Smart homes

Building an accessible home to fit your life

I fell asleep outside the other night. Kelly and I had been reading books with Ewan on the patio couch, and when Kelly piggybacked him off to bed, I flopped over and closed my eyes. I didn’t plan on going to sleep. But frogs were … READ MORE

People with disabilities drive innovation

Unbeknown to most employers, people with disabilities sparked the creation of many of the technologies we use today. Designers of the Smart City, decision-makers, a smart city is an inclusive and accessible city. Think about the needs … READ MORE

Bill C-81: What’s next?

On June 20, 2018, the Government introduced Bill C-81, an Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada (the Accessible Canada Act) in Parliament. The Accessible Canada Act received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, and came into force on July 11, … READ MORE

Disabled researcher calls for better support for faculty

Academic institutions need to do much more to support faculty members with disabilities and to create an environment in which they can thrive, argues a commentary published May 18 in the journal Trends in Neurosciences. Breaking … READ MORE

Bluetooth – a technology with bite

Those familiar with this young column know that “the machine” represents the large or small barriers and roadblocks those of us with mobility disabilities have to overcome. Todd Stabelfeldt By Todd Stabelfeldt, New Mobility July … READ MORE

Gamers forge their own paths when it comes to accessibility

Players with disabilities and chronic illnesses haven’t waited around for console manufacturers to look their way. Here’s how far we’ve come—and how far we have to go Mark Barlet, President of the AbleGamers … READ MORE

Switch Control changed my world

I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to independently send my wife a text for the first time. Meet Todd Stabelfeldt. He’s been using Tecla since February 2014. We asked Todd to share with us his thoughts since introducing Tecla … READ MORE

Wanted: Accessible homes for Ontarians of all ages and abilities

Accessible homes for Ontarians of all ages and abilities Nearly 2 million Ontarians live with some form of disability that affects their mobility, vision, or hearing — and the country is aging at a faster rate than ever before. That’s why experts are saying we need to embrace universal design

Nearly 2 million Ontarians live with some form of disability that affects their mobility, vision, or hearing — and the country is aging at a faster rate than ever before. That’s why experts are saying we need to embrace universal … READ MORE

CP Foundation launches new universal design “Accessibility is Beautiful” initiative

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation launched a new initiative on the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) called Accessibility is Beautiful, generously supported by CHUBB. The YouTube miniseries, developed by the Cerebral Palsy … READ MORE

The curious case of Charles Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer, Pulitzer-prize winning columnist for The Washington Post, best-selling author, Fox News commentator and well-respected conservative rhetorician, died on June 21 after an aggressive return of cancer following … READ MORE

Why we’re putting an Xbox controller on display at the V&A

The games console is part of our drive to exhibit modern objects – as a way to make sense of our complex world The Xbox adaptive controller marks an important moment in contemporary design history. Victoria And Albert Museum/PA … READ MORE

What do we do with all this data?

How joining smart sensors and smart data analysis can make data more useful. The City of Calgary created a bold community proposal to Infrastructure Canada Smart Cities Challenge. Christina Reynolds, University of Calgary August 1, … READ MORE

Custom home built for family of disabled nine-year-old daughter

After almost a full year of construction and six years of planning, Clare’s House is built and nine-year-old Clare Jackson will be better equipped to live with cerebral palsy, scoliosis and her other severe medical challenges. Clare … READ MORE

Student designs controller to boost disabled sister’s dexterity

An all-inclusive, spherical games controller – breaking down the barriers between able-bodied and disabled users whilst promoting rehabilitation. The James Dyson Award Designer Billy Searle shows his sister Jess how to use … READ MORE

The most valuable person you haven’t hired yet

People with disabilities are the original hackers. You should hire them. Edelstall – Coworking Space Hannover. Kiwihug Unsplash By Christina Mallon, Fast Company July 9, 2018 When you think about disabled people, strength and … READ MORE

The secret world of disabled gamers

Studies like this one could begin to make digital games more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities. Games for people with disabilities. The Economist Emerging Technology from the arXiv, MIT Technology Review July 3, … READ MORE

Dementia patients could remain at home longer thanks to ground breaking technology

Innovative new technology will enable people with dementia to receive round the clock observation and live independently in their own homes, a new study in the journal PL0S One reports. sabinevanerp, Pixabay CC0 By Natasha Meredith, … READ MORE

Major disabilities research project highlights need for change

The daily lives of disabled people are impacted by ‘unhelpful, exclusionary or downright abusive’ practices, according to a major research project looking at issues facing those with disabilities in the UK today. University of … READ MORE

Paint job transforms walls into sensors, interactive surfaces

Smart walls react to human touch, sense activity in room. Researchers at CMU and Disney Research used simple tools and techniques to transform walls so that they will react to touch and sense activity in a room. CMU Byron … READ MORE

Xbox adaptive controller first look: A new, necessary gamepad

Today we celebrate the seventh annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day and announce new technology and resources for people with disabilities. The goal of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about … READ MORE

This neural operating system lets paralyzed, voiceless patients communicate

Nuro’s new brain-computer interface uses neurological signals to let incapacitated patients talk to doctors and family. Nuro enables instant communication and computing for millions of people in post-surgeries and ICUs, nursing … READ MORE

Fully-automated, accessible apartment building a first for Calgary

Inclusio opens doors to low-income Calgarians with limited mobility. After two years of construction, Calgary’s first fully automated assisted living apartment building is ready for residents to move in. The kitchenettes at … READ MORE

Meet the woman who saved Stephen Hawking’s voice, and then gave the technology away to those in need

When Lama Nachman met Stephen Hawking in 2011, she was given one clear instruction: do not change his voice. Lama Nachman, right, worked with Stephen Hawking on upgrading the systems he used to communicate. The hardware for his voice … READ MORE

How Stephen Hawking reclaimed his voice—and helped others do the same

One of Hawking’s greatest legacies is the work he did on technologies to assist people with disabilities. “It just seemed that cosmology was more exciting, because it really did seem to involve the big question: Where did the … READ MORE

E-skin lets you manipulate objects in real and virtual worlds

Researchers integrate magnetoelectronic sensors into electronic skin that tracks motion. When it comes to virtual reality systems, sensors that ‘fit like a glove’ aren’t good enough anymore. Now, we want such sensors to fit more … READ MORE

Hawking won the world’s respect – and gave disabled people like me hope

Growing up disabled, I had few role models. But this brilliant, witty scientist helped shift the negative stereotypes many face. “It just seemed that cosmology was more exciting, because it really did seem to involve the big … READ MORE

What would a truly accessible city look like?

Most cities are utterly unfriendly to people with disabilities – but with almost one billion estimated to be urban-dwellers by 2050, a few cities are undergoing a remarkable shift. by Saba Salman, The Guardian 14 February 2018 To … READ MORE

Expert pressed about risk in closing NS facilities for people with disabilities

Inquiry examining whether 2 Nova Scotians have the right to live in supported housing rather than institutions. John Walter Thompson chairs a Nova Scotia human rights board of inquiry, dealing with persons with disabilities and their … READ MORE

Accessible tech opens doors for people with disabilities

Embracing life on wheels. No matter what type of cerebral palsy a person has, it limits their independence to a certain extent. Independence is amazing, especially when you have such a limited range of freedom. Technology has improved … READ MORE

Groundbreaking case seeks to make supported homes for disabled declared a right

Lawyer Vince Calderhead says case could help hundreds of Nova Scotians with disabilities. Vince Calderhead argues the Department of Community Services is breaking the Human Rights Act by housing Joseph Delaney and Beth MacLean in an … READ MORE

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