Accessibility

At the Anesthesiology Annual Meeting held this past week in Philadelphia, some research stood out for the wrong reasons. Among the presentations on space anesthesiology and the impact of AI were three separate studies dealing with the issue of racial disparity in US health care.

A bit inside the box, a bit outside, the Maxvan Access camper is like no other. Maxvan pushes out the driver-side wall to create a split-bodied camper van with spacious, open floor plan further enhanced by a Murphy bed and hideaway bathroom.

While blind people are able to enter text into computers via braille keyboards, their options are more limited when it comes to using smartphones. The Fintin V1 is made to help, by compressing a full QWERTY keyboard into six multi-functional keys.

For people who are blind or lack fine control of their fingers, touchscreens such as those used on self-serve kiosks can be almost impossible to use. The experimental new BrushLens device, however, utilizes the user's smartphone to get the job done.

For wheelchair users, air travel can be a cumbersome and frustrating experience. That's where a new type of airliner seat is designed to come in, as it allows passengers to stay in their own wheelchair throughout the flight.

Back in 2019, Citroën offered the first glimpse of a compact electric pod-car that could be driven by folks as young as 14, as well as those without a license. Now the Ami has been modified "to restore autonomy to those who have lost it."

In a world first, Amazon has partnered with Cochlear to make watching movies and shows more accessible for folks with hearing loss by streaming audio from a Fire TV device directly to a Cochlear hearing implant's sound processor.

At CES 2023, Sony unveiled Project Leonardo, a customizable controller kit for the PlayStation 5 that allows players with various disabilities to design the best input layout that works for their specific needs.

Not everyone is able to use their gadgets via the usual taps and swipes, which is why extra accessibility add-ons are so important – such as a new eye-tracking system called Skyle, which works with the 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro.

To open up gaming to people with limited mobility who might normally miss out, Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a versatile new device that can be connected to a range of different accessories to cater to different players’ specific needs.

On the basis that many hotel rooms for the disabled aren't that accessible, can be poorly fitted and have overly clinical designs, two firms have collaborated to create a new hotel room concept. AllGo is an approach aimed at creating accessible ​rooms that are functional, flexible and beautiful.

As its name suggests, OOPEAA's Periscope Tower serves as an oversized periscope thanks to a pair of carefully-placed mirrors integrated into its core. No mere gimmick, the prefabricated observation tower ensures visitors can take in a raised view from ground level.