{"id":12236,"date":"2023-06-27T16:59:54","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T19:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br.alluring-pink-stork.72-61-35-14.cpanel.site\/?p=12236"},"modified":"2023-06-27T16:59:54","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T19:59:54","slug":"technology-as-a-tool-for-accessibility-and-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/a-tecnologia-como-uma-ferramenta-de-acessibilidade-e-inclusao\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology as a tool for accessibility and inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

We all know that the world of technology is constantly evolving, bringing new AI software and hardware every week. It is hard to keep up with the innovations that affect every area of our daily lives, from the implementation of a simple QR code on a menu to revolutionary autonomous cars.<\/p>\n

In the area of\u00a0accessibility and inclusion, the advancement of tools is even more evident and necessary<\/a>, because they facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities. In this article, we have separated some of these technological innovations for you to stay up to date with\u00a0accessibility market trends and innovation<\/strong>, both in the world of apps and hardware.<\/p>\n

This article was curated and produced with the collaboration of\u00a0Isabelle Utsch<\/a>, UX Research accessibility specialist. Stay tuned!<\/p>\n

What is assistive technology?<\/h4>\n

Thus, they are defined as tools that assist and enable the inclusion of people with various specific disabilities in daily activities. These technologies present themselves in various ways, both in the world of electronics and in software and hardware, such as screen readers and other more famous resources, such as canes or wheelchairs.<\/p>\n

In the world of\u00a0accessibility, quick fixes, and creativity are always welcome<\/a>. Because of this, we are always hearing about extraordinary innovations that in practice do not materially reach the public's access. Check out some of them:<\/p>\n

1 \u2013 WeWalk<\/h3>\n

Canes in general are seen being used by blind or low-vision people and have the function of warning about obstacles in the path, especially on ascents, descents, and walls, which normally do not contain electronic components.<\/p>\n

However, for visually impaired people who are tired of falling into potholes and bumping into signs, smart canes can be a solution.<\/p>\n

WeWalk is a smart cane that\u00a0It has GPS and can be integrated with the voice assistant<\/strong>. It connects to the internet and the user's smartphone and uses Google Maps to help the user reach locations, has sensors to understand the surroundings and warn about obstacles. Furthermore, it vibrates on the handle when it detects obstacles above chest level, which is very important because regular canes cannot detect if there is something that can hit the user, such as a tree branch or a sign.<\/p>\n

This cane can be purchased in Brazil through the WeWalk website and costs about R$ 5,400. The price may vary depending on the time of year, as it is an imported product and is subject to fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate.<\/p>\n

2 \u2013 MouthPad<\/h3>\n

The MouthPad is a device that was created by an American company, MIT Media Lab,\u00a0allows you to control a computer or cell phone mouse using only your tongue<\/strong>. It looks like dental braces, but it has a sensor on the roof of the mouth that captures tongue movements and sends them via Bluetooth to the connected device. It is an assistive technology for people with motor disabilities who cannot use traditional mice.<\/p>\n

The MouthPad was launched in 2023 and is not yet available for purchase, but those interested can sign up for a waiting list on the company's website.<\/p>\n

3 \u2013 NuEyes<\/h3>\n

NuEyes is an American company specializing in augmented reality glasses for people with low vision. Featuring a high-definition camera, these glasses capture and magnify images of the environment and project them onto the glasses' screen. In addition to being lightweight and comfortable, NuEyes glasses are wireless and can connect to mobile phones, tablets, or PCs.<\/p>\n

To purchase NuEyes glasses, you can visit the company's official website. The price depends on the model you choose and the dollar exchange rate. Prices range from R$ 16,300 to R$ 19,800 at the current exchange rate.<\/p>\n

4 \u2013 Hummingbird<\/h3>\n

The Colibri is an innovative device that functions as a wireless head mouse. It was created by TiX Tecnologia Assistiva, a startup from Minas Gerais that develops solutions for people with severe motor disabilities. With the Colibri, people who cannot use their hands can\u00a0control cell phones, tablets, and computers using only head movements and blinking.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Colibri is lightweight, has a rechargeable battery, and connects to devices via Bluetooth, with no installation required. In addition, it is customizable, allowing you to choose from different colors and adapt it to any glasses frame.<\/p>\n

The Colibri was launched in 2021 and can be purchased on the TiX website, with subscription plans starting at R$ 119 per month or a one-time purchase price of R$ 2,990.<\/p>\n

5 \u2013 Matraquinha<\/h3>\n

Matraquinha is an app that helps non-verbal children and adolescents with autism express themselves intuitively and playfully. The app uses the traditional method of augmentative and alternative communication, based on cards with pictures representing objects, actions, feelings, and needs.<\/p>\n

When touching the figures, the child hears a voice that reproduces what they want to communicate. The application covers various themes, such as emotions, basic needs, greetings, clothing, animals, numbers, and vowels.<\/p>\n

O\u00a0Chatterbox<\/a>\u00a0was created in 2018 by the family of Gabriel, a boy with autism. His father, Wagner Yamuto, his mother, Grazyelle, and his uncle, Adriano,\u00a0they developed the app to facilitate their son's communication with the world.<\/strong>\u00a0The app has become a hit. It is available for free on Android and iOS. The application also allows the customization of the cards by adding photos, texts, and audio recordings from the child or the family.<\/p>\n

6 \u2013 HandTalk<\/h3>\n

O\u00a0HandTalk<\/a>\u00a0It is an application that works as a translator and pocket dictionary for sign languages. It facilitates communication between deaf people who use Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) or American Sign Language (ASL) and hearing people, especially in everyday or emergency situations that do not have an interpreter. The application translates words in a way very similar to Google Translate.<\/p>\n

HandTalk works as a sign language translator.<\/span>Source:\u00a0\u00a0HandTalk.com.br\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The app is free and allows you to translate text or audio into Libras or ASL. Just type or speak a word or phrase, and the avatars Hugo and Maya will show the corresponding sign.<\/p>\n

7 \u2013 Sound Shirt<\/h3>\n

Developed by the company CuteCircuit, the Sound Shirt is a smart shirt that allows deaf or hearing-impaired people to feel music through vibrations in the body.\u00a0The t-shirt uses sensors and actuators that synchronize with an audio source.<\/strong>, like a live concert or a musical recording, and transform the different sound frequencies into tactile stimuli on the various parts of the user's body.<\/p>\n

The Sound Shirt was created in partnership with the Hamburg Youth Symphony Orchestra in Germany, with the aim of providing an inclusive musical experience. The invention was recognized as one of the 100 best inventions of 2020 by TIME magazine.<\/p>\n

The T-shirt can be purchased on the CuteCircuit website for \u00a3550, which is equivalent to approximately R$ 4,000.00 at the current exchange rate. However, there is no information about delivery to Brazil or shipping costs and taxes.<\/p>\n

In a way, technological evolutions arrive with the intention of making our lives easier. But in the case of the innovations mentioned in this article, I can say that\u00a0literally manage to completely change the lives of people with diverse needs.\u00a0<\/strong>Even though in some cases this equipment is not exactly financially accessible, investing in technological inclusion translates into greater participation of people, granting them autonomy and bringing different voices and diversity to everyday life.<\/p>\n

The lives of those who depend on technological resources to have an independent routine have never been exactly easy, but with the democratization of smartphones in Brazilian homes, these items can become accessible apps instead of equipment that costs thousands of reais.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, we cannot forget that some of these ingenious creations are Brazilian, so we have to be very proud of our domestic programmers and engineers and not think that creativity and innovation only come from abroad. What we need to foster this type of initiative around here is more investment, both public and private, for this type of experimental equipment project that provides a more accessible routine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source: Tecmundo<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Todos sabemos que o mundo da tecnologia est\u00e1 sempre em constante evolu\u00e7\u00e3o, trazendo novos softwares de IA e hardwares a cada semana. \u00c9 dif\u00edcil acompanhar as inova\u00e7\u00f5es que afetam todas as \u00e1reas do nosso cotidiano, desde a implementa\u00e7\u00e3o de um simples c\u00f3digo QR em um card\u00e1pio at\u00e9 os revolucion\u00e1rios carros aut\u00f4nomos Na \u00e1rea de\u00a0acessibilidade e […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[85,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-85","category-canal-reatech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12236"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12239,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12236\/revisions\/12239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reatechbrasil.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}