The main purpose of having an inclusive design and technology is to enhance diversity and equality, and to stop the world from viewing disability as a problem that has to be solved, this means disability inclusion is undeniably important in every sector.
Therefore, when a company tries to offer better choices for users with disabilities to maximize inclusivity and accessibility, then it deserves an applause.
During the 2023 Consumer Electronic Show different products which are easily usable by persons with disabilities were unveiled.
Some of the notable companies with innovations included Sony which had an accessible gaming controller called Project Leonardo.
Project Leonardo is an adaptable PlayStation controller, designed to lay flat on the table or wheelchair tray of gamers with limited motor control.
The circular device has eight buttons and a rotatable joystick, all of which can be repositioned to adapt the products the shape and size to the needs of its user.
Its software is also adjustable, allowing gamers to reprogram the controller’s buttons with different functions depending on their preferences.
Monika Dugar from the London College of fashion, Software development firm, developed a device called Reset, it is an adaptive clothing collection that aims to aid mobility in people with symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
The device has accessible-design features that help people dress, as well as a graphic print to help improve mobility through visual cues.
The print echoes pedestrian-crossing-style lines and is based on research that suggests a link between walking disorders and visual perception.
Dougie Mann on the other hand unveiled a 3D-printed keyboard that can be connected to a smartphone with a custom case and Bluetooth to help both amputees and persons with visual disabilities type more easily.
Intended to bring back tactility to smartphone technology, it can be used to communicate all 26 letters of the alphabet with a combination of just five buttons, meaning it is operable without looking and with just one hand.
Hop design is another mindful company that invented Font, a tool aimed at making everyone feel included around the dinner table, including persons with physical disabilities.
It has different handle angles and thicknesses developed specifically to suit varying levels of hand strength, dexterity and control.
During the event, celebrated American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman Kim Kadarshian launched accessible-design underwear with features that make it suitable for people with limited mobility.
The underwear has bralettes and panties with subtle hook-and-eye fasteners that sit flat and make fastening and removal easier for wearers.
They are also available in a range of sizes and colours, ensuring they are suitable for different body types and skin tones.
Microsoft, well-known for its innovation developed the Adaptive Accessories collection to make using a computer or laptop easier for people who have limited mobility or visual disabilities.
The range includes accessories such as a customizable mouse and keyboard, which can be tailored to the needs of different users and help people with disabilities use their PCs more effectively.
Lotte, an armchair by ECAL graduate Sarah Hossli was among featured products, it helps sitters with balance issues or joint pain lift themselves in and out of a seated position comfortably.
One of the noted feature of the chair was an extended armrest that doubles as a handrail around the backrest.
Degree Inclusive, a device by Sour and Wunderman Thomson has an easy-grip shape, a hooked lid and a magnetic closure which aims users with limited grip or visual disabilities and aims to challenge the “medical” look of commonplace accessibility tools.
Another innovation by Microsoft is an Xbox Adaptive Controller, Software solutions company video game specifically for people with dexterity disabilities.
It is designed as a flat tray for easier customization and reconfigured with extra accessories including switches, buttons, mounts and joysticks, and used when placed anywhere from the floor to a table or a gamer’s lap.
Persons with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were also lucky to have a device by Vatany Szabolcs called a Focus Ex, this helps will help them to comfortably read content online
Available on desktop and mobile, the extension converts webpage text into a variable font called Focus Sans, which Szabolcs designed for maximum legibility.
A sliding scale allows the user to adjust the weight, width and focus of the typeface to suit their needs.
Deaf person, on the other hand, benefitted from the Inmergo device by Giovannoni, they are soft silicone headphones.
Named Inmergo, the bone-conduction headphones use water, rather than air, to carry sound as vibrations through the skull and directly to the “hearing” part of the inner ear, the cochlea.
This delivers bass frequencies more efficiently than typical air-based designs and was described by a deaf person who trialled it as one of the best listening experiences of her life.
SOURCE: THISABILITY