Students develop technology to help people with disabilities
May 13th, 2008From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Computer engineering students at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a sensor-equipped glove that can translate hand gestures into spoken words on a cellphone. The device only knows 32 words so far, but the students hope it may allow deaf people to communicate with those who don’t know American Sign Language by having their cell phones speak the words aloud.
Press release from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Graduating seniors at RPI have created an interactive game simulation to help individuals with disabilities develop life skills and increase their independence. The game simulates a shopping trip to a local store. Players select a meal they’d like to make, and then navigate a store map to collect all the items on their shopping list.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:41 am
The problem disabled people encounter daily is not a lack of technological devices but rather social bigotry. I truly question whether deaf people need a cell phone or that disabled people need an interactive game to help them increase their independence at the supermarket. The major obstacles to equality are social and created by those who do not have a disability. I guess the students at Carnegie Mellon and RPI missed this little fact. I suggest that students spend less time creating devices and games disabled people are unlikely to ever use and instead read books such as Body Silent by Robert Murphy that explains why disabled people are among the most disenfranchised populations in this country.
Editor’s note: More on Robert F. Murphy can be found here and here.