A Truly Intelligent Wheelchair for Severely Disabled People

Imagine being a multiple sclerosis patient used to driving a wheelchair with a joystick. As your condition progresses, you may loose the strength and control to operate a wheelchair using a joystick. It would be a tremendous setback to lose the independence of freely moving around in a wheelchair.

Soon that thought may become less of a worry as MIT is making good progress designing an intelligent wheelchair controlled simply by voice.

The wheelchair uses two different systems for navigation: it relies on GPS outdoors and is guided by a map of the local environment to navigate inside. What’s really unique about this particular intelligent wheelchair is that it’s completely self-learning. The chair is programmed when it’s taken on a guided tour of an area during which time key locations are identified via WiFi.

Witness this amazing technology by checking out this video that explains how the voice-command robotic wheelchair operates.

Disabled Employment During the Recession

This year, as we celebrate 20 years since the passage of the ADA, it’s important to note the progress that has been made. Truly, passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act was a landmark moment. Since that time, the understanding of the general population for those with disabilities has increased greatly. Restaurants are now accessible to those with wheelchairs. Disabled employment has increased. Special parking spaces allow those whose mobility is decreased to park close to shops, and provide extra space to lower van ramps.

Even with the progress that has been made, the situation isn’t perfect. Employers are still hesitant to hire persons with disabilities, for fear that it will cost them money or that the person with a disability won’t be as productive. So today I’m highlighting and sharing a story by D’Arcee Neal, who talks about some of the difficulties that he is facing as he gets close to graduating with a master’s degree in creative writing.

We frequently like to focus on the triumphs of people overcoming difficulties in their lives, but I think it’s important to focus on the realities of what people with disabilities often face, and the will and determination it takes to succeed.

D’Arcee has a very realistic take on what it’s like to be disabled in this economy. I hope you’ll take a look at it to realize that, although the ADA has been a great boon to those with disabilities, it has only been 20 years and we still have a ways to go.

Disabled Employment During the Recession

Cruising – A Convenient Way to Travel as a Wheelchair User

If you’re wheelchair bound like me, cruising can be a very convenient and relaxing way to travel because you’re able to visit different destinations without the hassle of transferring baggage or checking in and out of hotels. On a cruise ship you literally take your hotel room with you. During my 22 years as a quadriplegic I’ve cruised six times: two Caribbean cruises, a Baltic cruise and three Alaska cruises, all with Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises. I love cruising!  In this article I’ll share some of my experiences and observations. Read more

5 Useful Resources for Disabled Travel

Our tip for the day is on accessible travel.  To that end, we’ve put together a list of sites  – both new and old – on disabled travel that we think are definitely useful. Read more

Love ‘Glee’? Be Sure to Watch Tomorrow

Nearly Five years ago, a spinal cord injury left Zack Weinstein permanently paralyzed as a quadriplegic and in a wheelchair. But he’s an amazingly resilient young man – not only did he go on to finish college, graduating Magna Cum Laude, but he recently was cast for an episode of the hit TV show Glee.

Not only is Zack a talented actor, but he’s a great interviewee. From explaining what it felt like when he got the call telling him he got the part on Glee, to talking about his feelings on non-disabled actors being cast in disabled roles, his intelligence and maturity show through.

The full interview is definitely a great read and Glee is a great show – check them both out!

A Great Resource for Accessible Gaming and Video Games

Since I was a little kid, I’ve always loved playing video games. I don’t spend as much time at it now as I did back in my teenage years, but I still love playing cooperative games with friends, or escaping into a riveting story and devoting hours into completing an epic quest. For many people under the age of 40 like myself, video games are part of the fabric of our lives. Because I have so many positive memories from playing games over the years, I’m happy to report on the Bartiméus Accessibility Foundation, dedicated to improving the accessibility of the internet and other digital media to all people.

And yes, they have a web site specifically devoted to Game Accessibility.

Included in this site are four focuses: accessibility for the visually impaired, for auditory disabled gamers, for the physically disabled, and for learning disabled gamers. Really, it’s a pretty great resource for those with disabilities looking to find out how they can play video games. And their community forums are active and a great place to post questions you might have on a specific disability and how games can be adapted for you.

If you’re looking into ways video games can be made more accessible, you really should check out www.game-accessibility.com. And if you’re interested in modified controllers for the physically disabled, you might like our article on how modified video game controllers can really make video game playing more accessible for those with physical disabilities.

Happy Gaming!

Jamie Dunross, First Quadriplegic Sailor to Circumnavigate Australia

First there was quadriplegic Geoff  Holt who sailed solo across the Atlantic not too long ago, next Hillary Lister came along to become the first quadriplegic woman to circumnavigate Britain solo using a sip and puff equipped sailboat, and now we have Australian Jamie Dunross who is currently braving the seas in his effort to become the first quad to sail solo around Australia. Jamie anticipates the voyage, with stops, will take around five months, and encompass around 9000 nautical miles of sailing.

Jamie became a C5 quadriplegic in a gold pouring accident in the Australian outback in 1988 and was very depressed at first. However, sailing turned his life into a journey of amazing accomplishments, including a gold medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games.

Jamie considers his sailing trip around Australia to be a warm-up for his big dream of circumnavigating the entire globe solo. However, I don’t just want to applaud Jamie for his physical achievements.  When Jamie returns to his hometown of Rockingham, just South of Perth, he plans to get involved in a sailing program designed for people with disabilities. He also wants to demonstrate to the public that a disability doesn’t need to be a roadblock against achieving your dreams when you are determined to reach your goal.

You can follow Jamie’s journey at his website where he blogs regularly about his progress and his experiences.

Disabled Breakdancers You Have to See to Believe

These guys not only overcome their disabilities – they take advantage of them and create something new in their art form.

I was just blown away when I watched this video. You have to see it to get how amazing these guys are – it’s disabled guys breakdancing. And kicking butt at it, too. The crowd is going nuts for some of the moves they are pulling off, and seeing these guys maximize their abilities, and make the most of what they have to work with is totally inspiring.

I’ve had a grin on my face all morning since watching this.

You can see the video on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_9rhnn1r4

Cerebral Palsy Will Not Stop Steve Wampler from Climbing El Capitan

Have you heard about Steve Wampler? In September, he plans to become the first person with cerebral palsy to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan, a vertical granite rock twice the height of the Empire State Building. Because of Steve’s condition, he will rely solely on upper body strength to reach the top. The ascent will take six days, with about 20,000 pull downs and the help of two skilled climbers.

One of the amazing things about Steve is that he’s climbing for something much greater than personal achievement. He is climbing to raise funds for his wilderness camps for kids with disabilities. He is so inspiring that he’s even gotten the attention of Ellen DeGeneres and Will Ferrell.

To read the whole story behind Steve’s climbing endeavor, his foundation, and an interesting personal anecdote about how he met his wife check out this uplifting article by Jenny Inglee.