remap a UK charity Remap logowith skilled volunteers who custom make equipment for disabled people. Remap headquarters gave me a couple of their branches in London to try to see if they could assist. The first branch I tried had no one with computer skills.

However, when I contacted the second branch they had a computer expert on their committee who volunteers in his spare time. Remap put me in touch with Andy and I sent him the YouTube video, and the Lifestyle 30 service manual, which my local NHS environmental control service managed to obtain from Bose on my behalf, (Bose are very reluctant to hand out the service manual as the Lifestyle 30 is no longer manufactured). With other bits and pieces of information I had picked up, from posting on various hi-fi and Alexa forums, Andy came round before Christmas to carry out a quick assessment.

Remap volunteer Rupert Powell was one of the finalists in the 2019 Tech4Good Awards. Read Rupert's inspiring story and others...


Solution

The solution that Andy came back with in the New Year was to utilise the 3.5mm RS232 data input socket on the back of my Bose, which is normally used by engineers to run diagnostics. A £15.00 Arduino micro processor was programmed to transmit serial codes, which we obtained from the Bose service manual, to first enter the unit into data input mode, this mimics the remote control and then transmits the code to switch the Bose unit to AUX mode as if entered by the front switches on the unit or via the remote control. The TX/RX ports on the Arduino were set to 1200, 1, N and programmed to transmit the codes 1 second after the Arduino was powered on. A test switch was also included in the Arduino circuit to manually transmit the data to the Bose. The Bose and Arduino are powered by separate smart plugs, both controlled by my voice via an Alexa skill.

I have created a group in the Alexa app on my iPhone that will simultaneously power on the Bose, and the Arduino at the same time by the two smart plugs and with a three second delay when it is powered on, the Arduino will switch Bose to AUX mode and then Alexa will play a playlist or radio station of my choice. It is fairly instant. The noise you can hear on the video is simply the CD starting when the Bose is powered on but this stops after a few seconds when the Arduino switches the Bose to AUX mode. An Alexa voice command such as "turn on the Bose" is all that is required to trigger this action simultaneously. Now I am able to build music, radio, and podcasts into my existing Alexa routines.

There is something really satisfying about breathing new life into a dumb but classic old piece of kit and making it smart for the 21st-century. I could have gone down another route and spent a lot of money on a modern system with Alexa capabilities built-in but I am glad I didn't. I am also very grateful that there are charities like Remap, and volunteers like Andy, in existence to help people like me. I do not know what I would have done without them.

Conclusions

As I have discovered over the past two years, voice controlled smart home tech is a great liberator for anyone who is unable to use your hands and arms as the result of a spinal injury, stroke, or muscle weakness. It has literally transformed my life in so many positive ways.

If you are a stroke survivor, sign up to our FREE webinar on 31st March with the Stroke Association: Technology help for stroke survivors


Whilst I am fairly technical, and persistent in achieving my goals, the problems that some disabled people may face with smart home technology is that it is very expensive and there are few sources of funding available. Some disabled people may also need assistance with installation, configuration and maintenance of devices and software.

My big idea to solve these two fundamental issues is to bring together government, big technology companies like Amazon, Google and Apple, the banks, and others and create a Motability-like charity for the smart tech era that will help disabled people to lease or buy smart devices using their disability benefits, and backed up by a support service to assist with with advice, installation, and any problems that crop up.

In much the same way the Motability Scheme has, for the past 40 years, enabled people to get mobile by exchanging their mobility allowance to buy or lease a new car, there should be something comparable for smart technology that can help disabled people with independence.

Whilst I have received great support from my NHS environmental control service, and charities like Remap and AbilityNet, in this Internet of things era we now live in, access to assistive technology is too important to be left to the good fortune of stumbling across a specialist charity. 

It should be a human right and there should be a formal scheme in place to meet the needs of disabled people who could benefit from this technology, whether that is controlling their home, studying, or in employment – in short, so disabled people can enjoy the freedom and independence that so many of us take for granted.

Additional related content:

Why is web accessibility important?

Blog published on Texthelp website on 2nd March 2020

So much has changed in the last two decades. In fact so much has Hand holding an iphone showing the home screenchanged in the last two years. As a blind person I’m just one example of how tech has helped improve the life choices for people with disabilities. We now have all the power of computers with us wherever we go – and with a range of sensors such as camera, GPS, accelerometer and compass etc that, when perhaps one or more of your own senses don’t work, can be incredibly empowering. Whereas a disabled person used to have to purchase expensive (and often relatively limited) devices, they can often now use mainstream gadgets such as a smartphone that have all the necessary accessibility features built-in and which offer thousands of apps that do the same functions for a fraction of the price. 

As a blind person I used to need a talking GPS device (£750), a talking notetaker (£1500), a talking barcode scanner (£150) and many, many more specialist devices – all that had to be carried around in a backpack and each with their own charger etc – whereas now I have all that functionality and an awful lot more in one device. That same device is also almost infinitely expandable with each new app or service that comes along.

All this excellent tech, however, can only enable access to the digital world for people with disabilities if that world makes certain allowances. That’s where the need – no, the imperative - for digital accessibility comes in.

The low-down on accessibility

Digital accessibility has two main aspects; the accessibility, affordability and functionality of physical devices (specialist or mainstream) and the accessibility of services (websites and apps etc) that we access using those gadgets. OK – so ‘Digital’ probably only means the latter, but the former is so inextricably involved that we need to consider both. 

The accessibility of devices has transformed in recent years – driven in large part by Apple. Apple has lead the way and shamed or energised others to follow. Disabled people are using their smartphones to aid mobility, manage their health, interact with colleagues, friends and society, play an active part in commerce and also have a lot of fun. The accessibility of the Mac and I-devices has ‘mainstreamed’ inclusion and, because of its influence on Android and other manufacturers, has meant that inclusion is now more affordable than ever before and we have largely seen the end of expensive, specialist, devices.

The accessibility of these devices has also impacted that second area of web and app accessibility. Apple’s developer tools have been designed such that you actually have to break accessibility in your app. Thus there are tens of thousands of apps to choose from Amazon Echothat are now accessible – often replacing hard or impossible to use websites that haven’t been built with the benefit of such an environment. This has had a massive impact on choice for disabled people. As a blind person I would always first reach for an app which is a much more accessible, cleaner and more distilled user experience. Actually I would first reach for Alexa or Siri to see if the information or interaction I want can be done in a few seconds flat. If it works then this is a result. If it doesn’t then I have only wasted seconds before firing up the app.

One reason why the smartphone (and increasingly, the smartspeaker) is so empowering is that it enables people with disabilities to avoid using the internet. Despite the carrots and the sticks associated with making your website accessible, the internet is still a horribly inhospitable place for people with disabilities. If a virtual assistant or inclusive app can come up with the goods then a frustrating exploration of a much more complex – and almost invariably less accessible – web-based alternative will be avoided like the plague.

Mainstreaming accessibility

The concept of digital accessibility is now not only more mainstream an issue – it is, in fact, a purely mainstream issue.

We’re living in the age of extreme computing. Let’s think about how we use computers today. In this mobile-first world many of us are interacting with devices in ways that are far removed from the conventional set-up of your office or home where you sat in your comfortable chair, had your preferred keyboard, mouse and screen and ultimate control over your environment. If the sun was too bright or too dull, for example, you’d pull the blind or turn on the lights. 

Now, whether it’s juggling a phone one-handed as you weave down the street coffee in-hand, desperately trying to finish off that text or transaction before you reach the bottom of the escalator, or tilting and shading your phone under the glare of the midday sun, you’re involved in extreme computing – and extreme computing needs inclusive design.

The challenge is to optimise for every situation.

That sounds like a tough challenge - optimising your devices (if you’re a device manufacturer) or your content and functionality (if you create websites or apps) for everyone and every situation. Well the accessibility guidelines are actually meant to do just that. In the case of websites or apps, for example, you’re designing to optimise for the needs of people who may have a vision, motor or learning impairment for example.

If you have no disability but you are using your phone one-handed on the move then you actually do have a temporary impairment that is identical to someone who has a motor difficulty 24-7. It’s true. You need exactly the same design considerations (good sized tappable areas separated by enough white space) as is needed by someone with Parkinson’s or a tremor.

If you or someone you know has Parkinson's, watch our Tech tips to help people with Parkinsons webinar recording 


In the same way, if you are trying to find out some information or purchase a product online very quickly in the few seconds you have available as you stand on that escalator, then you require that the site or app you are using has extreme usability to be able to complete it in the time you have available. This extreme usability is needed by someone with a learning difficulty to be able to successfully complete it regardless of how much time they have. Exactly the same requirements – and accessibility, or inclusive design, will help to achieve it.

You get the idea. Similarly good colour contrast and choice of font will help those with small screens on a sunny day just the same as it will help those with a vision impairment regardless of their screen size.

Thus accessibility – with its historical connotations of being solely for the disabled user, requiring extra budget and effort and, being a ‘bolt-on’ often being dropped off when push comes to shove – should probably now be replaced with the idea of ‘Inclusive design’. Inclusive design is for every user and, as such, is factored in from the very start of any project and informs every decision along the way.

How to move the accessibility needle

Hopefully, at this point, we all agree that digital accessibility is essential to make products and services fit for purpose in this mobile-first world – quite apart from it being an essential component of the daily digital lives of people with disabilities.

AbilityNet offers a wide range of digital accessibility products and resources 

It's been a legal requirement to have an accessible website since 2003 and yet we estimate that still 90%+ of websites in the UK don't even meet a level of WCAG single-A compliance - let alone AA which is arguably the legal requirement.

I believe that the single most impactful development that will see a seismic shift in accessibility is for government to actually enforce the law. This sounds odd, but in an open letter to the government I explain and I’ll summarise it here.

You can barely leave your car one minute over time without getting a parking ticket, or speed on the highway without seeing a camera-flash, but where are the government’s wardens of the internet? The law on accessibility matters too - arguably much more so for those disabled users directly impacted and indeed for our digital economy more widely. Because, what’s good for someone with a visual impairment is good for someone using a small screen etc, etc (you're all experts on this now).

While it can take considerable time and expertise to ensure a website is compliant, it's incredibly simple to check AA-level compliance (the legal minimum) with an automated checking tool. It would only take a very small team to enforce.

So why leave it to disabled individuals to enforce the law? That seems wrong to me. One reason is that for the longest time the government probably felt that their own house wasn't sufficiently in order. They were doing the equivalent of speeding or parking on double-yellow lines themselves. But now gov.uk is pretty accessible and so I say that now is the time. Let’s get this initiative underway and get companies to sit up and take note. 

Whilst a government department would not want to name and shame, organisations such as the RNIB or indeed ourselves at AbilityNet may well wish to put in a frequent FOI (freedom of information) request and thus the names of organisations could well be made public. I believe the financial and brand incentives would see a paradigm change in what has been an incredibly slow journey to accessibility.

That’s my take-away and you can take it or leave it. Other countries choose to be proactive and are seeing a significant shift towards a more digitally-inclusive world for everyone. 

Find out about accessibility and inclusive design in other countries in the TechShare Pro 'Carrots and Sticks: A global perspective' session


I hope you decide to champion accessibility because it’s the right thing to do and not out of fear of the possible brand or legal consequences – but, as a blind person driven to despair by the digital world on a daily basis, I really don’t mind either way.

Happy, inclusive digital creation.

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The future of voice-first healthcare – in one handy, expert book

Meeting the experts in voice-first tech

Today (10 March) at an international healthcare conference* in Orlando, Florida a ground-breaking new book is being launched on how voice-first technology - like Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant - can be leveraged to revolutionise healthcare delivery and the lives of people with disabilities. 

Guest authors, all experts in this field, were each asked to contributeFront cover of Voice Technology in Healthcare book a chapter to this landmark publication that explores the intersection of Voice and Healthcare.

In my capacity as long-time Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet and podcast host of the Echo skills demo show; Dot to Dot, I was invited to write a chapter examining the rich area of voice-first tech and disability.

The lead authors of the book are Harry Pappas, Dr David Metcalf, Dr Sandhya Pruthi and Dr Teri Fisher. Along with guest chapter authors, they review information from the top thought-leaders in this space, examine real-world case studies of the outcomes and explore the future of voice technology in healthcare.

“Our ability to communicate through the spoken word and the relationship to technology and healthcare, is the basis for this entire book.”  Dr Teri Fisher

About the book

The healthcare industry is on the cutting edge of voice-user interface (VUI) design and making great progress to improve patient care through developing technologies, literally transforming the voice of the industry. The advantages of VUI extend far beyond simple conveniences for patients or a healthcare employee’s saved phone call. VUI has a profound impact on care improvement. Just like a person, a well-designed VUI can use tone of voice, inflection and other elements in conversation to shape behaviors or calm nerves. With VUI, physicians and patients become empowered to make informed decisions about healthcare.

The use of voice technology across smart speakers, IoT, clinical and home devices and wearables for improving the patient experience and clinical outcomes was recently identified as one of the most significant emerging technologies in healthcare. Smart speakers are the #1 selling consumer item in the world and competition is increasing between Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Google Voice Assistant, and a host of other specialty platforms specific to healthcare. Voice technology is not just pervasive in smart speakers and smart phones – it is finding its way into wearables, vehicles, homes, and even consumer and clinical medical devices. We even have smart jewellery emerging with health, wellness, and safety features built in. Best of all, this trend spans intergenerational health and wellness that goes beyond clinical care into long term health and wellbeing and the potential for increased patient engagement.

In this book, the authors review information from the top thought-leaders in this space and examine real-world case studies of the outcomes and potential of voice technology in healthcare.

Topics include; clinical and home health use cases, next generation fitness facilities, voice and wearables in smart, connected communities, voice technology in social companions/robotics, voice
technology in future surgical suites, and the future of voice technology and artificial intelligence.

About the conference*

This year held in Orlando, Florida, the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition brings nearly 45,000 health information and technology professionals, clinicians and executives from over 90 countries around the world, together with over 1,300 exhibiters and market suppliers. 

It’s really not hyperbole to say that exceptional education, world-class speakers, cutting-edge products and powerful networking are hallmarks of this truly industry-leading conference.

Buy the book

You can buy the book in print from Amazon UK, as well as in print and Kindle editions from the US and Canada stores. 

* Conference update

Due to the on-going risks associated with Coronavirus, the physical conference has been cancelled and moved online.

I will now be one of the guest speakers during the online event, outlining the themes of my chapter and taking questions. You can register at http://voicefirsthealth.com/live

Related stories:

How to make your documents and content accessible - New Document Remediation Service

In most settings it's mandatory to meet the required standards of accessibility for documents and we understand the biggest challenge you might face is the sheer volume of files created back when accessibility considerations were less of a priority.

It can seem a daunting task, but we can help with the heavy lifting - offering a new Document Remediation service for various file types including Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe PDF, ePub, DAISY, as well as various photo and media file formats.

Are the documents you share accessible to all users?

Many organisations have vast estates of documents that hold current value for users but were created without consideration for those with diverse access needs. For many education providers, public sector organisations and other highly regulated organisations this poses a significant challenge.

It's a good question to ask yourself - 'Is the document I'm about to share accessible to all users?'

An illustration of a person using a magnifying glass to inspect a document

With our document remediation service we take your existing documents and complete checks on the content and make adjustments to ensure they meet the required standards of accessibility, and are appropriate for everyone including disabled people and those who use assistive technology.

Contact us about our Document Remediation service

About Document Remediation

Document Remediation involves taking your existing documents and ensuring that they meet the required standards of accessibility. Consider a screen reader user who has the content of a document read aloud to them, or someone with hearing loss who would need audio information communicated to them in a different way. We can help you ensure your documents are accessible to all users.

The types of checks we make include ensuring you have an appropriate heading structure, textual image descriptions, correctly tagged lists and tables with IDs, decorative images marked as artefacts, ensuring sufficient colour contrast and much more.

We offer Document Remediation services for a range of file types detailed earlier. The content we are checking ranges from complex STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) content and detailed tables to annual company reports. We are able to check and make adjustments to ensure scanned PDFs, forms and static pages are accessible.

Using our Document Remediation service

An icon of a document with a pencil below itIn most settings it is mandatory for an organisation to ensure the accessibility of the content in the documents it shares. If you have a vast estate of documents the task can seem insurmountable which is where we are able to support.

We are different to other Document Remediation service providers in that we can work in multiple languages and use diverse user testers to ensure your documents are accessible to disabled people and those with diverse access needs. All documents are checked by screen reader users.

Our testing complies with the techniques developed for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Enquire about our Document Remediation service

Accessible content first time, every time

You will find more information about Document Remediation on our website along with details of our full range of digital accessibility products and services.

Along with offering Document Remediation we're also keen to help your organisation 'shift left' and so April through June 2020 we will host events and publish content offering advice on creating accessible content first time, every time.

We plan to host a free-to-attend webinar, training, and publish content offering top tips, best practice advice and much more - so make sure you’re on our mailing list.

Join our mailing list

Best free audio books for World Book Day

March 5 is World Book Day, and it’s never been easier to transport yourself to another world in print or via audiobook.

AbilityNet rounds up the best ways to listen for free.

Screen shot of worl book daywing a selection of booksThis year will mark the twenty-third World Book Day when reading is celebrated in 100 countries across the world. 

For World Book Day the RNIB will be producing £1 books in audio and braille formats.

Blind and partially sighted children, and also any children unable to read standard print due to a print impairment, will be able to choose one FREE audio or braille book from the World Book Day list of 10 titles.

RNIB FREE Library Service

The RNIB Library service offers over 60,000 items for free making it the largest library in the United Kingdom for readers with sight loss. The library includes talking books by download, CD and USB as well as free Braille and giant print books.

The service offers 31,000 Talking Books on OverDrive in mp3 format.

The Let’s Talk About Books Page is a great way to find out about new books in the library.

Alexa users can listen to a selection of audiobooks for free on their device each month from Amazon-owned Audible.


Screen shot from the BBS Sounds websiteFree audiobooks, and try before you buy subscription services

Rakuten Overdrive is a digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide. It offers ebooks, audiobooks and digital media to 43,000 libraries and schools in 75 countries.

To access them, download the Libby app, which is available for iOS and Android.

The BBC Sounds App has a great variety of free podcasts, including Audiobooks. It includes The Second Sleep by Robert Harris and the classic tale of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Subscribe to AbilityNet’s Free Podcast hosted by Robin Christopherson


Sites offering free audiobooks include LibriVox, which hosts free public domain audiobooks. The library is rich for historical classics such as Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe – as well as poetry books.

You can also stream Audiobooks on Spotify. Titles include Pride and Prejudice, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

A picture of an Alexa smart speaker on top of a stack of books

There are also several subscription books services, which offer a 30-day trial if you want to try before you buy.

Perhaps, the best known is Amazon-owned Audible; others such as Calibre also offer a free three-month trial.

Find Free eBooks online

A picture of Astropup and the Teletransporter from storynoryBrowse over ver 61,000 free epub and Kindle eBooks for download at Project Gutenberg

You can search by keyword, browse by author, title and language, view recently added Books and top 100 eBooks.

For audiobooks for kids, visit Storynory. Click on fairy tales to reveal classics including Aesop, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson.

The site also includes poetry notably The Owl and the Pussycat.

How AbilityNet can help?

AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people.

  • Call our free Helpline. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will discuss any kind of computer problem and do their best to come up with a solution. We’re open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm on 0800 269 545.
  • Arrange a home visit. We have a network of AbilityNet ITCanHelp volunteers who can help if you have technical issues with your computer systems. They can come to your home, or help you over the phone.
  • We have a range of factsheets that talk in detail about technology that might help you, which can be downloaded for free. You may find our factsheets about voice recognition and keyboard alternatives useful.
  • My Computer My Way. A free interactive guide to all the accessibility features built into current desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

How digital health excludes disabled people: Digital Health Rewired 2020

The NHS is still largely paper-powered, and that is excluding people with disabilities says AbilityNet’s Accessibility and Usability Consultant Adi Latif.

The speaker information of Adi Latif from the Digital Rewired conference programmeAdi was speaking at the second day of Digital Health Rewired 2020, the show that connects current and future health leaders with the best in disruptive digital health.

Diagnosed at age 8 with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, Adi recalled his early experiences as a visually-impaired healthcare user.

“The doctors would nod their heads and hand Mum a prescription and do all the transactional stuff while I would walk around the sweet aisle; I wasn’t able to understand prescriptions, and I didn’t know what was going on.”

Find out how our Accessibility Team can help you ensure your websites and apps deliver inclusive design for disabled people

Healthcare services are excluding the visually-impaired

A picture of a pharmacist handing some pills to a woman. Rows of pills visible in the background.As a visually-impaired adult, Adi said it remains difficult accessing primary care.

“I am thrown back into the dark when it comes to my healthcare,” said Adi. “My independence is stripped away because NHS communication is primarily paper-based.

He continued: "It is bad for the environment and worst of all it makes me disabled.”

Adi is not alone; a recent RNIB survey found that 86% of people who are visually-impaired cannot find information on their healthcare.

“Prescriptions are usually handed to you on a piece of paper,” said Adi. “I spent five years not knowing what the side-effects of a medication I was taking were."

"On another occasion, I had just done a test and a nurse handed me a letter, I asked for an electronic copy so I could use my screen reader.

"She said she didn’t know why I needed it as the letter was for my GP.”

Digital transformations are required by law

A gavel to indicate the law/justicePositive changes are coming, however.

For example, one of the stands we visited included IMMJ Systems, which is helping Healthcare Trusts digitise records at scale. 

The main driver is to free up space, and create digital records but it also means that anyone – including those with a visual impairment – can submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) and see this in an accessible format under GDPR.

As Adi pointed to in his speech, the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) introduced by the government in 2016 requires that people with a disability or sensory loss are given information in a way they can understand. 

It is now the law for the NHS and adult social care services to comply with AIS.

Video GP appointments in Boots

Elsewhere, Swedish-born LIVI – a company that enables you to see a video GP in minutes is discussing its recent partnership with Boots. 

LIVI MD Juliet Bauer, formerly, NHS England's Chief Digital Officer said they’d be piloting the use of LIVI in Boots stores to drive “transformational change”. 

“At no point should we send a customer away. Using LIVI, we can stop 80 people from every Boots store going back into the system [by offering an online GP appointment],” said Richard Corbridge, director of innovation and high street healthcare, Boots UK.

As well as being available in store you can access LIVI via its app.

How AbilityNet can help Digital Transformation

 

 

 

Robot helpers tackling social isolation

Home help robots could become a reality, reports AbilityNetA screen shot from a Dr Who BBC fil showing Tom Baker as the doctor and K9

What do K-9, Metal Mickey and iRobot have in common?  All three were designed as companions; for The Doctor, a family and for the elderly. Robots for social isolation are now a reality.

Japan, for example, is already exploring how robots in care homes could combat social isolation.

The Japanese government has funded the development of elder care robots to plug a predicted 380,000 shortfall in specialised workers by 2025, according to Reuters

Care homes in Japan are using SoftBank Robotics Corp’s Pepper to engage with patients. Pepper is a humanoid robot, which is able to hold conversations through a wearable tablet screen. 

Seal of approval for Japan's care homes

Japan's care homes are also embracing the concept of robotic animals to provide companionship.

This includes PARO a robotic seal, which is pretty cute and fluffy as robots go. 

Modelled on a Canadian Harp seal, the therapy robot Paro has a rhythm of the morning, daytime, and night and is active during the daytime, but gets sleepy at night.

It has five sensors that are able to react to light, temperature, posture and sound PARO has five kinds of sensors including tactile, light, audition, temperature, and posture sensors. Paro feels being stroked or being held by the posture sensor.

PARO can also recognize the direction of voice and words such as its name, greetings, and praise with its audio sensor.

Closer to home robotic cats are providing comfort to the elderly in UK care homes.

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Others are looking to robots to care for people either at home or in an assisted living environment. 

In the US where over 11 million seniors live at home, BUDDY is a robot that aims to provide companionship in the home. BUDDY "walks around the house like a pet" according to the website and is one of the more emotional robots we've featured, here. 

He has a range of emotions he'll express during the day based on real-world interactions, and could become grumpy if he's ignored. He doubles as a personal assistant and can interact with your smart home connected devices. BUDDY is also able to detect falls and other unusual activity.

The Care-o-bot from Fraunhofer IPA operates in a number of German assisted living facilities.  Already in its fourth-generation, the Care-o-bot is designed to serve food and drink from a kitchen. It can also play memory games with occupants to help keep their minds sharp.

Read about smart home technology and how it can help disabled people

Robots waiting tables in Japan

Also in Japan, a cafe is reportedly being staffed by robotic waiters being controlled remotely by paralysed people.

Ten disabled people are controlling the robots in the Dawn Ver cafe in Tokyo with the robots' controllers earning 1,000 yen (£7) per hour. The controllers have a variety of conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neuron disease.

The aim is to provide paralysed people with a sense of independence. 

Called OriHime-D the 1.2-metre tall robots are the brainchild of Japanese start-up Ory. They were originally designed to be used in the homes of disabled people but were being used in the cafe on a trial basis. 

The creators are raising money via a crowdfunding campaign to see if they can get enough to open a Dawn Ver cafe permanently from 2020.

Robots reducing isolation in younger people

It isn't only the elderly that can experience feelings of isolation.  No Isolation's AV1 robot sits in a classroom and provides a connection and a virtual presence for young people with long term conditions. 

The small, portable robot can be used as a child’s eyes, voice and ears in the classroom in cases where the student has a long term health condition. It's popularly used by TechShare Pro Special Award winner 2018 Lewis Hine to attend college. 

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How TechSharePro 2019 inspired the Inclusive Africa Conference Founder

Guest blog: Irene Mbari-Kirika, Founder and CEO of inABLE

Irene Mbari-Kirika is Founder and CEO of inABLE, a not-for-profit Colour headshot photo of Irene Mbari-Krikaorganisation working in Kenya to bring computer assistive technology to disabled students in Africa. A dynamic, global strategic leader and an executive-level innovator, she is a recipient of the Order of the 2016 Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) award and has been nominated for the National Diversity and Inclusion Awards & Recognition 2020 in the award category I7: Diversity and Inclusion Digital Inclusion Champion Award. 

In March this year, inABLE will be hosting the first ever Inclusive Africa Conference taking place in Nairobi – with the aim to raise awareness, educate and share best practice of how inclusive design can benefit Africa and the lives of disabled people living there. Transforming its place into a crucial component at the onset of any tech design, instead of a token afterthought. 

Irene attended TechShare Pro in November 2019 with a keen interest in discovering the hot topics and innovations facing the UK and European accessible tech sector. Here she shares her reflections on the event, and her objectives for the upcoming Inclusive Africa Conference. 

What motivated you to attend TechShare Pro? 

I wanted to attend to find out more about what is happening currently in the UK and European region in terms of accessible tech. I am based between the US and Kenya, so I know a lot about what’s happening here, but wanted to see what were the big topics and innovations in other regions. 

Which speakers at TechShare Pro 2019 had the biggest impact on you?

Haben Girma was important to see. Accessibility is at the heart Colour photo of Haben Girma on stage at TechShare Proof her communication – it is everything to her, and without it she would be shut out from the rest of the world. 

I’ve worked with blind students for over ten years, and I am constantly telling people that digital accessibility is not an option – it’s something we absolutely must do. When a product isn’t accessible you could be stopping a substantial number of the population from using it. Haben and her outstanding achievements exemplify just why all people, regardless of disability, need to be able to use digital products. 

Hearing from Malin Rygg in the Carrots and Sticks panelColour photo of Malin Rygg debate was also very eye-opening. Malin is the Head of Authority for Universal design of ICT in Norway, and spoke about their enforcement of the inclusive design – the challenges and successes they have experienced there. It was interesting because many regions create policies and a legal framework but they are often not monitored or enforced if not followed adequately. It’s really important for us to be aware of this in Africa, where we are at the outset of creating accessible ICT policies – if we have them, we need a framework, and perhaps most importantly, they need to be monitored and enforced. 

Seeing Samantha Soloway from Verizon Media speak Colour photo of Sam Soloway presenting at TechShare Pro was another ‘lightbulb’ moment for me. Their Accessibility Labs help to teach corporations what digital accessibility means on the ground and what they need to do to implement it across their own assets. For me, it’s affirming to know that this lab exists in New York, providing a service such as this to corporations. In Africa, it feels like the corporate sector are still slow to see the business case for digital inclusion, so this was a taster of what could is possible, and I’m interested to see how we could replicate in some way here. 

Which accessible products or innovations inspired you at the conference? 

I loved seeing the students from Digit Music perform their instrumental (video of their performance below). What inspired me about the tech they used is that it builds on to an already existing skill - using a similar controller to make music as they use already on their wheelchairs. It is absolutely meeting the user where the user is, and putting them at the centre of the design. Building on an existing skill to do something as fun as make music, with the whole audience able to participate.

One thing I am always trying to convey is that inclusive design doesn’t necessarily mean starting a whole new product or innovation from scratch.  For example, we are finding with the banking sector in Africa that many of the mobile apps are not accessible, excluding a substantial number of the potential client base they are trying to reach. It doesn’t take much to think ‘OK, so what can I do to make my app accessible for all users?’  This is a market that is really not being tapped in to.  

The inaugural Inclusive Africa Conference takes place this March 29th – 1st April. Are there any lessons learned from TechShare Pro that might help shape the conference?

One of the things I loved about TechShare Pro was how intimate it was, and the level of expertise in the room. That showed me that I didn’t need to have huge numbers of participants but rather focus on getting the right people there. 

The discussions were fantastic and I learnt how important it is to feature the relevant topics that will get people fired up, make connections, learn from each other and move towards change. The discussions at TechShare Pro were advanced, which was perfect for the audience there. In Africa, the same topics apply, but we really need to start from ground level, so people can understand the foundations that underpin it all.

Finally, what is the Inclusive Africa Conference and who is it for?

The Inclusive Africa Conference 2020 takes place in Nairobi, Kenya from 29 March – 01 April. 

The first-ever conference of this kind in Africa, it brings together tech giants from around the world to put digital inclusion firmly on the African agenda. 

My vision is that it will unite those working in government, the private sector and NGOS  - indeed, anyone who provides a digital product or service – around a common objective. A collaborative hub to start thinking about how to make their digital services more inclusive.

There are so many innovative solutions coming out of Africa but most are not accessible. With this conference we want to show the policy makers, private companies, NGOs and disabled people that there is a way and why it is essential we make it our focus. Because if they are inclusive they will serve every African.

For the international community, I invite you to join us. Instead of addressing the needs of Africa with outside solutions, come and work with us to create the change we all want to see. 

Related content:

Videos of the TechShare Pro 2019 sessions with transcripts plus interviews with panellists
 

A great excuse to do some shopping - AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile logoIf you don’t do this already AmazonSmile is a really easy way to shop at Amazon and donate to AbilityNet at the same time, at no extra cost.

It’s really simple - when you shop at Amazon via AbilityNet's AmazonSmile link rather than the normal Amazon site, 0.5% of the sale from qualifying purchases will be donated by Amazon to AbilityNet without any impact on your pocket.

How your donations help us

AbilityNet is the leading UK charity for disability and technology. We support people of any age, living with any disability or impairment to use technology to achieve their goals at home, at work and in education. We do this by providing specialist consultancy, assessment services, free resources and we also have a network of volunteers that provide support to people remotely and in their homes.

As a charity, the revenue from our expert paid-for services is used to support our free services and charitable operations. In choosing to work with or support us you are enabling us to help people with diverse access needs to fully participate in education, work and life - combating isolation and loneliness, and increasing independence. AmazonSmile is a great way to support us with no associated cost and minimal effort. Where someone can donate directly to our cause it is appreciated.

About AmazonSmile

Amazon logo on a smartphone screenAmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support a charity of your choice every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.co.uk, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as at amazon.co.uk, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your selected charity.

How do I shop at AmazonSmile?

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.co.uk from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.co.uk to make it even easier to return to and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

Please note: any queries about AmazonSmile are best addressed to Amazon in the first instance, as are questions about items you are wanting to purchase, orders placed, returns, etc. AbilityNet is simply enrolled in AmazonSmile to receive donations as a charitable organisation. Visit AmazonSmile Help for assistance with orders, contact information, returns and refunds, etc.

Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?

Millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations to charities by Amazon. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for smile.amazon.co.uk donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.

Can I use my existing Amazon.co.uk account on AmazonSmile?

Yes, you use the same account on amazon.co.uk and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.

How do I select a charitable organisation to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?

On your first visit to smile.amazon.co.uk you need to select a charitable organisation to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.co.uk will result in a donation. AmazonSmile will occasionally contact you about donation amounts disbursed to your chosen charity or about the programme.

How can AbilityNet help you with your technology?

We provide a range of free services and resources to help people to achieve their goals.

  • Call our Advice and Information Helpline on 0800 269 545. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will discuss any kind of computer or IT problem with you and we will do our best to come up with a solution. We’re open Monday to Friday during UK office hours.
  • Request a home visit or remote support from our network of volunteers who can help if you are having technical issues with a device or want support to complete a task using technology.
  • My Computer My Way is a free interactive guide to all the accessibility features built into every major smartphone, desktop computer, laptops and tablet device.

European Accessibility Law may not become UK Law post-Brexit

A picture of a man dressed in a top hat with Brexit on it draped in an EU flag. He is holding banners but text cannot be readThe European Accessibility Act is all set to create an equal digital landscape for older and disabled people.

There are an estimated 80 million Europeans with disabilities, and over 190 million older people.

Brexit means we may need to subtract from those numbers those who happen to be living in the UK. 

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The Act aims to “remove and prevent barriers for the free movement of accessible products and services.” 

It will also create standards. Currently, an example of divergent rules is the case of web accessibility, where Member States use different versions of the W3C/WCAG guidelines.

Countries will have three years to enshrine it in their local legislation, followed by a further three years to put it into full effect; ensuring that it is monitored and enforced.

Who will benefit from the Accessibility Act?

It’s a win-win situation. Businesses will benefit from standard rules on accessibility in the EU leading to costs reduction, easier cross-border trading and more market opportunities for their accessible products and services.

Persons with disabilities and the elderly will benefit from: more accessible products and services in the market, accessible products and services at more competitive prices,  and fewer barriers when accessing transport, education and the open labour market.

There will also be more jobs available where accessibility expertise is needed

What does this mean for UK businesses?

Now here’s the rub. Resulting from a freeze on the automatic adoption of any new EU directives post-Brexit, the European Accessibility Act may not be brought into UK law. 

We’ll face the bizarre situation where companies creating products for Europe will need to meet higher standards abroad than in their home market.

The freeze doesn't, however, mean that accessibility will slip down the corporate agenda.

As the Act points out, in 2020 approximately 120 million persons in the European Union will have multiple and/or minor disabilities. 

AbilityNet offers a range of accessibility services to ensure your business is inclusive, and to give you a competitive edge


Picture of a rolled five pound noteBusinesses that don't embrace the purple pound will miss out, as revealed by Scope at last year's TechShare Pro.

Similarly, the recently published ClickAway Pound report reveals that online retailers who don't embrace accessibility could be missing out on £17.1 billion of potential revenue.

That's £17.1 billion compelling reasons for a business to embrace accessible standards.

Learning accessible lessons from the rest of the world

Accessibility needn't be a casualty of Brexit. Implementing legislation is only one means of tackling the barriers created by people and organisations who don’t consider accessibility & inclusive design when building digital services & products. 

Our panel at last year's TechShare Pro conference offered a perspective on this question from around the globe - including the US, Europe, Israel and Norway.

Listen to the TechShare Procast podcast to hear the session. (Transcript available to download).

Are UK citizens with disabilities or impairments of less value than their European counterparts? Add in the mix the fact that inclusive products are more accessible for everyone to use, and it’s easy to predict that Digital UK Plc will lose its competitive edge along with any moral standing it may have had. 

Listen to technology regulations expert, Heather Burns, discuss how the Brexit timing has put paid to the European Accessibility Act becoming UK law...(download transcript)

 

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