University adapting video game technology to help physically disabled computer users

TOKYO —The University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (known as “RCAST” for short), in conjunction with Microsoft Japan, has launched trials of new a computer program that utilize Microsoft’s Kinect for Windows technology as a way for physically disabled people to communicate and interact with computers.

For the uninitiated, Kinect is a motion-sensing camera designed for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console and Windows PCs that tracks users’ body movements and is capable of recognizing voice commands. The technology first became available for Xbox users just under two years ago, with Microsoft heralding a new age of gameplay where “you are the controller”, seeing users flapping around their living-rooms like maniacs to control their video games.


While games that utilize Kinect well have been few and far between, it would seem that the technology, once intended as a competitor to Nintendo’s popular Wii console, could soon be changing disabled people’s lives for the better.

As shown in the images below, the clever folks at RCAST have put together an incredible new piece of software, known as OAK (Observation and Access with Kinect), that allows severely disabled people to interact with computers.The system is able to recognize both movement and depth of field, meaning that even users whose movement is heavily restricted could potentially operate a computer.

The Kinect unit’s camera has been optimized to focus on key areas of the user’s body, particularly the face, and, along with the use of voice recognition, allows users to communicate their intentions far more freely than before.With the assistance of the DO-AT support group, the first wave of trials of the OAK system are currently underway across Japan, with physically disabled children invited to test out the new system and provide invaluable feedback for its improvement.

So, even though decent Kinect-controlled videogames remain thin on the ground and many game developers are becoming increasingly shy of utilizing the device, it would seem that the technology still has the potential to do a lot of good.

Source: Japan Today

NCD Releases Report on Disability

On Thursday, September 27, the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency, released “Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children” – a groundbreaking policy study, infused with real life stories of parents with disabilities, to provide a comprehensive overview of factors that support and obstruct Americans with all kinds of disabilities from exercising their fundamental right to begin and maintain families.

 “Twenty-two years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act with an increasing number of people with disabilities taking advantage of increased protections to receive an education and go to work, parents with disabilities continue to be the only distinct community that have to fight to retains – and sometimes gain – custody of their own children without cause,” said NCD Council Member, Ari Ne’eman. “Currently, the U.S. legal system is not protecting the rights of parents with disabilities and their children. Two-thirds of state child welfare laws allow courts to determine a parent is unfit solely on the basis of a parent’s disability. In fact, every state allows disability as a consideration when determining the best interest of a child in family or dependency court. Whether actions are taken at the state or federal level—as an amendment or a new law—the need to correct this unfair bias could not be more urgent or clear.”

About the report: “Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children” explores the pervasive prejudices faced by parents with disabilities by exposing the disparate treatment often encountered by parents with disabilities and their children within court and service systems and offers draft model state and federal statutory language to correct the discrimination faced by parents with disabilities in the United States.

Key findings:

• Estimates indicate 6.1 million children in the U.S. have parents with disabilities – Nearly 1 in 10, almost 10% of the population.
• Parents with disabilities are the only community of Americans who must struggle to retain custody of their children.
• Removal rates of parents with psychiatric disabilities is as high as 70 – 80 %
• Removal rates of parents with intellectual disabilities is as high as 80%
• Extremely high removal rates and loss of parental rights for parents with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Parents with disabilities are more likely to lose custody of their children after divorce.
• Prospective parents with disabilities have more difficulty when it comes to accessing reproductive health care such as assisted reproductive technologies.
• Prospective parents with disabilities face significant barriers to adopting children.

In the face of numerous obstacles, hope remains with several programs that show promise, long-term sustainable impact and potential for replication. With more funding, model programs currently serving American parents with disabilities could easily grow and develop nationwide to better serve this often overlooked population.

NCD thanks Through the Looking Glass, the NIDRR-funded National Center for Parents with Disabilities and Their Families, for their valuable assistance in writing sections of this report. Their insight and guidance during the research and drafting of “Rocking the Cradle” was instrumental in its development and completion.

Full report is available on NCD’s website at: http://www.ncd.gov

Source: GAATES

CNN Adds Closed Captioning on Web and iPad

CNN adds closed captioning on web and iPad. Watch video below:

Source: GAATES

Promote Sign Bilingualism During International Week of the Deaf

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) celebrates International Week of the Deaf (IWD) of the deaf this week from September 24-30, an event observed by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), an international organization composed of 130 national associations of the deaf. The WFD has designated “Sign Bilingualism is a Human Right,” as the theme for this year’s IWD. IWD is celebrated annually during the last full week of September.

http://www.wfdeaf.org/news/international-week-of-the-deaf-2012

“The WFD theme of ‘Sign Bilingualism is a Human Right’ represents a basic concept of linguistic access for deaf and hard of hearing people worldwide. This right is absolutely necessary to ensure their empowerment and self-determination. The NAD supports this year’s International Week of the Deaf theme and asks everyone to join in celebrating IWD across the country,” said NAD President Christopher Wagner. “The NAD thanks all organizations and individuals who have taken the time to recognize and celebrate IWD (also known as Deaf Awareness Week), including state associations of the deaf and community organizations across the nation.”

In the United States, the NAD is committed to ensuring that sign language is a human right.  The NAD and numerous other organizations, including the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) have advocated for the passage of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (“CRPD”). The CPRD recognizes sign language as a linguistic right of the deaf and hard of hearing community and the cultural values of this community,  as well as the importance of complete visual access to information. The United States has signed but has not yet ratified the CRPD, which is awaiting a vote in the Senate. If you haven’t taken action, please take action now at: http://www.nad.org/news/2012/9/we-need-your-support-ratify-crpd.

The International Committee, one of seven committees overseen by the NAD Public Policy Committee, put together a guideline and information on how to best promote IWD and help individuals and organizations across the USA develop ways to celebrate this important week of recognition and pride. Please review this guideline and celebrate deaf culture and heritage, as well as the many sign languages of the world including American Sign Language at: http://www.nad.org/guide-celebrating-international-week-deaf-and-international-day-sign-languages.

Source: NAD, GAATES

W3C Announces Plan to Standardize HTML5 by 2015

As part of advancing HTML 5.0 to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Recommendation by 2014, the HTML Working Group Chairs proposed a plan today to work in parallel on stabilizing HTML 5.0 and developing the next generation of HTML features. The plan identifies, for the first time, how the Working Group will produce an HTML 5.1 Recommendation by 2016.

The plan, not yet approved by the HTML Working Group, explains how the group anticipates fulfilling the interoperability expectations of the W3C process, including how the group will gather implementation evidence, identify features at risk for Candidate Recommendation, and create a test framework.

Modularity plays an important role in the plan progress. To enable features to evolve independently and rapidly, the group will make use of what it calls “extension specifications.” Some extension specifications may end up being published as stand-alone documents that are part of the “HTML family of specifications”; others may be re-integrated into the “baseline” HTML5 specification.

The plan also includes several elements to facilitate development of accessibility solutions for HTML5. In addition to leveraging the extension specification approach, the plan includes a mandate for the HTML Accessibility Task Force to develop accessibility solutions through cooperation and consensus.

We now invite discussion of plan in the HTML Working Group, Accessibility Task Force, and WAI Protocols and Formats Working Group. If adopted, then the HTML Working Group expects to advance HTML 5.0 to Candidate Recommendation in Q4 of this year.

To read the proposed plan, visit http://lists.w3.org

Source: W3C, GAATES

Exhibit to Showcase Accessible Tools and Products for Disabled People - October 5-6

In the first of its kind in the area, an Adapted Home Exhibit at the Independence Center will showcase the tools and products that help persons with disabilities live independently in their homes.

Adapted Home Exhibit Oct 5-6

The event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 at the Freedom Financial Services Expo Center, 3650 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907, United States.

The Adapted Home Exhibit is an event designed to educate the community on what accessible tools exist to keep persons with disabilities independent in their homes and communities. The home will showcase eight rooms filled with more than 1,000 tools that encourage and enable independent living.

“Everyone can benefit from this exhibit-not just people with disabilities,” said Patricia Yeager, CEO of The Independence Center. “We all know someone with a disability, whether it’s a child, our best friend or a parent getting older. The technology that will be presented in this amazing house will assist people with functional limitations of all ages and their caretakers and show them that they really can be more independent in their homes.”

The event will provide you with an overview of how you may be able to use and incorporate these products for every day living in your home. Some of the items include lighted phone call signalers, talking alarm clocks, accessible showers, garden equipment and kitchen. The items on display vary in cost and level of technology. Many of the items in the home will be on sale in the vendor fair. Accessible vehicles will be displayed.

For more information, visit The Independence Center, GAATES

Registration Now Open for September 28 National Forum on Disability Issues

Along with other aging and disability organizations, NCOA is co-sponsoring this historic nonpartisan event featuring the 2012 presidential candidates and candidates for the U.S. Senate seat from Ohio providing their positions on a wide variety of disability issues, including those affecting older adults.

The forum will be the only national event to focus specifically on disability issues.

Questions are expected to focus on “big picture” issues facing the broad disability community, such as employment, health care, long-term services and supports, education, transportation, housing, and research.

Registration now open! (September 28 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. ET Columbus, OH)

• Register for the forum
• Register for the webcast

Source: GAATES