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As a result of severe autism and learning disabilities, 11-year-old Callum Lodge is unable to talk. In order to allow his son to communicate with the world around him, his father has developed Speaks4me, an electronic communication device. More »
How much do we take being able to play games for granted? Disabled gamer KitsuneYume surely doesn’t, seeing as he rigged a PS3 controller setup to work by using his entire body as input triggers, which allows him to hit a respectable 20 out of 25 possible PS3 controller functions. How well does it work? He was able to beat demos of Mirror’s Edge, Heavenly Sword, Eternal Sonata and every other demo on the PSN. Dude, what’s your address? Let’s get you some retail games already as reward for having such an awesome setup. [PSN via Kotaku]
Ben Heck of modding fame follows up his 5.1 headset for eDimensional with a one-handed PS3/PS2/PC controller. Although it’s made for disabled gamers to play games they otherwise couldn’t on a standard DualShock gamepad because of the swappable control modules, it’s also very useful for regular gamers who need something they can handle with one hand while eating.
So, you’re at your desk typing away, but what are your feet doing? If they’re wandering about aimlessly, put them to work by investing in a Footime Mouse, which allows you to control your cursor by using feet-based gestures. Retailing at US$199, the Footime Mouse could actually provide great functionality for those with physical disabilities, or alternatively, it could help the chronically bored dispose of some free time.
One of the pet projects of Ray Kurzweil, genius inventor and futurist, is camera-based reading for blind and learning-disabled people. His original designs were chunky by our standards, a Canon Digital Elph literally strapped to a PDA. Now, working with the National Federation of the Blind, Kurzweil’s group has shrunk the knfbREADER Mobile system down into something more convenient: the small Symbian-based 5-megapixel Nokia N82 smartphone.
This touchless keyboard system’s breakthrough is that it combines both the typing and the mousing in a single sensor. When configured on a standard PC, the user wears the headgear shown in the picture, and navigates and types by moving their head and neck. Here’s what separates this product from similar ones: More »
newVideoPlayer("vocaljoy_gawker.flv", 475, 376); I know this video shouldn’t make me laugh because the Vocal Joystick—a software that allows you to control your computer mouse using eight vowel sounds and the “sounds k and ch simulate clicking and releasing the buttons”—is amazing for people with disabilities. But I can’t help it, I just find it hilarious. Its developers at the University of Washington have now came up with a version that controls a robotic arm to further help people with serious mobility problems. More »
The Icon Mobile Manager by Levelstar is designed with a different clientele in mind: the visually impaired. Instead of a screen, the Icon features audio menus to help the user navigate, and acts as a hub for daily technology-related activities. This thing is just a great idea, designed specifically to give functionality to a user base that hasn’t enjoyed a PDA this full-featured. Despite being a niche product, the Icon Mobile Manager doesn’t skimp on power. More »
Mike Philips is a Mac gamer and writer. He plays games like World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament, is working on a novel and is a freelance tech writer. What makes him unique? Well, the fact that he does all this using only one thumb.
Mike was born with spinal muscle atrophy, leaving him with control over only one thumb. But using a proximity switch connected to the Swifty USB switch interface and SwitchXS software, he’s able to fully use a computer and frag like a pro. It’s pretty amazing, and it makes your poor performance in UT using both hands seem even more pathetic. Be sure to check out the short video “One Thumb to Rule Them All” to see Mike gaming in action. –Adam Frucci
