Amazon turn Veterans Centre into Alexa-enabled ‘smart centre’
Submitted by Robin Christopherson on Thu, 11/05/2023 - 11:03
Blind Veterans UK, in collaboration with Amazon, has unveiled a new ‘smart’ system at its centre in Llandudno, Wales which uses Alexa devices to give veterans more independence, and carers new ways to communicate.
The system, called Alexa Smart Properties, has been installed by Amazon with help from voice-skill developers Vocala. It enables the visually-impaired veterans to get assistance with orientation around the centre, access information, entertainment, and specific services such as lunch menus, and to call reception with Alexa-to-Alexa calling – all using only their voice. It also benefits the care team by enabling them to make announcements, voice and video calls to other Alexa-enabled devices throughout the centre.
“Blind Veterans UK is one of the first organisations in the UK to install Alexa Smart Properties and we are really excited about the benefits it will bring to the residents and the care team”, Said Meryem Tom, Director. Alexa Enterprise EU.
“Our support to Blind Veterans UK allows us to demonstrate Amazon's commitment to all people with disabilities and our military communities around the globe,” said John Quintas, Director of Inclusive Communities at Amazon. “Our Alexa technology improves the quality of life for veterans by helping to make their lives more independent, accessible and fun. We are honoured to support Blind Veterans UK and to help transform their centre in Llandudno.”
Blind veterans UK – looking ahead through tech
Blind veterans UK provides rehabilitation, training and support services. They show that, with the right skills and use of technology, being independent and living a rich and fulfilling life can once again be a reality for those with sight loss.
“Having identified the need to make our centres truly centres of excellence, including in technological advancement, we reached out to Amazon Web Services to find solutions.,” said Kathy Boardman, Blind Veterans UK Llandudno Centre Manager. “We’re very excited to have Alexa as an integral part of the team at our Centres for Wellbeing.”
“Supporting our blind veterans with access to information, navigating their way around the site, making informed decisions, and interacting with others will be life-changing for everyone, especially the person adjusting to a vision impairment and, with our support, rebuilding their life after sight loss.”
Harnessing technology has always been part of the Blind Veterans UK ethos and the Blind Veterans Smart Centre, powered by Alexa Smart Properties, will further enhance blind veterans’ experiences and help them be even more independent. It does this in three ways:
Orientation – A blind veteran will be able to self-orientate within any area of the centre by asking Alexa. This includes getting from point A to point B and locating objects within a specific room.
Access to information - A blind veteran will be able to find information such as what’s for lunch, fire safety procedures and access news on the charity and its history by asking Alexa.
Access to services - A blind veteran will be able to find out what events are scheduled and listen to radio by asking Alexa.
Find out more about the empowering potential of Alexa
Alexa Accessibility Hub
The main place to go to find out about Alexa and her accessibility features is the Alexa Accessibility Hub
More AbilityNet resources
We have numerous articles on our site about how the family of Echo products are empowering people with disabilities – here’s the search results page for the term ‘Alexa’ – you’ll be amazed just how much top tips and news there is.
Alexa podcasts
If podcasts are more your thing, why not check out Dot to Dot – the daily five minute skill demo show - or The Echo Show – a weekly look at all things Alexa with myself and excellent co-host Shaun Preece.
AbilityNet volunteers crowned as Coronation Champions!
Submitted by Annie Mannion on Tue, 09/05/2023 - 14:52
We are thrilled that not one but two of our AbilityNet tech volunteers, Jon Drake and Roy Biggs, have been selected as two of the 500 official outstanding Coronation Champions.
This follows a call out to the nation to nominate their volunteer heroes. Almost 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103.
The Coronation Champions Awards, launched by Royal Voluntary Service and supported by Her Majesty The Queen Consort, is all about celebrating the work of extraordinary volunteers across the UK.
A total of 500 volunteers were selected as Coronation Champions and have received an official Coronation Champions pin badge, a signed certificate from Their Majesties, and an invitation to one of the Coronation Celebrations. Jon attended the King’s Coronation Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 3rd May, and Roy attended the Coronation concert on Sunday 7th May.
Jon took along his daughter Abbie to share in the celebrations, and they're pictured here enjoying the royal hospitality!
Congratulations to Jon and Roy, and also huge thanks go to Dave Power, our AbilityNet volunteer coordinator in Yorkshire, who nominated them for this award, for their work across Yorkshire helping older and disabled people to use their digital devices.
Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Jon Drake said:
"Thanks so much to Dave for recognising my contribution, and for going to the time and trouble to nominate me. I'd like to also express my gratitude to RNIB and AbilityNet for their great support for volunteers. It’s a privilege to be able to help and support people through their volunteering opportunities."
"I’ve been volunteering for several years, so the award itself was an unexpected but delightful surprise. And the garden party was a fantastic experience - especially coming as it did just a couple of days before the Coronation."
Roy Biggs enjoyed performances from Paloma Faith, Lionel Ritchie and more at the Coronation Concert. He also tells us that, in honour of his award, he and 22 other award winners have also received an invitation from Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, to join him for tea and cake in June.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We were completely blown away by the response to the Community Champions Awards and the huge volume of amazing nominees put forward. Our judges had a tough job selecting just 500 Champions from an array of thousands of inspirational individuals, who all deserve to be recognised and commended. “
“Each of our Coronation Champions displayed a commitment and contribution that far exceeds any expectation and we’re overjoyed to honour and thank them during this exciting point in history.”
Many older people and disabled people experience difficulties with their technology, and can’t find the support they need.
Could you, like Jon, Roy and Dave, help people with their tech? Our amazing volunteers provide one-to-one technology support remotely and through home visits. A great way to support AbilityNet is to join our network of 350+ volunteers across the UK. Get involved today!
AbilityNet provides digital aid to Ukrainian refugees in United Way UK project
Submitted by Annie Mannion on Tue, 02/05/2023 - 09:53
We're delighted to share that AbilityNet has been taking part in a project alongside United Way UK to provide nearly 100 HP laptops to Ukrainian refugees currently living in the UK.
At Monex offices in London, the recipients were invited to collect their new devices, to help them to keep in touch with friends and family back in Ukraine, and navigate their new lives in the UK while the war is going on in their homeland.
Pictured here are just a few of the recipients with their laptops, including the Zborovska family (centre).
Speaking at the Monex meet up, Liudmula Lysenko and Marina Pavlova shared how their laptop donation would make a difference to their life in the UK.
"We are really grateful for these wonderful laptops. I just started my GCSE course online and I am absolutely in need of this laptop, so thank you so much," said Liudmula. Marina agreed: "I just started to learn English and a laptop is really what I need for my growth. So thank you so much, you've done a very good job," she said.
Iryna Zinenko also received a laptop to use: "Thank you so much for your support and help for Ukrainians, because we've had a very difficult situation. This [laptop] is very useful for us, so thank you." Her teenage daughter also present shared how it would really help her prepare for her exams and do school work.
Free disabilities sessions for charities and community groups
Choose from our set of seven free sessions about different disabilities. We can deliver any of our informative, interactive sessions to your organisation, to educate your group about disability, and technology.
"When approached about the project we felt it was a very worthwhile project to support. We are delighted that we’ve been able to support United Way UK on the delivery of this project. We’re really thankful to the volunteers for stepping up and supporting AbilityNet and United Way UK and the refugee families," says Chris Grant, Community Relationship Officer at AbilityNet.
“The team at United Way UK is thrilled to have had the opportunity to work in partnership with AbilityNet on this vital project to bring connectivity in the UK to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Digital poverty prevents those affected from working, studying and managing everyday life as well as from staying connected with loved ones – critical for refugees forced from their homes. We thank AbilityNet, HP and our colleagues at United Way in Germany who helped make this happen,” says Jane Hudson Jones, CEO at United Way UK.
The devices were set up by a team of seven AbilityNet tech volunteers from across the UK (including Andrew Davies in Wales, and Stewart Mabon in Scotland, both pictured).
AbilityNet has previously worked with United Way UK on other technology-related projects and so it brought the UK charity AbilityNet on board to help install software and check the devices to ensure they were set up to a good level, ready for use by the recipients.
How to help AbilityNet
A great way to support AbilityNet is to join our network of 300+ volunteers across the UK.
Many older people and disabled people experience difficulties with their technology, and can’t find the support they need. Our amazing volunteers provide one-to-one technology support remotely and through home visits. Get involved today!
BT Group partnership boosts digital skills of older people
Submitted by Annie Mannion on Wed, 26/04/2023 - 12:32
AbilityNet and telecommunications company BT Group today announced a new partnership to help improve the digital skills of 4,000 older and digitally excluded people across the UK during 2023.
The UK-wide ‘Senior Skills Programme’ will deliver more than 1,000 group and one-to-one training sessions to those who need it most in regions across the UK.
Sessions will be available in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and London. The locations were chosen based on a growing demand for tech support among older people aged 65+ in these areas.
Older people are keen to learn digital skills
BT Group’s research* shows that two thirds (65%) of older people think that you’re never too old to learn new skills, with almost half (49%) open to learning tech skills specifically.
Basic digital skills are now increasingly important for day-to-day life. Older people who are less familiar with digital devices risk losing access to key services like banking, shopping and health services, as well as software platforms that keep people connected.
Victoria Johnson, Social Impact Director at BT Group, said:
“Digital inclusion is about making sure everyone has access to the benefits that technology offers. This new partnership with AbilityNet, and the Senior Skills programme we are creating together, seeks to dispel the mystery of tech, build confidence and awareness of misinformation, and help make a digital native out of everyone in the UK, whatever their age.”
“BT Group is committed to supporting the older generation as they adapt to using digital tools and technology. The partnership with AbiltyNet will help reach our goal of an inclusive digital future for all.”
A digital world accessible to all
Sarah Brain, Free Services Manager at AbilityNet, said: “Our vision at AbilityNet is to create a digital world which is accessible to everyone. We’ve been helping older people and disabled people of any age with their technology for 25 years.
“The partnership with BT Group will help meet our goal to support the digitally excluded in building their confidence online and diversifying their skill set, helping people across the UK to live more independent and fulfilled lives.”
The Senior Skills programme will also encourage older and digitally excluded people to learn more about and use basic online services and help with the switch from analogue to digital home phones.
Free training sessions: The basics of digital devices and online media
Join AbilityNet experts in May and June 2023 for free tech sessions to help digital novices use the internet and digital devices.
As part of the partnership, the digital skills training will be available in person and through online resources, with the goal of helping participants become more independent and able to manage day-to-day digital tasks.
AbilityNet is also very pleased to welcome 40 volunteers from BT Group who will help deliver the programme.
The partnership will also encourage anyone in need of boosting their digital skills to call AbilityNet's free tech helpline: 0800 048 7642 (open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm).
* Research carried out by OnePoll in October 2022 of 1500 people over 60 years of age in the UK.
Don't disable me: How to remove disability barriers in the workplace
Find out how you can avoid creating barriers for people with lived experience of disability, from people with lived experience of disability!
Is your organisation looking for a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partner? Your business and its staff can contribute to or volunteer to support your local communities.
5 top tips for making nature and your websites more accessible
Submitted by Robin Christopherson on Wed, 26/04/2023 - 11:33
As the weather gets warmer and summer is on the horizon, getting outside and into nature is an absolute joy. For many, the first step to hitting the great outdoors might be doing some research about the area you plan to explore, and, for many disabled people who may have specific requirements, there can be barriers imposed to accessing this information online.
In this blog, AbilityNet’s Head of Digital Inclusion Robin Christopherson, MBE outlines some straightforward steps to making websites more accessible.
Accessing the outdoors
Being blind, when we’re out and about in the great outdoors, I rely on a verbal description provided by a companion in order to gain some appreciation of nature’s stunning visuals. In the same way, I also rely on the accessibility of websites to ensure that I’m able to understand and use them.
When planning to head out into the natural world, I want to be able to easily access information on the destination, and if planning on heading there myself, how I may be accommodated as a disabled visitor. If accessibility has not been factored into the creation of the website, it can make accessing nature all the more difficult.
Accessible websites don’t just benefit blind users, but all people across the broad and beautiful spectrum of disabilities and impairments. So by making adjustments, you’ll be making your apps and websites extra usable for everyone - and you’ll meet your legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
How to make your websites inclusive
Here’s five simple, straightforward steps to help you make your website more accessible.
Check the keyboard accessibility of your site People with little vision rely on keyboard access as they cannot easily see the mouse cursor on the screen. Sighted users with motor difficulties (such as Parkinson’s or a stroke) can find keyboard access simpler as well. Making your site accessible without using a mouse is a legal requirement, and something that will benefit many of your visitors.
Hiding your mouse and trying to access your site and all its options with only a keyboard can show how you're doing and how to improve this. In particular, make sure that each link and button gains a nice, visible focus as you tab through the page, and that that tabbing order is logical and doesn’t jump all over the place (making it difficult to follow). If you want to ‘click’ something with focus, that’s Enter or the spacebar.
Ditch poor colour contract Low contrast text is difficult to read for everyone, particularly people with low vision. There are some useful tools that can help you check your contrast such as Tanaguru's Contrast Finder, this allows you to enter two different colours and check the contrast between them. It can also suggest alternatives if the colours have insufficient contrast.
Hint: Trust your eyes too - it can be simple to spot offending text colours by eye, and then just verify them with the tool. This is best used early in the design process, so that issues can be addressed before the site goes live.
Use a free accessibility checker The organisation WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) provides a free, automated, online checker. This can give you quick feedback on some more technical issues on your website – e.g. if forms are correctly labelled so a blind person knows what info they need to enter. This is a great way to highlight issues during the development process.
It’s important to note that any automated testing can only cover a small subset of all possible accessibility issues. However it is a valuable technique when used alongside manual testing.
Produce an accessibility page An Accessibility page provides the opportunity for organisations to inform visitors on what measures they have taken to make their site accessible. The page can offer people the chance to provide feedback on difficulties they experience when navigating your site. See AbilityNet's accessibility page for an example.
Getting feedback from people visiting your site is very valuable. By making it easier for users to feedback to you directly, you will benefit greatly by both demonstrating your commitment to improving your site, and being able to respond to individual issues as they aris
Understand your audience and what they need from your site Knowing your expected audience and writing your copy accordingly will provide the most useful and inclusive experience to your site’s visitors. People come to websites to find information, or to carry out an action. It makes sense to make this process as easy as possible for people.
Using eco-jargon, say, may be fine for visitors with that background, but lay visitors may miss out. Good practise is to avoid jargon, or if it is necessary, provide a glossary.
Make use of headings, paragraphs and bulleted lists to break text up into meaningful sections. Make one key point per paragraph and use different methods to convey information. Some users will prefer to read text (like me), others will benefit from a video, others prefer a simplified or illustrated guide.
Submitted by Freya Robinson on Fri, 14/04/2023 - 11:59
AbilityNet’s Mark Walker spoke with Giles Rhys Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at what3words to discuss the story behind it, how it has been used across the world, and how winning a Tech4Good Award benefited the company.
The AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards are back this year to celebrate a new cohort of people and organisations using tech to make the world a better place.
Since 2011, the Tech4Good Awards have recognised over a hundred winners, including what3words, an app that gives an address to everyone on the planet.
The full discussion is now available as a podcast episode.
what3words was born out of a desire to make navigation simpler and more effective. They identified that a street address alone was not accurate enough to locate specific locations such as building entrances, and was not available for large rural areas and communities in areas such as Favelas in Brazil. The world was divided into three-by-three-metre squares, and each of these was given a distinct combination of three words.
what3words is used by businesses to improve customer experience and efficiency, by emergency services and NGOs to find and help people in need, and by individuals in their daily lives to make navigation easier, safer, and more efficient.
How did winning a Tech4Good award support what3words?
During the podcast, Giles Rhys Jones highlighted three key benefits of entering and winning a Tech4Good Award was beneficial:
1. Refining your elevator pitch
The Tech4Good Awards offer the opportunity to “focus very tightly on your proposition and how you sell it”, says Jones, and "getting your elevator pitch down very, very tightly, was a really, really good exercise to go through.”
2. Meeting like minded people and businesses
By bringing together a cohort of businesses, individuals, charities, and government bodies that are using technology to make the world a better place, is “a really good way to one meet like-minded people and two kind of chat through start-up life, which can be a bit of a lonely place.”
3. Presenting the product to people who could use it
“What better way to get in front of new innovative companies and large businesses who are trying to do good in the world than to be part of a tech for good award show. Because all those organisations could actually use what3words in their own businesses.”
Enter the Tech4Good Awards NOW
The awards are free to enter, and entries are open until 5 May 2023.
Entries are open to anyone, anywhere in the world using tech to make the world a better place, including individuals, businesses, charities, social enterprises, government bodies, and more.
Our how to win a Tech4good Award Webinar provided the chance to meet a past winner, and offered some useful pointers on what we’re looking for at the awards,
Submitted by Freya Robinson on Thu, 13/04/2023 - 11:50
AbilityNet’s Tech4Good Awards are back! Since we started in 2011 we've celebrated over 100 amazing people and organisations who use digital tech to make the world a better, more accessible place. It's free to enter and nominations are open until 5 May.
There are nine categories to enter in this year's Awards:
The awards are open to charities, individuals, businesses, government bodies, social enterprises and anyone else using tech to do good, anywhere in the world.
It's free to enter and entries are open until 5 May 2023, with shortlisting in May and the winners announced in June.
You can start your entry and return to edit it any time.
Our how to win a Tech4good Award Webinar provided the chance to meet a past winner, and offered some useful pointers on what we’re looking for at the awards,
Does the UK Gov Access to Work scheme fund assistive technology?
Submitted by Adi Latif on Wed, 22/03/2023 - 15:30
At AbilityNet TechShare Pro 2022, AbilityNet Accessibility and Usability Consultant, Adi Latif hosted a session with Debbie Bradford and Ian Milton from UK's Department for Work and Pension. They provided an update on the Access to Work scheme and explained how it could help pay for assistive technology that could benefit you or someone you work with.
The Access to Work scheme can provide practical and financial support for a disabled employee who is either starting or returning to work.
My personal experience with Access to Work has been amazing. It's a service that I hold very dearly close to my heart, and for all of my working life, I've been tapping into Access to Work to help me level the playing field. I'm blind and because of this I’ve faced a number of challenges in the workplace.
When I first started working back in 2005, the workplace wasn't that accessible, so Access to Work helped me fund a screen reader which reads the computer screen to me. It also helped pay for programmers to make my screen reader work better with the inaccessible software that was present in that particular workplace.
There’s a major process change for disabled people in the workplace. Ian from UK's Department for Work and Pension shared the Covid-19 pandemic gave Access to Work a push to embrace digital and start the move for Access to Work payments to go online.
With the new paperless payment method, Access to Work recipients will soon be able to submit claims online and upload receipts. Employers will also be able to use electronic authentication to confirm claims through their emails and online accounts.
Ian said that Access to Work is “hoping to conclude by November and review it in December so that in the new year [2023] we can aim to roll that out to all Access to Work customers.”
Access to Work support for hybrid working
The Covid-19 pandemic saw an increase in people working remotely, which resulted in a new way of working.
Access to Work now offers support for disabled people who work at the office and at home, also known as “hybrid working”. Debbie explained that “what this means is that you can have support in the office in the workplace and also at home”.
Adjustments Passports for disabled students
During the TechShare Pro session, Debbie also shared that Access to Work has been testing Adjustments Passports at Wolverhampton, Manchester Metropolitan and King's College London universities to help disabled students transition from university to work.
Students complete the passports with their university’s student offices, so any support that they've had at university or through Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA) is captured on the Passport. This helps students have that information ready when they interview with potential employers.
The Passports help show the support students have had in the past and more importantly, show the support they will need in the future at work.
The Adjustments Passports have also helped to raise awareness of Access to Work. Debbie explained that during the testing they found many students were not aware of the Access to Work scheme - so the Passports help bridge that gap.
Due to the positive feedback from the Adjustments Passports, Debbie said they hope to roll the passports out soon for all universities.
Health Adjustments Passports and job seekers
In job centres, Access to Work has now introduced Health Adjustments Passports.
A disabled job seeker can discuss with a work coach to get the passport completed and that will help the work coach to then send the appropriate vacancy to the job seeker and raise with the employer the types of support the candidate will need.
The Health Adjustments Passports will help stop difficult conversations with employers and remove barriers before the employee begins at their new place of work.
Access to Work Passports for Disabled contractors and freelancers
Debbie shared that Access to Work has recently done “a lot of work in the self-employment area”. Disabled contractors and freelancers can use the Health Adjustment Passport, but also benefit from the newly introduced Flexible application.
Before, contractual freelancers would only receive Access to Work cover based on their contract time, then they would have to reapply for Access to Work once they got a new job.
With the flexible application, a contractual freelancer can submit their application and support will be awarded for three years where they can turn it on and turn it off as they move between jobs.
Debbie compared the Flexible Application to furlough, “so, when you're in work you will get support. Then it will lay dormant until your next contract starts and then it will reactivate as soon as you move into the new area of work.”
Your Access to Work questions answered
The TechShare Pro session also included an opportunity to pose questions to Debbie and Ian from UK's Department for Work and Pension.
Q: What are the provisions for people who are on the job search?
Access to Work funding is normally available for people who are about to start or are already in employment. There are some exceptions to this including work experience which Access to Work grant funding can be provided for up to 8 weeks per annum.
For all other types of support for people who are job searching, I would recommend they contact their local Jobcentre Plus office which details can be found on gov.uk.
Q: We are hearing about delays in processing applications for Access to Work. Is there any update on that?
Access to Work is continuing to review the processes and procedures it uses to improve waiting times for all applicants. We are continuing to monitor the situation with a view to reducing the wait time as soon as possible.
Q: Does Access to Work offer help for any adjustments needed during the application process?
For people applying for Access to Work with a job to start within the next 4 weeks, their application will be prioritised to enable their support to be put in place as soon as possible.
For all other applications, where support is needed more urgently whilst the application is being considered, the Access to Work case manager can consider temporary support until a decision can be made on the overall grant funding.
If you haven’t already, you can access the full podcast recording and transcript of the Update on the Access to Work scheme TechShare Pro session below.
Submitted by Louise Aldridge on Tue, 21/03/2023 - 15:34
Inclusion is the process of creating an environment in which individuals feel welcomed, heard, respected, supported, valued, and able to reach their full potential. So to be an inclusive workplace you celebrate differences, recognise talent, and empower every employee.
Below, we have compiled some helpful resources, including an upcoming free webinar, that will help you create an inclusive workplace.
Free Webinar on inclusive employee experience
In our free webinar, Teresa Loftus, Senior Workplace and Education Inclusion Consultant at AbilityNet hosted a fireside chat with Ross Hovey, Accessibility Manager from Lloyds Banking Group, and Vina Theodorakopoulou, Individual Members Lead at GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, and Neurodiversity).
As experts on employee inclusion, they shared initiatives that will help you create an inclusive and accessible working environment for disabled and neurodivergent employees.
Ross and Vina discussed:
The barriers to employment for disabled and neurodiverse people
How organisations can approach inclusion and accessibility for staff
Whether there have been any significant changes since the pandemic
Employee initiatives that facilitate inclusive and accessible working
How to create an accessible and inclusive digital environment
Why organisations should create a neuroinclusive workplace and the key benefits of doing so
Employers and service providers are required by the Equality Act of 2010 to make "Reasonable Adjustments" that will give disabled people access to the same opportunities and services as non-disabled people.
By learning the ins and outs of Reasonable Adjustments, you are not only meeting legal requirements but also creating an inclusive workplace that can accommodate your disabled employees.
Free training on disability inclusion in the workplace
Disability inclusion training is essential to building an inclusive workplace as it increases and sustains disability awareness and encourages inclusive work practices.
Learn how to identify what steps you can take to achieve meaningful change and growth in our upcoming free 'How to build a disability inclusive workplace' training course on 19 April.
How AbilityNet can help you create an inclusive workplace
AbilityNet's experts can support you in building a workplace that is inclusive by design and uses technology so that every employee can work to their full potential. Contact our experts today.
Apps and gadgets to help with mild to moderate hearing loss
Submitted by Adam Tweed on Fri, 03/03/2023 - 09:08
World Hearing Day
"World Hearing Day is an annual global advocacy event for raising awareness regarding hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care, and calling for action to address hearing loss and related issues. Each year, this event is celebrated on 3 March." This year the focus is on ear and hearing care and the 60% of ear and hearing issues that can be addressed at primary healthcare level.
Proactive ear and hearing care is vital, and should always be your focus, but there are also some tech-related supports that can complement this.
Google Sound Amplifier
Google Sound Amplifier is an app developed by Google to assist people who experience hearing difficulty. This app uses your Android device’s microphone to amplify sound and gives you the ability to adjust sound settings, making it easier to hear conversations, music, and other audio content.
You can find the app in the accessibility settings for your phone. If you don’t see it listed, you can download Sound Amplifier for free from the Google Play Store. The app is compatible with Android devices running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or later.
You will need to have headphones plugged in (or connected wirelessly), and although the app will work with Bluetooth headphones or earpods, it may not work if paired with Bluetooth hearing aids.
The app is relatively intuitive and easy to use, and when you have connected your headphones, you will be given three modes in which the app will work: "off" (which doesn’t need an explanation), "Phone mic" (which uses the microphone on your phone to pick up sounds in the environment around you), and "Phone media" (which adjusts the sounds of things you might watch or listen to on your phone).
Depending on the option you’ve selected, you will see a number of controls:
For the “Phone mic” option you will see:
Conversation mode (available on Google Pixel phones only): You can use this mode to help select which speaker you want to listen to using the phone's camera. You can either hold the phone so they are in the frame or give your phone to the other person.
Noise reduction: this reduces background noise, and there is a slider to adjust how much background noise you want. Putting the slider all the way down can make things sound a little muffled, but in noisy environments, you might prefer this.
The “Phone media” options also have sliders for you to:
Boost quiet sounds – This will increase the volume of quieter sounds without increasing the overall volume.
Boost low or high frequencies – This enables you to favour whether low or high frequencies are given a boost. The slider default is in the middle.
You can change these settings as needed and as the audio changes, such as if someone else joins the conversation with a different tone of voice, which you can re-adjust to make hearing them more comfortable.
All of the processing of sound happens on your phone, which means nothing is sent to Google, and you can use Sound Amplifier without a WiFi connection or using up your data.
The Google Sound Amplifier does have some limitations. It is not designed to replace professional hearing aids, tests, or medical advice and is not suitable for people with severe hearing loss. Additionally, the app can only amplify sounds that are picked up by your device's microphone, so it may not be effective in noisy environments with a lot of background noise. You may also find that placing your phone on a hard surface, such as a table, will pick up more clatters and knocks than holding it in your hand.
Google's Live Transcribe app transcribes spoken words into text, allowing you to read what is being said in real-time. It is free to download on Android devices and can be used 'offline' (without a WiFi or internet connection), so it doesn't send any of your conversations to Google. You can find the app in the accessibility settings for your phone. If you don’t see it listed, you can download Live Transcribe for free from the Google Play Store.
The Live Transcribe app was developed by Google in collaboration with Gallaudet University, a university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
To use the app, open it on your Android device and place it near the person talking, and the app will immediately start transcribing their speech into text. The app can recognise and transcribe multiple speakers, making it ideal for use in group settings. You can also place your phone next to a TV or computer speaker, but it tends to be less accurate with the sound from speakers.
You can adjust the font size and colour of the text to make it easier to read, and it will keep a record of the transcription for future reference. You can set the app to keep conversations for 24 hours or for 3 days, but you also have the option to manually delete conversations whenever you like. You can copy and paste the transcribed text into another programme if you want to keep it longer or organise different conversations or meetings.
Live Transcribe will also highlight sounds such as laughter, crowd noise, clapping, dog barking, alarms, etc., but these aren't added to the transcript itself; they only show up in the live transcription.
Captioning in smart glasses
A future implementation of this technology may be through augmented reality (AR). Last year at Google IO, their annual developer conference, Google demonstrated how the live transcription text could be projected onto the lenses of some smart glasses. Doing so give the wearer access to the transcried text without having to read from their phone: They can maintain eye contact. The video (below) shows Google's inital experiments with real-time language translation, as well as enabling people who are deaf or hard of hearing access to real time, on-demand spoken conversations.
Sound notifications
Another great Google app or accessibility feature for Android are sound notifications. This feature uses the sound identification feature of Live Transcribe, providing you with visual alerts when it hears them. The sounds it can currently identify are:
Emergency sounds:
Smoke and fire alarms
Sirens
Priority sounds:
Baby sounds
Dog barking
Doorbell ringing
Knocking
Appliances and other sounds:
Appliance beeping
Landline phone ringing
Water running
You can activate sound notifications in the accessibility settings of your Android device (you may need to download Live Transcribe for free from the Google Play Store). Here you can also set which of the sounds it recognises you want to be notified about, as well as how you want this notification to be sent. You can select a message, have the phone vibrate, and/or have the phone flash. You can also set the app to push sound notifications out to any connected smartwatch, so you don’t have to carry your phone about with you to still get notifications.
You can also add custom sounds by selecting the ‘custom sounds’ option and recording the sound you want to be alerted to (for example, if your doorbell plays a tune that the app doesn't recognise as a doorbell ring).
Rather than use your phone to listen out for sound, London-based company Earzz has designed a handy sensor that you can place anywhere in your house and have it listen for and alert you to specific sounds. The Earzz device is about the size of an espresso cup and has four smooth sides that curve up and inward to a button-like flat top. The device, available in black or white with either a steel or bamboo base, could easily be mistaken for a diffuser or air freshener.
The Earzz pairs with an app on your phone where you can select the sounds that it listens out for from a constantly updated library of pre-trained options: a baby crying, a knock at the door, a cat meowing, and so on. The standard Earzz can listen to three selected sounds at a time, but you can swap sounds out from the library as needed. The one thing the Earzz won't listen to is speech and conversations, and Earzz highlights that this is intentional as it is a device "designed to preserve privacy."
The devices aren't cheap (around £85 each, or £60 if you pre-order), and they are only available on Kickstarter* (the project is fully funded and at a relatively mature stage). The convenience you gain with Earzz over something like Sound notifications on your phone is that with Sound notifications, you would need to have your phone on you and be close enough for the phone to pick up the sound. With the Earzz device, you can leave them where they'll pick up the sound, and it doesn't matter where you are, you'll receive the notification. So, for example, you can be in bed with your morning cuppa and get a notification that the cat is meowing at the back door to be let out.
(*Kickstarter is a website where people can crowd-fund projects through individual pledges, but the products are not guaranteed to reach the manufacturer and there is no guarantee you'll get your money back if they don't, but it's a great way of supporting projects you believe in if you have the money to be able to do so.)
This follows a call out to the nation to nominate their volunteer heroes. Almost 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103.
Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Jon Drake said:
"Thanks so much to Dave for recognising my contribution, and for going to the time and trouble to nominate me. I'd like to also express my gratitude to RNIB and AbilityNet for their great support for volunteers. It’s a privilege to be able to help and support people through their volunteering opportunities."
"I’ve been volunteering for several years, so the award itself was an unexpected but delightful surprise. And the garden party was a fantastic experience - especially coming as it did just a couple of days before the Coronation."
We're delighted to share that AbilityNet has been taking part in a project alongside United Way UK to provide nearly 100 HP laptops to Ukrainian refugees currently living in the UK.
Pictured here are just a few of the recipients with their laptops, including the Zborovska family (centre). 
"When approached about the project we felt it was a very worthwhile project to support. We are delighted that we’ve been able to support United Way UK on the delivery of this project. We’re really thankful to the volunteers for stepping up and supporting AbilityNet and United Way UK and the refugee families," says Chris Grant, Community Relationship Officer at AbilityNet.
AbilityNet and telecommunications company 
Basic digital skills are now increasingly important for day-to-day life. Older people who are less familiar with digital devices risk losing access to key services like banking, shopping and health services, as well as software platforms that keep people connected.
The AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards are back this year to celebrate a new cohort of people and organisations using tech to make the world a better place.
The 
As experts on employee inclusion, they shared initiatives that will help you create an inclusive and accessible working environment for disabled and neurodivergent employees.