InFocus: Low Vision and Blindness Technology

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Great stories are within reach thanks to the National Library Service! In order to ensure that all may be read, the NLS provides free access to braille and audiobook alternatives for anyone with certified temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or even some physical disabilities. Join Luke and Cory as they explore NLS services and teach you how you can get your favorite books and magazines mailed right to your door! Stick around and learn to navigate the website via search tools, access the BARD system, and operate an eReader device built by Humanware which can also be provided by the NLS. Luke and Cory will teach you the controls and quick tips you need so you can jump right into a familiar favorite or the newest edition of a magazine. We hope you enjoy this episode, the final Tec Talk Live! But do not worry, Cory and Luke will continue providing you professional assistive technology tips under the show's new name: "Vision Forward's Tech Connect" Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Google Docs is a free word processor that is available anywhere there is an internet browser, with all the functions you would expect and the ability to work on documents concurrently with anyone in the world using the power of the internet! But how about if you are a screen reader user? In this video Cory and Luke dive into the world of Google Docs with JAWS, looking at how to use the screen reader to access documents, create documents and make edits. Join us to find out different...

In this installment of TEC Talk, Cory from Vision Forward leads you through the major functions of the Lookout A.I. app which uses your Android’s camera to provide real-time information about your environment. Our very own Assistive Technology Specialist will demonstrate this app's major uses including OCR/TTS, object identification, product recognition, currency mode and more! If that sound like it could help you or someone you know stay tuned and learn all about this exciting technology! Lookout is perfect for any Android user seeking to improve their cell phone’s visual assistance toolkit. It is an accessible app which is also compatible with alternative physical phones such as the Blindshell Classic 2. But how does it compare to the iPhone’s Seeing A.I. or other options? Stick around because we are going to size up the competition and offer our thoughts on possible alternatives. Find out how Seeing AI, Supersense and Envision A.I. compare to Lookout so that you can make the choice that's right for you. Join us for our live show: TEC Talk Live! every other Thursday. BlindShell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctOUF... Humanware Stellar Trek Accessible GPS with Peter Tucic: https://tinyurl.com/3uc2abrk Next Episode: September 1st “Downloading books from NLS BARD” You can find out about the upcoming schedule by visiting: https://vision-forward.org/tectalklive/ TEC Talk Live! Full Playlist: https://tinyurl.com/3u9cydc5 Contact Vision Forward Association: Call us: (414-615-0103) Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org ​ Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

The ONYX by Oxsight is a hybrid wearable device great for low vision users on a budget. In this video, Luke Scriven, an Assistive Technology Specialist from the Vision Forward Association, shows you everything you need to know about this lightweight wearable including special settings like the convenient TV / Screen mode for both relaxation and digital work. But stay tuned because Luke will also explain more advanced features for visual enhancement such as High Contrast mode and Edge mode. This little device is built to travel, and as such it includes a sturdy carrying case, lanyard, and an adjustable headband strap. OxSight has even included a set of power converters so you can take the Onyx with you should your travels carry you abroad. So how does the Onyx stack up against the competition? There's only one way to find out! Check out the video, and see what we think! Previous Comparisons: Onyx by OxSight Tec Talk Live! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUOrKbRXIo IrisVision Live Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzm0BJ9bC7w eSight 4 vs. IrisVision vs Acesight Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF2YombMNfQ eSight 4 vs. IrisVision vs Acesight Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jCf3mmpcU Contact Vision Forward Association: Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org ​ Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Getting around when you are blind is no easy thing, even if you are good with your orientation and mobility skills! Luckily there are some great GPS solutions on the market to help you get to your destination safely, not least Humanware's range of devices such as the Trekker Breeze and the Victor Trek. But as we all know, technology is ever advancing, and new devices are always coming to the market that offer advanced functionality to improve your quality of life. With that said, enter the new GPS from Humanware, the Stellar Trek! This GPS device combines excellent maps, the ability to virtually search an area before travelling there, navigation markers and new features which utilize two cameras on the device to provide OCR and the ability to read addresses directly from buildings and identify where their doors are! This is new era for GPS devices designed for people who are blind, and Humanware are leading the way. Join Luke and Cory, assistive technology specialists at Vision Forward, as they talk to the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Humanware, Peter Tucic, about this new device and what it can do for you! Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

The cases of the dreaded virus seem to be finally slowing down, and the weather is warming up, so what better time than to grab your sunshades and sun tan lotion and head out on vacation! But before you get there you have a lot of things to consider: How will I get to the airport? How will I find my gate when I'm at the airport? How will I keep myself entertained while I'm on the plane? How will I get to where I'm going when I land? Just the thought of it can put you off traveling at all! Luckily, Luke and Cory are here to make it easier with some top tips on how to travel with a visual impairment. Join us to learn all about useful apps, how to prepare for traveling, ways to stay entertained, getting through the airport if you are blind or low vision and much more. If you enjoy this make sure to join us Thursdays live on YouTube every two weeks. Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Smartphones rule the world so you better get with the program soldier! In this session Cory is going to help you do just that by teaching you all about the essential VoiceOver gestures that will let you use your phone like a pro. VoiceOver is the screen reader built into the iPhone, and lets people who are blind use the phone to its full extent, but in order to do so you have to learn gestures....so...many...gestures. There are single taps, double taps, triple taps, single finger, two finger, three finger, four finger, rotating...it can be a bit much to say the least. Let Cory walk you through the process and show you that it doesn't have to be as intense as it may seem. Make sure to join us for the next show on 3/17, and every two weeks after that, live on YouTube! Call us: (414)-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Alexa, wash my dishes! In our wildest dreams, this is the future of smart speakers. Sadly we're not there yet, but we CAN set up neat routines to make our lives just that little bit easier. By setting up your home as a smart home, utilizing smart devices like bulbs, doorbells and the like, it is possible to automate pretty much anything you want. Need an LED strip of lights to automatically turn on if you go down the stairs at night? Done. Want lights to dim, the television to come and the heat to go on with the use of a single voice command? Your wish is their command! Check out the two videos in the links below to see some smart devices, and an in-home demonstration of the technology at work, then see this video to find out how to set everything up once you have decided what you want. Accessible Smart Devices: https://youtu.be/d6hMSBKN_-s In-Home Smart Home Demo: https://youtu.be/R4vhUkAeSWE To see info on the live show: https://vision-forward.org/tectalklive Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Another week, another episode of TEC Talk Live, and in this episode your hosts Cory and Luke talk about the latest wearable electronic magnification device from IrisVision - the IrisVision Live. This device is designed to be worn on the head by people with low vision, and can increase their visual acuity through magnification, contrast enhancement, brightness controls and more! Watch to find out what the Inspire looks like, what you get included with it, the pros and cons of its design, who it works for, and the features that it offers which include magnification, a television watching mode, a retinitis pigmentosa mode, YouTube video streaming and high contrast reading modes. Wearables are the latest and fastest growing area of technology or people with vision loss, so don't get left behind! Make sure you check out the video to get a good idea of what the latest technologies are offering, and if you have more questions you can get in touch with the details below. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

In the first part of our look at accessible smart home technology, Cory and Luke discussed various different types of smart devices including smart bulbs, sensors, thermostats, light switches and more https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6hMSBKN_-s. In this second part they demonstrate these devices installed in a home, by visiting Cory's futuristic house! Here we get to see a number of smart devices in action, including smart bulbs, light switches, doorbells, televisions, heaters and more. Find out how these are all controlled through the Amazon Echo, and learn al about routines that allow you to control exactly how and in what circumstances these smart devices are activated. Remember, we hold TEC Talk Live every other other Thursday at 11AM CST, and you can watch LIVE by joining us on our YouTube Channel, or by joining us via Zoom. Register at https://lnkd.in/eBUFT7F.

They say that a smart home is only as smart as the person who owns it, but we don't let that stop us this week as we dive into the wonderful world of accessible smart homes for people with vision loss and other disabilities! To guide us through this journey we have our very own Cory Ballard, master of the smart home and lover of technology. In this video he will tell all about his own smart home setup and devices, even bringing in some different smart devices for us to look at. Whether you are an Amazon Echo kind of person, a purveyor of Google smart home tech, or on the Apple Home Kit bandwagon, Cory has got you covered. So if you are thinking of setting up a smart home but don't know where to start, or if you already have some smart home devices but want to take your setup to the next level, check out this video to get some inspiration! Don't forget to join us in two weeks time (3/4/2022) at 11AM CST for our livestream from Cory's house to see some of these devices in action!

It's time for another TEC Talk Live, and in this episode Luke and Cory, Assistive Technology Specialists at Vision Forward Association, are joined by Rose Visser, Occupational Therapist, to discuss tools and strategies for daily living if you have a visual impairment. Enjoy the usual banter of Luke and Cory, and learn all about different ways that can make those everyday tasks more enjoyable in this video. Whether you are struggling with cooking, identifying money, identifying the color of your clothes, figuring out what medicine you have, or anything else, Rose has some great tips and strategies that can help. Don't forget, you can schedule time with Rose to get one-on-one training by getting in touch with us below! TEC Talk Live is a free live event hosted by Vision Forward every other Thursday that covers all sorts of assistive technology for people with vision loss. Join us by registering at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lDhTLaLBRnOnFKK-HxyDPQ or if you prefer you can watch the event live on our YouTube Channel! #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/infocustechnology Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Phones...you gotta have 'em. But the whole world is turning toward smart phones, and well you just don't like 'em. Enter the Blindshell Classic 2! This phone has been built from the ground up for people who are blind or low vision, and includes all over the features of a smart phone with none of the need for a touch screen. The Blindshell has excellent feeling tactile buttons and voice input, and has some great features including of course calling and texting, but also email, internet...

GAMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's fun (hence the exclamation marks). But also, if you are blind or low vision, it can be somewhat exclusionary. FEAR NOT. In this episode of TEC Talk Live Luke and Cory, assistive technology specialists at Vision Forward, are joined by Jesse Anderson of the Illegaly Sighted YouTube Channel to talk all about accessible games for people who are blind or low vision. Accessible games...must be talking about audio games, right? HOLD YOUR HORSES good sir/madam/other. Accessible gaming does not have to mean only audio games, but all sorts of different game styles and genres! So strap in, and get ready to hear about all sorts of games for PC, console, iOS and Android...and even VR! Make sure you check out Jesse's YouTube Channel at youtube.com/illegalysighted to keep up to date with all topics accessible gaming related. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

It's time to get Inspired....In this episode of TEC Talk Live Luke Scriven, assistive technology specialist at Vision Forward Association, chats with Tom Perski from IrisVision about the IrisVision Live and IrisVision Inspire wearable devices for people with low vision. Tom tells us all about the features of the two devices, who they are suitable for, the kind of tasks you might expect to be able to do while using the device, as well as sharing some of his personal history with vision loss and how it has affected his life. Find out all about both devices in the video, and make sure to get in touch with us at the contact details below if you would like to learn more about these devices, get a demonstration, or find out about any other assistive technology. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Phones...you gotta have 'em. But the whole world is turning toward smart phones, and well you just don't like 'em. Enter the Blindshell Classic 2! This phone has been built from the ground up for people who are blind or low vision, and includes all over the features of a smart phone with none of the need for a touch screen. The Blindshell has excellent feeling tactile buttons and voice input, and has some great features including of course calling and texting, but also email, internet radio, games, weather, YouTube, BeMyEyes, an internet browser an more! Everything is super easy to use with the buttons on the phone and if you don't want all of those features, just don't use them! Find out all about this great phone in the latest episode of TEC Talk Live! hosted by Luke and Cory, assistive technology specialists at Vision Forward Association. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Join Luke and Cory, Assistive Technology Specialists, as they delve into the world of accessible television watching! You will find out about the vision accessibility features of the Amazon Fire TV, including magnification, contrast enhancement, screen reading, audio description and more! Plus, find out which Amazon Fire TV device might be right for you, and enjoy some witty banter and funny jokes. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

Join Luke and Cory, Assistive Technology Specialists, as they delve into the world of accessible television watching! You will find out about the vision accessibility features of the Apple TV, including magnification, contrast enhancement, screen reading, audio description and more! Plus, enjoy some witty banter and funny jokes. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store

In this special event Luke and Cory, assistive technology specialists with Vision Forward, host a two hour live show! In the first hour Luke and Cory discuss Android and iPhone accessibility features and apps that can be helpful in a workplace or home setting. The second hour sees Luke and Cory be joined by Peter Tucic (Humanware) and Sam Seavey (The Blind Life) to discuss living with vision loss. Whether you are low vision, blind, or sighted, this event is bound to cover interesting topics, give you new ideas and, most importantly, be fun! So make yourself a hot drink, get comfortable and enjoy two hours of interesting and informative content. #maculardegeneration #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #glaucoma #legallyblind Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store