Technology and Internet are changing the world. Cell phones and Internet access are available in every country, and for those who are able to afford the latest gadgets, the pace of technological change can be magnificent. Billion people around the world have a disability. In America and Europe, this is one in five people. And since they can’t go to work, the poverty rate is twice as high. Technologies could help these people contribute more in the workplace, and make them feel more productive, useful and happy. For those people, new technology can be profoundly life-changing. If a million more people with disabilities could work, the economy alone would grow 1.7%.
There are technologies, gadget and apps made to help people with disabilities such as motion disabilities, speech impairment, visual impairment, etc. And throughout human history, new and changing techs have impacted on the way these people live. They impact the way they work, consumer goods, interact with other people, etc. Below you will see some of the technologies that could help ease the disabled people face on a daily basis.
Smart glasses. There are about 39 million blind people in the world, but most of them have at least some level of light perception. Glasses that accentuate the contrast between light and dark objects are made to represent the things around you in simple and unambiguous real-time images.
Talking Hands. Technology can even help the 1.5 deafblind people in the world. These people can communicate using tactical alphabets – pinching or pressing different parts of the hand represents different letters. There is a glove that can turn these touches into computer text, and that can enable deafblind people to use smartphones and computers.
Head Control. HeadMouse Nano is a camera that tracks the movements of a reflective dot stuck to the user’s forehead. The motions control the cursor on the computer. This tech requires more motor ability in its users, but it is cheaper.
Eyes Control. More than 400, 000 all over the globe are affected by motor neuron disease. And around 2.3 million people are affected by multiple sclerosis. There is a device that enables people to control a computer using just their eyes. All kinds of interesting jobs can be done using this device.
Reliable Signals. Advances in bio-electronics and 3D printing can also give people with disabilities extra functionality. There is a technology that enables the user to control its computer by reading the electricity produced by their skeletal muscles and then sending the signals via Bluetooth to the computer.