Innovations for People with Disabilities in the Workplace
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Hands-Free Mouse
Those with spinal cord injuries, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and other disabilities often don't have the ability to control a mouse or other pointing device. NaturalPoint's trackIR uses head movements as a way to control what's on the screen. An infrared device atop the screen communicates with a "dot" placed on an individual's forehead. NaturalPoint touts the device's low cost -- £250-- and mobility, as it runs off a PC or notebook's USB connection.
Note Taker
HumanWare offers a line of Braille note takers, allowing the blind to take notes with a small, portable device. With its built-in modem and email package, BrailleNote allows the blind to read Microsoft Word documents from colleagues, revise them and then send them back. Output is available in Braille or speech. For Yarnall, BrailleNote offers an easy way to take notes when traveling. "I use it more when I'm on the road than when I'm in the office," she says. "I use it for taking notes in meetings."
One-Handed Keyboard
The halfkeyboard, a hand-sized keyboard developed by Matias Corp., includes roughly half of a traditional keyboard's keys, yet it allows for touch-typing with just one hand. The keyboard basically resembles the left side of a conventional keyboard. It preserves the keyboard's QWERTY layout, thereby being appropriate for individuals who are used to touch-typing with a traditional keyboard. Users have clocked speeds of up to 64 words per minute with the halfkeyboard.
Signing for the Screen
SignTel Inc. offers Signtel Interpreter, a software package for translating text -- or even speech -- into sign language on PCs. With a notebook PC, SignTel Interpreter provides a way for individuals who are deaf to participate more fully in meetings, especially when a human interpreter isn't available.
Voice-Operated PDA
Voice Mate is an organiser, but one that's activated by an individual's voice. It is essentially a "talking organiser," providing a phonebook, voice notepad, appointment book, alarm clock and calculator. Need a phone number? Just speak the person's name, and Voice Mate will speak it for you. Voice Mate will even send Touch-Tone signals to a phone to dial the number.
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