On Tech & Vision With Dr. Cal Roberts

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Not long ago virtual assistants and VR gaming were the makings of science fiction. But today, as we see developers across the board incorporating these technologies into apps and other tech, including for people who are blind or have low vision, these breakthroughs aren’t just possible, they’re part of the fabric of everyday life. In this episode Dr. Cal talks with Steve Ewell, Executive Director of the Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTAF). Together they discuss how rapid advances in tech have made previously unimaginable products like self-driving cars, smart homes and virtual reality gaming an attainable, everyday reality for millions of people, including for those who are aging or have low vision. They talk about CES, the CTAF’s annual trade show and the increasing number of consumer companies presenting accessible tech. They also discuss Steve’s work with AARP, and how technology designed for older users is also accelerating… and how those users are keeping up with the pace of new tech. The episode also features an interview with Walt Hickey, the executive editor at Sherwood News and the author of “You Are What You Watch - How Movies and TV Affect Everything.” Walt discusses how scientists and engineers consume the same media as everyone else, and how the ideas from science and science fiction have fed back on one another for millennia to build our modern world. With technology for the blind and low vision community increasingly easy to build and access, companies like Amazon and XBox are making accessibility more of a priority with every new development. In other words, when it comes to accessible technology, the future may have finally arrived. The Big Takeaways The Simplest Tech Can Make a Big Difference Are Self-Driving Cars Finally Here?: It can seem like self-driving cars have been on the horizon for decades. But with Waymo and other major technology companies recently unveiling breakthroughs, people who are blind or have low vision might finally be able to hop in a car by themselves and go wherever they want. Steve discusses what these breakthroughs mean, not just for activities like visiting the doctor, but for improved opportunities for social interaction. All Fun and Games: Steve talks about his work with AbleGamers and Oak Hill, two organizations dedicated to providing an accessible video game experience for people who are blind or have low vision. Gaming can combat social isolation, he says, but it can do more than that. When paired with wearables, Steve credits accessible gaming (and a healthy dose of competitiveness) with motivating people who are aging or have disabilities to stay active. Old School: It might be surprising to see the words “technology” and “AARP” in the same sentence. But tooday, they are indeed connected. Steve discusses the CTAF’s partnership with AARP, and how recent developments along with a savvier population of seniors has led to increased rates of development and adoption for accessible tech. Tweetables — Steve Ewell, CTAF Executive Director— Walt Hickey, Author, “You Are What You Watch”— Steve Ewell, CTAF Executive Director Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildCTA Foundation

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Technology developed specifically for people with low vision has historically been bespoke, specific, and expensive, requiring the creation of new technology for a relatively small population of users. But recently we’re seeing a paradigm shift from building new vision tech from scratch to building on top of existing technology that most people use daily. In this episode, Dr. Cal talks with Karthik Mahadevan, the founder and CEO of Envision, about how his technology company builds on existing tech, like smartphones and smart glasses, to benefit users with low vision. Envision’s software uses AI to recognize important visual cues in a user’s environment and then relays that information to the user with computer-generated speech. Karthik’s breakthrough realization early on that he didn’t need to build hardware when he could just tap into the cameras of smartphones and smart glasses that people already owned, enabling Envision to reach a much wider audience. The episode also features an interview with Troy Otillio, the CEO of Aira. Aira’s platform links users to a human visual interpreter, who can access the camera on their device and guide the user through the task, whether reading a letter, navigating a grocery store, or finding their way around an unfamiliar city. Ultimately, the future of creating vision technology might not be in reinventing the wheel but in improving it and figuring out how to turn the tech people already use every day into easy and accessible solutions for people with low vision. The Big Takeaways Building on Existing Tech The Importance of a Visual Interpreter: Karthik discusses the limitations of communication formats such as braille and audio announcements in public places for people with vision impairment. While well-meaning, they can never really provide complete access to spaces that are meant to be navigated visually. That’s where Envision comes in, allowing access to the camera on a smartphone or smart glasses to give the user a complete and accurate sense of their environment. Would You Like a Human for That?: To AI or not to AI? Speech-to-text technology is advanced enough that it can excel at reading something simple like a gas bill or a chicken soup recipe. But what if you got a birthday card from your grandchildren? Troy Otillio discusses how Aira recently partnered with Envision to offer their human visual interpreters as part of Envision’s technology — providing camera access to a human agent who can fully understand the nuance of the user’s situation. We Don’t Make Hardware: A small market company like Envision doesn’t have the capacity to build smart glasses (or smartphones) from scratch. The cost would be too high for a company that necessarily has a limited user base. Instead, the future of vision technology is likely to be in creating apps or finding novel uses for hardware that already exists. This will provide accessibility to people with vision impairments via tools they’re already quite familiar with. Tweetables — Karthik Mahadevan, Envision Founder & CEO— Dr. Cal Roberts, Lighthouse Guild President & CEO— Troy Otillio, Aira CEO Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildEnvisionAira

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Today, self-driving cars are all the buzz when it comes to cutting edge driving technology that could help people with vision impairmentdrive. But there are other, simpler technologies that are already helping people who are blind or visually impaired navigate behind the wheel - some of which draw on technology that’s been around for hundreds of years! In this episode, Dr. Cal talks with Dr. Henry Greene, co-founder and president of Ocutech about their bioptic driving telescopes. These simple devices fit on top of a pair of conventional eyeglasses, and provide a wider field of vision for drivers with vision impairments. This has been shown to increase driver safety and confidence. The episode also features an interview with Dr. Bill Seiple, Lighthouse Guild’s Chief Research Officer. He discusses how other technological advancements that are already in widespread use among all consumers - like GPS - are making it so everyone has to use their vision less while behind the wheel. Ultimately, the ability to pilot a car without relying on our vision isn’t there yet. But with these and other technologies discussed in this episode, the day where none of us need to see to drive may be just around the corner! The Big Takeaways Ancient Tech, Modern Design Can Something You Use Only 1% of the Time Make You Safer? Ocutech’s bioptic driving telescopes aren’t designed to be used all the time while driving. In fact, Dr. Greene estimates that his patients only use them between one and two percent of the time. This means that while they’re a useful tool for very specific tasks on the road, drivers still need to be competent behind the wheel without bioptics. Per Dr. Seiple, research has shown that drivers with vision impairment tend to be intentional about where and when they drive, adding another layer of safety. GPS Makes Everything Easier: Thanks to 5G technology that can place a user anywhere on Earth within a few feet, GPS is making it so that everyone has to use their vision less when they’re on the road . Is Driving a Visual Thing? As Dr. Seiple points out, visual acuity isn’t of greatest importance behind the wheel. More important is attentiveness, knowing where you’re going, and reaction time once something crosses your way, regardless of how sharply you can see it. This suggests that while cars may soon be able to pilot themselves, getting from one place to another may always require the competent guidance of a human. Tweetables “.” — Dr. Henry Greene, Ocutech Co-Founder & President“.” — Dr. Bill Seiple, Lighthouse Guild Chief Research Officer“.” — Crystal Davis, Ocutech Employee & Bioptic Telescope User Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildOcutech

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. When it comes to navigation technology for people who are blind or visually impaired, many apps utilize voice commands, loud tones or beeps, or haptic feedback. In an effort to create a more natural, seamless experience, the team at BenVision has created a different type of system that allows users to navigate using musical cues instead! For this episode, Dr. Cal spoke with BenVision’s CEO and co-founder, Patrick Burton, along with its Technology Leadd, Aaditya Vaze. They shared about the inspiration behind BenVision, how they’re able to create immersive soundscapes that double as navigation aids, and the exciting future applications this technology could offer. The episode also features BenVision’s other co-founder and Audio Director, Soobin Ha. Soobin described her creative process for designing BenVision’s soundscapes, how she harnesses the power of AI, and her bold vision of what’s to come. Lighthouse Guild volunteer Shanell Matos tested BenVision herself and shares her thoughts on the experience. As you’ll hear, this technology is transformative! The Big Takeaways Why Music? User Experience: Shanell Matos appreciated how BenVision blends in more subconsciously, allowing her to navigate a space without having to be as actively engaged with the process. Additional Applications: BenVision began as an augmented reality program, and its creators see a potential for it to grow beyond a navigational tool to expand for use by people who are visually impaired or fully sighted. For example, it could be used to create unique soundscapes for museums, theme parks, and more, augmenting the experience in exciting new ways. The Role of AI: Artificial Intelligence already plays a big role in how BenVision works, and its creators see it being even more important in the future. BenVision already harnesses AI for object detection and its companion app uses AI to provide instant voice support about the immediate surroundings if needed. Moving forward, AI could be used to help instantaneously generate new sound cues or to help users customize their experience at the press of a button. Tweetables “ Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildBenVision

We appreciate your support for our show — and now, we need your help nominating the On Tech & Vision podcast for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards! We are participating in these awards so we can showcase On Tech & Vision to a broader audience, gain recognition within the industry, and, most importantly, help spread the message about Lighthouse Guild and the role that technology is playing in tearing down barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. To help us nominate On Tech & Vision, please go online to www.podcastawards.com, where you can register to vote for On Tech & Vision in both the Technology and Peoples’ Choice Categories. Voting is open until July 31st. Once again, your support is greatly appreciated!

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. For hundreds of years, health professionals have dreamed of restoring vision for people who are blind or visually impaired. However, doing so, either through transplanting a functioning eye or using technological aids, is an incredibly complex challenge. In fact, many considered it impossible. But thanks to cutting-edge research and programs, the ability to restore vision is getting closer than ever. As a first for this podcast, this episode features an interview with Dr. Cal Roberts himself! Adapting audio from an interview on The Doctors Podcast, Dr. Cal describes his work as a program manager for a project on eye transplantation called Transplantation of Human Eye Allographs (THEA). Funded by a government initiative called ARPA-H, THEA is bringing some of the country’s finest minds together to tackle the complexities of connecting a person’s brain to an eye from a human donor. This episode also features an interview with Dr. Daniel Palanker of Stanford University. Dr. Palanker is working on technology that can artificially restore sight through prosthetic replacement of photoreceptors. Having proved successful in animals, Dr. Palanker and his team are working hard to translate it to humans. And if that can happen, then something once considered impossible could finally be accomplished! The Big Takeaways The Challenges of Eye Transplants: “Artificial” Vision Restoration Decoding “Brain Language”: The Evolution of the Brain-Machine Interfacetelepathic Tweetables: thetheOphthalmology, Stanford UniversityForty-twostate-of-the-artLighthouseOn Tech & Vision!) Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildTHEA ProgramPrima System People’s Choice Podcast Awards On Tech & VisionOn Tech & VisionOn Tech & Vision,www.podcastawards.com,On Tech & Vision

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. This episode is about how biosensor technology is revolutionizing the field of diagnostic and preventive medicine. Biosensors can take many forms — wearable, implantable, and even ingestible. And they can serve many different functions as well, most notably when it comes to detecting the various pressure levels in our bodies. This episode features interviews with several luminaries working with biosensors. One of them is Doug Adams, a revolutionary entrepreneur who became inspired to create a biosensor that can assist in the treatment of glaucoma patients, initially focusing on a sensor for intraocular pressure. More recently, Doug founded a company called QURA, whose current efforts are focused on a biosensor that detects blood pressure. To elaborate on QURA’s initiatives, this episode also includes insights from its Chief Business Officer, David Hendren. He and Dr. Cal discuss the current state of biosensor technology, the benefits of implantable biosensors, and how they work. Finally, this episode includes a conversation with Max Ostermeier, co-founder and General Manager of Implandata Ophthalmic Products. Max was previously interviewed by Dr. Cal for the episode “Innovations in Intraocular Pressure and Closed Loop Drug Delivery Systems.” This time, Max joins Dr. Cal to discuss the possibilities of biosensor technology and his company’s Eyemate system — which includes biosensor technology for glaucoma patients. All three guests also offer their thoughts on the future of biosensors and their endless possibilities. While it may seem like science fiction, it truly is science reality! The Big Takeaways What Biosensors Do: Currently, biosensors primarily sense the various pressures in the human body. QURA’s current sensor detects blood pressure and assists with hypertension. Meanwhile, Implandata’s Eyemate technology serves glaucoma patients by gathering data on intraocular pressure.The Rapid Shrinking of Biosensors: When Doug Adams first started working on biosensors, the model he saw was the size of a microwave. Now, it’s shrunk to the size of a grain of rice! By making biosensors smaller, they are easier to implant and place in different spots within the body. And by doing so, they can gather more and more data.The Benefits of AI: One drawback of gathering so much data is that it can sometimes be hard to analyze it. However, improvements in AI technology are making it easier to sort through all that data, giving doctors and patients valuable information for medical diagnostics and treatments.The Future of Biosensors: As implantable biosensors become smaller and more sophisticated, all our guests see them becoming a crucial part of healthcare. In addition to gathering data on all sorts of functions within the body, biosensors could provide therapies and treatments with minimal human intervention. Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildQURAImplandata Ophthalmic Products

When it comes to emerging technology, there’s no hotter topic than artificial intelligence. Programs like ChatGPT and Midjourney are becoming more popular and are inspiring people to explore the possibilities of what AI can achieve — including when it comes to accessible technology for people who are blind or visually impaired. One of those people is Saqib Shaikh, an engineering manager at Microsoft. Saqib leads the team that developed an app called Seeing AI, which utilizes the latest generation of artificial intelligence, known as generative AI Dr. Cal spoke with Saqib about how Generative AI works, his firsthand experience using an app like Seeing AI, and how it helped improve his daily life. This episode also features Alice Massa, an occupational therapist at Lighthouse Guild. Alice described the many benefits of generative AI, and how it helps her clients better engage in their world. Saqib and Alice also both agreed that the current state of AI is only the beginning of its potential. They shared their visions of what it could achieve in the future — and it doesn’t seem that far off. The Big Takeaways: The Power of Generative AI: Saqib discussed the present condition of artificial intelligence and why generative AI is a massive leap from what came before it. With a deep data pool to draw from, generative AI can do so much more than identify items or come up with an essay prompt. It can understand and interpret the world with startling depth and expediency. Seeing AI: This app can truly put the world in the palm of your hand. It can perform essential tasks like reading a prescription or the sign at a bus stop — and even more than that! It can describe all the colorful details of sea life in a fish tank at the aquarium or help you order dinner off a menu. The app doesn’t just provide people who are blind or visually impaired greater access to the world — it expands it. Embrace Change: There’s understandably a lot of uncertainty about what role AI should play in society. However, Saqib Shaikh and Alice Massa insist that there’s nothing to fear from AI, that the benefits far outweigh any potential drawbacks, and that as long as it’s handled responsibly, there’s a lot AI can do to help improve our lives. Tweetables: Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss. Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildTogether, TacitRetissa NeoviewerState Tactile Omero MuseumEmily Metauten Artist Page (Herminia Blue)

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. When it comes to art, a common phrase is “look, don’t touch.” Many think of art as a purely visual medium, and that can make it difficult for people who are blind or visually impaired to engage with it. But in recent years, people have begun to reimagine what it means to experience and express art. For this episode, Dr. Cal spoke to El-Deane Naude from Sony Electronics. El-Deane discussed the Retissa NeoViewer, a project developed with QD Laser that projects images taken on a camera directly onto the photographer’s retina. This technology allows people who are visually impaired to see their work much more clearly and with greater ease. Dr. Cal also spoke with Bonnie Collura, a sculptor and professor at Penn State University about her project, “Together, Tacit.” Bonnie and her team developed a haptic glove that allows artists who are blind or visually impaired to sculpt with virtual clay. They work in conjunction with a sighted partner wearing a VR headset, allowing both to engage with each other and gain a new understanding of the artistic process. This episode also includes an interview with Greta Sturm, who works for the State Tactile Omero Museum in Italy. Greta described how the museum’s founders created an experience solely centered around interacting with art through touch. Not only is it accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired, but it allows everyone to engage with the museum’s collection in a fascinating new way. Finally, a painter and makeup artist named Emily Metauten described how useful accessible technology has been for her career. But she also discussed the challenges artists who are blind or visually impaired face when it comes to gaining access to this valuable technology. The Big Takeaways: The Value of Versatility: Many photographers who are visually impaired require the use of large, unwieldy accessories in order to properly capture their work. Sony and QD Laser are determined to solve this problem with the Retissa NeoViewer, which can replace cumbersome accessories like screenSculpting Virtual Clay: The aim of Together, Tacit, is to “foster creative collaboration between blind, low-vision, and sighted individuals.” A major way this is accomplished is by using the haptic glove to sculpt virtual, rather than physical, clay. Working in VR makes it harder for the sighted partner to unintentionally influence the work of the artist who is blind or visually impaired. As a result, the experience for both users is more authentic and enriching.Reimagining the Museum Experience: The Tactile Omero Museum is much more than an opportunity for people who are blind or visually impaired to interact with art – it’s reimagining how that art is fundamentally experienced. By giving visitors a chance to engage with pieces on a tactile level, the museum allows everyone a chance to reconnect with a vital sense that many take for granted.Expanding Ability to Access Technology: For artists like Emily Metauten who are visually impaired, accessible technology makes it much easier to do their jobs. However, many governmental organizations don’t have the infrastructure to provide this technology to them. Emily wants to raise awareness of how valuable this technology can be, and why providing it to people is so important. Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildTogether, TacitRetissa NeoviewerState Tactile Omero MuseumEmily Metauten Artist Page (Herminia Blue)

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. When we buy a product off the shelf, we rarely think about how much work went into getting it there. Between initial conception and going to market, life-changing technology requires a rigorous testing and development process. That is especially true when it comes to accessible technology for people who are blind or visually impaired. For this episode, Dr. Cal spoke to Jay Cormier, the President and CEO of Eyedaptic, a company that specializes in vision-enhancement technology. Their flagship product, the EYE5, provides immense benefits to people with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and other low-vision diseases. But this product didn’t arrive by magic. It took years of planning, testing, and internal development to bring this technology to market. This episode also features JR Rizzo, who is a professor and researcher of medicine and engineering at NYU — and a medical doctor. JR and his research team are developing a wearable “backpack” navigation system that uses sophisticated camera, computer, and sensor technology. JR discussed both the practical and technological challenges of creating such a sophisticated project, along with the importance of beta testing and feedback. The Big Takeaways: The importance of testing: Anticipating needs: When it comes to products like the EYE5, developers need to anticipate that its users will have evolving needs as their visual acuity deteriorates. So part of the development process involves anticipating what those needs will be and finding a way to deliver new features as users need them.Changing on the fly: Future-Casting: When Jay Cormier and his team at Eyedaptic first started designing the EYE5 device, they were already considering what the product would look like in the future, and how it would evolve. To that end, they submitted certain patents many years ahead of when they thought they’d need them — and now, they’re finally being put to use. Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links Lighthouse GuildEyedapticRizzo Lab

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. The white cane and guide dogs are long-established foundational tools used by people with vision impairment to navigate. Although it would be difficult to replace the 35,000 years of bonding between humans and dogs, researchers are working on robotic technologies that can replicate many of the same functions of a guide dog. One such project, called LYSA, is being developed by Vix Labs in Brazil. LYSA sits on two wheels and is pushed by the user. It’s capable of identifying obstacles and guiding users to saved destinations. And while hurdles such as outdoor navigation remain, LYSA could someday be a promising alternative for people who either don’t have access to guide dogs or aren’t interested in having one. In a similar vein, Dr. Cang Ye and his team at Virginia Commonwealth University are developing a robotic white cane that augments the familiar white cane experience for people with vision loss. Like the LYSA, the robotic white cane has a sophisticated computer learning system that allows it to identify obstacles and help the user navigate around them, using a roller tip at its base. Although it faces obstacles as well, the robotic guide cane is another incredible example of how robotics can help improve the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. It may be a while until these technologies are widely available, and guide dogs and traditional canes will always be extremely useful for people who are blind or visually impaired. But with how fast innovations in robotics are happening, it may not be long until viable robotic alternatives are available. The Big Takeaways: Reliability of Biological Guide Dogs: LYSA the Robotic Guide Dog: LYSA may look more like a rolling suitcase than a dog, but its developers at Brazil’s Vix Systems are working on giving it many of the same functions as its biological counterpart. LYSA can identify obstacles and guide its user around them. And for indoor environments that are fully mapped out, it can bring the user to pre-selected destinations as well. The Robotic White Cane: Dr. Cang Ye and his team at Virginia Commonwealth University are developing a Robotic White Cane that can provide more specific guidance than the traditional version. With a sophisticated camera combined with LiDAR technology, it can help its user navigate the world with increased confidence. Challenges of Outdoor Navigation: Both LYSA and the Robotic White Cane are currently better suited for indoor navigation. A major reason for that is the unpredictability of an outdoor environment along with more fast-moving objects, such as cars on the road. Researchers are working hard on overcoming this hurdle, but it still poses a major challenge. The Speed of Innovation: When Dr. Ye began developing the Robotic White Cane a decade ago, the camera his team used cost $500,000 and had image issues. Now, their technology can be run on a smartphone – making the technology much more affordable, and hopefully one day, more accessible if it becomes available to the public. Tweetables: Pertinent Links: Lighthouse Guild Guiding Eyes for the Blind LYSA Robot GuideRobotic White Cane

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Navigating the world can be difficult for anyone, whether or not they have vision loss. Tasks like driving safely through a city, navigating a busy airport, or finding the right bus stop all provide unique challenges. Thankfully, advances in technology are giving people more freedom of movement than ever before, allowing them to get where they want, when they want, safely. Smart Cities are putting data collection to work in a healthy way by providing information to make busy intersections more secure, sidewalks more accessible, and navigation more accurate. They’re providing assistance for all aspects of travel, from the front door to the so-called “last hundred feet,” while using automated technology to make life easier every step of the way. And although fully autonomous vehicles are still on the horizon, the technology being used to develop them is being applied to improve other aspects of life in incredible ways. These applications are making the world more accessible, safer, and better for everyone, including people who are blind or visually impaired. One example of this is Dan Parker, the “World’s Fastest Blind Man,” who has developed sophisticated guidance systems for his racing vehicles, as well as a semi-autonomous bicycle that could give people with vision loss a new way to navigate the world safely and independently. The Big Takeaways: Smart Cities Autonomous Driving. In a perfect world, self-driving cars will provide ease of transportation for everyone, and create safer, less congested roads. That technology isn’t there yet – but it’s being worked on by talented researchers like John Dolan, the Principal Systems Scientist at Carnegie Mellon’s Autonomous Driving Vehicle Research Center. Sophisticated sensors and advanced robot-human interfaces are being developed to make self-driving cars possible. Application of Technology. The World’s Fastest Blind Man. When professional race car driver Dan Parker lost his vision in an accident, he felt lost. But a moment of inspiration led him and his business partner Patrick Johnson to develop a sophisticated guidance system that let him continue racing without human assistance. Thanks to this revolutionary technology, Dan became the “World’s Fastest Blind Man” when he set a land-speed record of 211.043 miles an hour in his customized Corvette. Tweetables: Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss. Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildMCityCarnegie Mellon Autonomous Driving Vehicle Research CenterDan Parker

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. For decades, people with vision loss had limited options when it came to accessing video games. Aside from screen magnification and text-to-voice tools, gamers who are blind or visually impaired didn’t have many ways to play their favorite titles. But in recent years, the same cutting-edge technology used to create games has been used to also make them more accessible for people with vision impairment. These advances include more visibility options, the implementation of 3D audio, haptic feedback, and customizable controllers for gamers with vision impairment. Furthermore, 3D audio technologies being developed in live sports may soon make their way to online multiplayer video games. The implementation and improvement of these technologies mean that everyone will be able to play together, regardless of their visual acuity. The Big Takeaways: Leap in Accessible Gaming Options. The Last of Us: Part 2Participating in the Process.Xbox Accessibility Team.Action Audio. Spatial Audio in Gaming. Tweetables: kaizen Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links: Lighthouse Guild RNIB Accessible Video Games Page Xbox Accessibility GuidelinesBlindGamerChick YouTube Channel On Tech & Vision: Training the Brain: Sensory Substitution

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Marcus Roberts, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and even Louis Braille (who invented the Braille Music Notation system still used today) prove that musicians who are blind or visually impaired have made profound impacts on our musical landscape. However, to get their work to us, musicians who are blind have had to structure complex workarounds, like relying on sighted musicians to demonstrate complex scores; memorizing long pieces; or only performing when they can have a Braille score in front of them, shutting them out from opportunities that fall to those who can sight read, since Braille scores have often been time-consuming and expensive to produce. However, new technologies in music composition and production are making composition, nuanced scoring, and Braille printing easier than ever, bringing musicians and composers who are blind to centerstage to share their sound and song. The Big Takeaways: “Lullay and Lament” by James Risdon.Echoes of Arcadia,Dancing Dots with Bill McCann. Chris Cooke and PlayHymns.com. What is Braille Music? Musical Instrument Digital Interface and MusicXML. The question of parity. The MIDI-to-brain connection. Training the Brain: Sensory Substitution Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildDancing DotsJames RisdonChris Cooke and Playhymns.com

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Lots of people have voice-controlled smart home assistants like Siri, Google, or Alexa in their homes…. to listen to the news or to set timers. But they can do so much more! David Frerichs, Principal Engineer, Alexa Experience at Amazon on the aging and accessibility team, shares his design philosophy for making voice assistants more inclusive, and the preferred mode of engagement for every user. He also shares that the next stage of smart home assistants will be ambient computing, where your devices will intuit your needs without you speaking them. We talk with Lighthouse Guild client Aaron Vasquez, who has outfitted his home with smart home technology, and with Matthew Cho, a client who traveled to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to speak to the unmanned Orion Spacecraft via the Amazon Alexa on board, demonstrating that voice assistant technology can bring inclusivity and accessibility to many jobs and industries and are not just for the home anymore. The Big Takeaways: Alexa Onboard the Orion Spacecraft.Accessibility and Preferences.,Ambient Computing.Smart Homes Today, Smart Industries Tomorrow.This episode asks how the smart home’s tools can be integrated into offices and industries to make these more accessible and inclusive Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildAlexa in SpaceDavid Frerichs

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Artifacts from Blackbeard’s sunken pirate ship are on display in the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, North Carolina. But now they are also accessible to visitors who are blind, thanks to the efforts of Peter Crumley, who spearheads the Beaufort Blind Project. In this episode, we ask: How can new technology help make sites like these as accessible to people who are blind as they are to sighted people? We profile three companies applying new technologies paired with smartphone capabilities, to make strides in indoor navigation, orientation, and information transfer. Idan Meir is co-founder of RightHear, which uses Apple’s iBeacon technology to make visual signage dynamic and accessible via audio descriptions. We check in with Javier Pita, CEO of the NaviLens QR code technology which we profiled in our first season to see what they have been developing in the last two years. Rather than iBeacons or QR codes, GoodMaps uses LiDAR and geocoding to map the interior of a space. We speak with Mike May, Chief Evangelist. Thanks to Peter Crumley, the North Carolina Maritime Museum is fully outfitted with GoodMaps, and will soon have NaviLens as well. As the prices of these tools come down, the key will be getting them into all the buildings, organizations, and sites of information transfer that people who are blind need to access – which is all of them. The Big Takeaways: Beaufort Blind Project.RightHear.NaviLens. technologyGoodMaps.Technological advancement.Distribution. Tweetables: nothing about us without us. Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss. Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildRightHearNaviLensGoodMaps

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. In 1997, Gary Kasparov lost an epic chess rematch to IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue, but since then, artificial intelligence has become humanity’s life-saving collaborator. This episode explores how AI will revolutionize vision technology and, beyond that, all of medicine. Karthik Kannan, co-founder of AI vision-tech company Envision, explains the difference between natural intelligence and artificial intelligence by imagining a restaurant recognizer. He describes how he would design the model and train it with positive or negative feedback through multiple “epochs” — the same process he used to build Envision. Envision uses AI to identify the world for a blind or visually-impaired user using only smartphones and smart glasses. Beyond vision tech, AI enables faster and more effective ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Ranya Habash, CEO of Lifelong Vision and a world-renowned eye surgeon, and her former colleagues at Bascom Palmer, together with Microsoft, built the Multi-Disease Retinal Algorithm, which uses AI to diagnose glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy from just a photograph. She acquired for Bascom Palmer a prototype of the new Kernal device, a wearable headset that records brain wave activity. Doctors use the device to apply algorithms to brainwave activity, in order to stage glaucoma, for example, or identify the most effective treatments for pain. Finally, AI revolutionizes drug discovery. Christina Cheddar Berk of CNBC reports that thanks to AI, Pfizer developed its COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid, in just four months. Precision medicine, targeted to a patient’s genetic information, is one more way AI will make drugs more effective. These AI-reliant innovations will certainly lower drug costs, but the value to patients of having additional, targeted, and effective therapies will be priceless. The Big Takeaways: Natural vs. artificial intelligence, and the “restaurant recognizer.”Sensor fusion AI.ranshumanism.Multi-Disease Retinal Algorithm.The Brain-Machine Interface.Bias in AI.AI for Drug Discovery. Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildKarthik Kannan Dr. Ranya HabashZephin LivingstonChristina Cheddar Berk

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Innovations in implant technology are advancing at lightning speed, profoundly impacting the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. In On Tech And Vision, we’ve profiled some amazing new implant technologies that have the potential to restore people’s sight. But in this episode, we pump the breaks — because we need to address a critical part of the innovation process: the ethical frameworks that protect participants in early clinical trials, and the need for an updated framework that ensures patient protections without stifling innovation and development. Discussions between doctors and participants in clinical trials almost always focus on the new technology and very rarely on the manufacturer who sponsors the clinical trial — and almost never on the long-term commitment and financial viability of the company sponsoring the technology. And while clinical trial informed consent includes whose responsibility it is to remove the implants should they fail during the trial, that responsibility usually ends once the trial is over. At that stage, who will maintain or remove the implants that are still housed in patients’ bodies? In this episode, we talk about innovative implants such as the Argus II, which we featured in the first season of On Tech And Vision. The Argus II is a microchip implanted under the retina that, in combination with a special headset, provided some vision to people who otherwise had none. And while the technology was exciting, the company discontinued the retinal implant three years ago, and the Argus II was eventually sold to another pharmaceutical company. Dr. Joseph Fins, Professor of Medical Ethics and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, joins us to share his thoughts on today’s big idea: How do we balance the life-changing potential of electroceutical implant technology with the ethics of caring for early participants — particularly after clinical trials are over? The Big Takeaways: Examples of electroceutical implants.Regulatory framework today.Ancillary care obligations.Moral Entanglements: The Ancillary Care Obligations of Medical ResearchersCollective responsibility.Some solutions.The law.“Victims of Our Own Success.”Danger to the field. Tweetables: Contact Us: podcasts@lighthouseguild.org Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildDr. Joseph Fins

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This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. People who are blind or visually impaired know all too well the challenges of living in a sighted world. But today, the capabilities of computer vision and other tech are converging with the needs of people who are blind and low-vision and may help level the playing field for young people with all different sensory abilities. These tools can pave the way for children’s active participation and collaboration in school, in social situations, and eventually, in the workplace, facilitating the important contributions they will make to our world in their adult lives. Access to educational materials is a consistent challenge for students and adults who are blind, but Greg Stilson, the head of Global Innovation at American Printing House for the Blind (APH), is trying to change that. Together with partner organizations Dot Inc. and Humanware, APH is on the verge of being able to deliver the “Holy Braille” of braille readers, a dynamic tactile device that delivers both Braille and tactile graphics in an instant, poised to fill a much-needed gap in the Braille textbook market. Extensive user testing means the device is as useful for people who are blind as possible. Greg sees a future in which more inclusively designed and accessible video games, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) will help children who are blind learn with greater ease, and better engage with their sighted peers. Enter Dr. Cecily Morrison, principal researcher at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK. Based on extensive research and co-designing with people who are blind, she and her team developed PeopleLens, smart glasses worn on the forehead that can identify the person whom the user is facing, giving the user a spatial map in their mind of where classmates (as one example) are in space. PeopleLens helps children who are blind overcome social inhibitions and engage with classmates and peers, a skill that will be crucial to their development, and in their lives, as they move into the cooperative workspaces of the future. The Big Takeaways: MY OT Journey PlannerMy OT Journey Podcast, Tweetables: Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss. Pertinent Links: Lighthouse GuildRobinAkselrudBryceWeilerGregStilsonDr.CecilyMorrison