VisionWalk 2008: Will you walk the Walk?

Our local VisionWalk, which raises money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, is coming up in June. So I am getting serious about organizing my walking team and finding support. I would like to ask that you consider helping out your local walk in some way; with your feet, with your checkbook or even with your camera.

I am organizing Team Eureka for this year's VisionWalk in Raleigh, NC. If you will be in the Triangle area, please consider walking with us. You can join the team, help us raise money or assist us in whatever way you would like.

Thanks! -

Study explores how blind pedestrians can cross safely

I spotted this article, Study explores how blind pedestrians can cross safely, in the Triangle's News & Observer. "Walk faster" does not seem like the best technology for pedestrians, never mind visually impaired ones.

My Point Exactly

This is what I have being saying for a while now:

“A lot of technology was originally developed for people with severe disabilities,” Mr. Sinclair said. “But these solutions are proving valuable to a much broader range of people.”

Th Times is running a piece, At a Certain Age, Simplicity Sells in High-Tech Gadgets , in today's paper. It is worth the read, though it is light on examples. The article mentions the new Jitterbug, some new GPS units and some desktop concessions.

When are these companies going to realize that a few easy design tweaks can make their products more appealing (and accessible) to a wider audience? More high-contrast visual interfaces, more auditory and tactile cues, more text-to-speech. None of this would be expensive, bue all of it would make products better.