TIS Weekly (#74): How Tech Can Make Life Better For The Hearing And Visually Impaired
[November 6th, 2016]
Oh, how I hate it when I forget my glasses and sit in the back of the room not being able to read the presenters’ screen! I’ve become as smart to use my phone to zoom in… However, people who are deaf and blind always have these disadvantages, so this week I’d like to zoom in on cool apps and tools that might make their lives easier. And if you haven’t noticed already, move over Design — it’s Health month now!
Theme | SOCIAL INNOVATION
Interpreters on demand
This summer we talked with the Finnish Marko Vuoriheimo at Border Sessions. He’s deaf himself and created the app Chabla that connects people who are deaf with interpreters around the world. Similar to this, the company Be My Eyes made an app that connects the blind to people who can see.
Theme | SOCIAL INNOVATION
Solar powered hearing aids
Hearing aids are expensive. Not just the initial costs, but also the batteries that need to be changed often. Solar Ear has come up with the solar powered hearing aid as an alternative.
Theme | HEALTH
VR glasses, but different
eSight are electronic glasses that enhance visual details, such as the color and size of letters on a piece of paper. The system comprises a headset with a camera that sends a video live stream to the controller. The video signal is then customized and sent back to the headset, where a LED screen displays it in front of the wearer’s eyes.
Theme | SOCIAL INNOVATION
Digital screens for the blind
We saved the coolest thing for last: a braille tablet! Blitab converts any text file from USB sticks or from the web into braille. This way, blind people can finally have access to touchscreen devices.
Event | DESIGN
Dutch Design Week
TIS.tv was present at the Dutch Design Week last week. Read a short recap on our activities on Medium: Going Dutch on Design.
[added 11 / 11 / 2016 — totally forgot about this great video:
Add your own videos and maybe they will feature in the next TIS Weekly. Questions? Remarks? Ideas? hello@tis.tv is the address! From TIS with love, Simone de Bruin.
A weekly dose of innovation? Subscribe here to the TIS Weekly.
Interested in more Health newsletters?
- TIS Picks — The 5 Best Videos On Health
- African Solutions To Local Health Problems
- eHealth; Digital Applications In Healthcare
- When Humans And Technology Merge
- More About: Health — ‘Hospital To Home’ Becomes ‘Hospital To Phone’
