Sharing digital content across platforms is often a tedious and frustrating task even among the more techno-savvy assistive technology users. Up until now, truly cross-platform solutions were hard to come by.

Enter Flick, a new sharing app that’s designed to be simple and accessible for everyone, regardless of what device they use to access digital content. Unlike most other sharing apps, Flick is available for PC, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Mac, and Linux, so no matter what device is being used, users can share that content with any other type of computer, smartphone, or tablet.

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ClaroRead is an advanced text-to-speech/writing/OCR program for PC that helps users read, write, and study with confidence. Recently, version 7.3 was released, and it’s packed with improvements and new features. Let’s take a look at some of these improvements in this newest version of ClaroRead.

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Today we sit down with Courtney Cameron, a Halifax-based Assistive Technology Specialist with Neil Squire Society, and get the inside scoop on Acadia University’s first annual buildathon featuring the LipSync device.

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Gordon was involved in a car accident around five years ago, and sustained damage to his back and neck. After that, he experienced two strokes which left him with 20% paralysis on his right side, no vision in his right eye, and 75% vision in his left eye.

After being unemployed on and off for a few years, he started working as a designer for solar power systems for houses, businesses, and farms in 2017. Since he didn’t have an ergonomic setup, he found it painful to work at his desk. “I couldn’t sit for more than 10 minutes. I was in a lot of pain in my back,” Gordon recalls. He contacted the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, who referred him to the Neil Squire Society.

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Donna was involved in two motor vehicle accidents nine years apart. Both incidents contributed to significant upper neck and back injuries and frequent migraine headaches.

In the past, Donna worked as a part-time Medical Office Assistant, where being on the phone and typing simultaneously was a painful task. Repetition, ill-fitting chairs, or static posture would intensify her pain. “My days off were often spent incapacitated with stress-induced headaches. Life being like a ‘yo-yo’ forced me to accept the problems of being employed,” she says.

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We’ve covered the various ways in which a smart phone can be used hands-free, and the ways in which that can serve as assistive technology. But what if there was a device that was designed to be activated and used almost exclusively via voice commands? Enter the home assistant, a new and revolutionary type of virtual assistant that’s already been adopted by millions of households worldwide! Because these devices were created with universal design in mind, they are highly accessible and easy to use; in fact, the vast majority of those users do not actually require assistive technology.

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On January 24th, the Solutions team worked with the Neil Squire Society’s Makers Making Change team to build LipSyncs. A LipSync is a mouth-controlled device that helps people with limited use of their arms to operate a touchscreen device. 

The team was given an introduction to soldering, after which they began building the devices. More details about the LipSync and its open-source project files are available here.

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Each year, workplace injuries account for billions of dollars in lost revenue, with many of those injuries being preventable. Since practicing good ergonomics can mean the difference between a safe and healthy work environment, and one in which people experience unnecessary strain and injury, it is important to look at and evaluate each of the principles of good ergonomics. The following checklist has been designed for the modern office environment, and it also provides solutions for dealing with situations that are not in keeping with “good ergonomics”. Please feel free to print and share this checklist with your employer and/or fellow employees!

To download the PDF, click here.

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Since as far back as he can remember, Roy Forbes has been passionate about music. “It’s something that’s in my DNA”, he explains. “Even before I could walk or talk, I somehow knew that I would have a life making music”. For over 46 years, Roy has made his living playing music, making a name for himself as one of Canada’s premiere singer-songwriter-performers. His passion for the musical life is not just limited to performing, writing songs and making records. For the past 11 years, Roy has also hosted a weekly radio show, “Roy’s Record Room”, on Alberta’s CKUA Radio Network, spinning an eclectic mix of vinyl and shellac from his extensive record collection.

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This is part 3 of 3 of our LipSync Update series. In this last update, we conclude our interview with Neil Squire Society’s Director of Innovation, Chad Leaman. To read part 1, click here. To read part 2, click here.

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