posted on October 1, 2011 - 8:32am
Bedtime is when I prefer to curl up with a good book.
Hunching over the hardcover in the dark, I squint and squirm trying to find a comfortable position and read my Book Club’s selection of the month. A lamp would disturb my husband’s slumber, so I use a book light. The tiny beam needs constant adjusting. To save eye strain, I’ve even borrowed the “large type” books from the library. No matter...
Video games can serve the higher public good when players work alone or with a team to solve genetic and biochemical puzzles
posted on March 31, 2011 - 11:57am
Note: This article was updated Sept. 19, 2011.
Video games have a reputation for being big time-wasters. But what if you could help solve scientific mysteries — such as unraveling the origins of a genetic disease — at the same time as you’re having fun?
That’s the idea behind several new online games designed to harness the collective brain power of computer users — a process known as “...
My body may be confined mostly to one point in physical space, but my mind looks forward to its weekends in cyberspace
posted on March 31, 2011 - 11:45am
When I graduated from high school in 1984, there were no tearful farewells to friends and girlfriends while a New Wave soundtrack played in the background like some John Hughes movie.
Frankly, I was relieved to be free to start my writing career, and hopefully be heralded as the next William Gibson. When my science fiction failed to sell, I switched to writing thrillers and, consequently, hoped...
An FCC contest asks: How can 'cloud computing' create new opportunities for people with disabilities? Deadline is May 1; two cash prizes are offered
posted on March 4, 2011 - 3:53pm
The Federal Communications Commission wants to know: What’s your vision for using “cloud computing” to create new opportunities for people with disabilities?
The FCC is co-sponsoring the competition “Lifted by the Cloud: Visions of Cloud-Enhanced Accessibility,” and asking participants to create short multimedia presentations showing “what could be possible using the computing and communication...
A writer with muscle weakness borrows an iPad, and evaluates the pros and cons of this innovative technology
posted on October 1, 2010 - 4:55pm
The iPad is extremely thin and portable. But at 1.5 pounds, it was still a bit heavy for the author to hold easily.
Cheap sunglasses and low-tech components allow Tony Quan, who has ALS, to draw again using his eyes; plans and software are free online
posted on April 2, 2010 - 2:56pm
A Los Angeles graffiti artist with ALS was the inspiration behind a low-cost, eye-controlled drawing device called the Eyewriter. For about $50 in simple components, Tony Quan (aka “Tempt 1”) has been able to resume creating his artwork for the first time in more than six years.
'Hackers and artists' join forces
Quan learned he had ALS in 2003. A well-known graffiti-style artist and social...
The PACER Center reviews several e-readers
posted on March 31, 2010 - 5:49pm
For people with reading-related disabilities, e-book readers can provide easy access to a world of literature and information. These portable devices store and read electronic books, and their accessibility features can include text-to-speech, audio-supported navigation, and enlarged print. Not all the devices offer all those features, however, so consumers need to shop carefully to find the e-...
