For People With Disabilities, Smartwatches Can Be More Than Just A Toy

For People With Disabilities, Smartwatches Can Be More Than Just A Toy

It’s fun to mock the Apple Watch for being an expensive, needless gadget for nerds with oversized phones and too much money. But if you stop and think, there’s a second — and far less douchey — group of people for whom a smartwatch can make all the difference.

Molly Watt lives with Usher Syndrome, a condition that has left her severely deaf, and with a small tunnel of vision in her right eye. She pre-ordered a 42mm Apple Watch Sport, and documents her day-to-day experience with it over on her (excellent) blog.

On her wrist, features that are conveniences — like taps to cue you which way to turn — become far more useful. It makes her communication easier, and the accessibility features built-in seem to make her life less of a pain. It’s a touching reminder of how technology changes that make life a little easier for the rest of us can make a major difference for people dealing with disabilities. [Molly Watt]


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