Editor's Page
AccessWorld Recognizes the Birthday of Louis Braille
Access to Braille Technology
by Jamie Pauls
At the 31st annual California State University (CSUN) conference, braille was a major area of discussion—so much so, in fact, that the 2016 CSUN conference was dubbed by many as "the year of braille." Here at AccessWorld, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the products that were announced during the 2016 CSUN conference, and see which ones actually made it into the hands of people in the blind community.
Interviews
by Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald
If all goes as planned, The Holy Braille, a project from the University of Michigan School of Information to develop a full-page refreshable braille display, could revolutionize the pace of education for people with visual impairments. Project designers believe that the device could drastically improve the rate at which people with visual impairments receive and interpret information. In a recent interview, Alex Russomanno, one of the engineers involved in the project, talked about his team's momentum, the project's trajectory, and what we can expect to see in the next few years.
New Developments in Appliance Access
VizLens and HALOS: Making Touch Screen Appliances and Other Devices More Blind Friendly
by Bill Holton
This article describes an emerging and hopefully soon-to-be-available solution to a growing accessibility issue: the increasing prevalence of terminals, kiosks, vending machines, and other touch interfaces that are inaccessible to people with visual impairments. The article also introduces a brand new "low-tech" solution available right now that can help you better label and navigate the touch controls on your microwave, oven, dishwasher, and other home appliances.
Product Evaluations and Guides
A Review of the Mystic Access Apple Watch Tutorial
by Shelly Brisbin
Like the iPhone before it, the Apple Watch has gained a following among users with visual impairments, due to the availability of the built-in VoiceOver screen reader. Even for an experienced VoiceOver user, though, a new piece of hardware, with its own software, means there's a lot to learn. Mystic Access' Audio Tutorial for the Apple Watch aims to make getting to know your watch easier.
AccessWorld News
Letters to the Editor
