Route4U – Accessible route planning

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Karl O'Keeffe

Tamas and Peter from route4u.org called in last week to tell us about their accessible route finding service. Based on Open Street Maps, Route4u allows users to plan routes that are appropriate to their level and method of mobility. Available on iOS, Android and as a web app at route4u.org/maps, Route4u is the best accessible route planning solution I have seen. Where a service like Mobility Mojo gives detailed accessibility information on destinations (business, public buildings), route4u concentrates more on the journey, making them complementary services. When first setting up the app you will be given the option to select either pram, active wheelchair, electronic wheelchair, handbike or walking (left screenshot below). You can further configure your settings later in the accessibility menu selecting curb heights and maximum slopes etc. (right screenshot below)

Accessibility screen shot featuring settings like maximum slope or curb height

Further configure your settings in Accessibility

select you vehicle screen - see text above

You are first asked to select your mobility method

This is great but so far nothing really groundbreaking, we have seen services like this before. Forward thinking cities with deep pockets like London and Ontario have had similar accessibility features built into their public transport route planners for the last decade. That is a lot easier to achieve however because you are dealing with a finite number of route options. Where Route4u is breaking new ground is that it facilitates this level of planning throughout an entire city. It does this by using the technology built into smartphones to provide crowdsourced data that constantly updates the maps. If you are using a wheelchair or scooter the sensors on your smartphone can measure the level of vibration experienced on a journey. This data is sent back to route4u who use it to estimate the comfort experienced on that that journey, giving other users access to even more information on which to base their route choice. The user doesn’t have to do anything, they are helping to improve the service by simply using it. Users can also more proactively improve the service by marking obstacles they encounter on their journey. The obstacle can be marked as temporary or permanent. Temporary obstacles like road works or those ubiquitous sandwich boards that litter our pavements will remain on the map helping to inform the accessibility of the route until another user confirms they have been removed and enters that information.

Example of obstacle added by user –

Example of obstacle added by user

If you connect route4u to your FaceBook account you get access to a points based reward system. This allows you compete with friends and have your own league table. In Budapest where they are already well established they have linked with sponsors who allow you cash points in for more tangible rewards like a free breakfast or refreshment. These gamification features should help encourage users less inclined towards altruism to participate and that is key. Route4u when established relies on its users to keep information up to date. This type of service based on crowdsourced data is a proven model, particularly in the route planning sphere. It’s a bit of a catch 22 however as a service needs to be useful first to attract users. It is early days for Route4u in Dublin and Tamas and Peter acknowledge that a lot of work needs to be done before promoting the service here. Over the next few months their team will begin mapping Dublin city centre, this way, when they launch there will be the foundation of an accessible route finding service which people can use, update and build upon. While route4u has obvious benefits for end users with mobility difficulties there is another beneficiary of the kind of data this service will generate. Tamas and Peter were also keen to point out how this information could be used by local authorities to identify where infrastructure improvements are most needed and where investment will yield the most return. In the long run this will help Dublin and her residents tackle the accessibility problem from both sides making it a truly smart solution.

Area that has been mapped

Legend showing levels of accessibility

Distraction-free studying!

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Hilary Cotter

We all know what it’s like being in school when the sun is shining outside and all you can think about is being out there! Or when you’re trying to get your homework done and all you can think about is who’s posting what on Snapchat or Instagram? Or have you ever found yourself managing to get a study block done and then taking a well-deserved 5-minute break to take a peek at social media, only to emerge from your phone a half an hour later and way behind on your study schedule? Well, the following free apps are for you! In fact, they’re for anyone who wants to use their time on their computer or smartphone more productively, whether you’re a student or not.

Stay Focused

Stay Focused is a free google chrome extension that helps you to stay focused on your work by stopping you from looking at time-wasting websites (e.g. Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter). You set a certain amount of time in the day that you’re allowed to look at those distracting websites and then once your allotted time for the day has been used up, it blocks you out of them. End of distractions! You can also choose to have a complete block on the websites that are your major culprits for time-wasting.

Leech Block

This one works in a similar way to Stay Focused but it’s for the Mozilla Firefox browser instead of Chrome. You can specify up to six sets of sites to block, with different times and days for each set (e.g. you could have Twitter blocked from 9am to 5pm and Facebook blocked for all but 10 minutes in every hour).

Strict Workflow

This is one of many apps that use the timing principle behind the Pomodoro Technique (i.e. you work for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break, then after four of these sessions you can take a longer break of 15-30mins). This Google Chrome extension helps you to concentrate on your work by blocking a list of websites for the amount of time you’ve set and once your working period is over, it’ll unblock those sites to give you a break from work before you hit those books again!

Offtime

Offtime is an app for iOS and Android smartphones that not only lets you block calls, texts and notifications when you’re trying to work, but it can also track your phone and app usage so you can identify what distracts you most. You can set different profiles, like School, Family and Me Time and when you’re finished your work, it gives you an activity log with a list of everything that happened while you were working so you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything.

So, with these apps you’ll be able to maximise your study time and even better, you’ll be able to look at all your favourite websites and apps guilt-free on your breaks!

Study Time!

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Juliann Bergin

It’s that time of year again for students – heading back into schools and colleges, or perhaps you are a mature student, thinking of dipping your toe back into education and gaining qualifications or pursuing interests. You may be considering starting your study regime early, rather than leaving everything to the last minute, in the days and weeks leading up to exams! In that case, we may have some ideas below for helping to create study materials and finding resources online to assist with your plans! All of the resources mentioned below are free, but may have paid components to unlock further features.

First up is www.studynotes.ie . This is a collaborative website, aimed specifically at Junior and Leaving Certificate students. Revision notes can be downloaded on practically all subjects at both levels, and you can also share your own notes as well. The website includes the tools to create your own flashcards and quizzes, which you can also share. Blog posts and videos on relevant topics can also be viewed. In addition, there is a forum to post questions and reply to others seeking advice. Also included are a notebook section to compile your own notes and a study planner to help make the most of your time.

www.goconqr.com is a similar website to the above, in that it is a repository of resources, and once you sign in and create a profile, will give content specific to the Irish curriculum. As well as notes, you can create, share or download mind maps, flowcharts and slides on specific topics. Self-correcting flashcards and quizzes can also be created. It allows you to connect with friends and groups, providing a network to support your learning.
Khan academy, while not specifically aimed at Irish second or third level educational institutions, has a substantial repository on a range of topics. For example Maths, Arts and Humanities, Science and Engineering and Economics and Finance are covered. As you work your way through the content, progress is recoded and you can also take practice tests along the way to ensure your comprehension of materials.

Quizlet.com gives you the ability to search for resources as well as create and share your own. Mainly based on a flashcard type of structure, you have the ability to test yourself or play games using your own materials.

Some other resources that might be of use include:
TEDTalks (TEd.com) are a very useful and entertaining way of gaining information on a wide range of topics.
Scoil.net contains resources specific to the second level curriculum, while Schooldays.ie has information about exams, tips and advice.
OReillymaths.ie has videos on maths, explaining concepts and working out solutions.
Focal.ie is useful in translating Irish, while An Gramadoir (https://borel.slu.edu/gramadoir/form.html) will check grammar.

Hopefully these resources will help get your academic year off to a good start and assist in achieving your best!.

Digital Textbooks – Better but still not good enough

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Karl O'Keeffe

It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter and there is a definite nip in the evening air. After two or three months of care free holidays, children and young adults, all over the country, are getting ready for another academic year. Although more years than I care to mention since my school days, I share the sense of foreboding felt by some of these young people during the close of summer. It’s not the approach of double maths on a Monday morning or a state exam on the horizon that I dread. As an AT Technician working in Enable Ireland, it is the inevitable queries from parents and therapists about digital textbooks that is the cause of my anxiety. Can we get textbooks in digital format? How? Will they be compatible with the technology being recommended? If they are workbooks, how will they fill in the answers? These are some of the very pertinent, and for the most part frustratingly unanswerable questions that come in at this time of year. In the remainder of this post I’ll try to clarify the current situation, just don’t expect all the answers… sorry.

Can you get textbooks in digital format?

In April 2016 the Irish Educational Publishers’ Association (IEPA), who represent 95% of Irish educational publishing houses, agreed on a centralised special needs policy relating to making texts available in digital format. This is progress, although limited as you will soon see. Their policy (which you can read here) falls short of committing to the supply a digital version of the textbook to those who need them. “The publisher will make every effort to accommodate the request but cannot guarantee the availability of a particular title, or a title in a specific format. The format of the title remains at the discretion of the publisher.” Reading into this a little I think it’s safe to assume that all the commonly used titles will be available but anything a bit out of the ordinary will not.

How do I get digital versions of school textbooks?

Up until last year this was a tough one. Each publisher had different requirements and there was little information publicly available. Thankfully the IEPA have made some efforts to standardise the process which is also outlined on the page linked above. “The request must be submitted by a parent, or teacher, of the named student, accompanied by acceptable proof of medical condition. Files, in pdf, text files or eBook access are then provided to the student in question.” Obviously it’s not ideal that “proof of medical condition” needs to be submitted, but it is perhaps understandable from the publishers’ perspective that there are some restrictions.

Will the digital textbooks be compatible with the technology being recommended?

This is the question that keeps me up at night (well this and the new season of Game of Thrones) because there are so many variables. We would need to know the format that the textbooks will be supplied in, and the IEPA are very non-committal in this regard. Statements like “Files, in pdf, text files or eBook..”, and “The format of the title remains at the discretion of the publisher”, make it quite clear that they refuse to be pinned down. This really needs to be looked at. It is not in the publishers’ interests to commit to a specific format. It is however in the students’ interests, particularly students with access or literacy difficulties that require the use Assistive Technology. This is something the Department of Education need to enforce, as is the case in other jurisdictions. The only advice I can give here is to contact the publishers and find out what format the textbooks will be supplied in, then contact us at Enable Ireland AT Service.

If they are workbooks how will they fill in the answers?

Depends on the format, see above (sorry).

If you are looking for more on this subject you can read last year’s rant on AT in the Era of the Digital Schoolbag here

Educational/therapeutic activities for your child

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Juliann Bergin

3 young children in front of laptop computer

Below are some websites and downloads that will work for a short time while in trial mode, that your child might like try to get back into school mode.

One website which might be useful to try out would be www.purplemash.com . You can get a free 30-day trial, and again if your child’s school is using this, you may be able to get a home login. In particular, on this website, I recommend activities such as 2publish, which would allow your child to write creating stories including audio, pictures, and videos. Using 2connect, a mind-mapping activity, they can plan and sequence before writing. Writing personal stories, ie. What I did last week, when I grow up, etc can be very motivating and help maintain attention. Writing about daily activities can be useful in helping establish sequences such as getting ready in the morning, how to make a sandwich etc. this could then be extended to recalling a movie plot for example or recreate a recently read book, paying attention to what happens first, then next and how it concludes. In the 2publish plus, 2annimate and 2code activities, the child is guided to work on sequence movements of characters and items, which should assist with planning, and when editing, visual memory ie. What do you need to change to get X to turn left instead of right? You can use this to stop the animation and ask what happens next, again to work on visual memory, critical thinking, maintaining attention etc. There are lots more activities that are worth exploring, mostly aimed at the primary school curriculum. As this is web based, it can be accessed from any device.

www.ixl.com/ie is one of the few websites that follow the Irish curriculum for both maths and English. While it is subscription based, it does allow for up to 10 problems /questions to be solved each day without paying, which is a nice short session, particularly for the summer months, when sitting at a computer may not be the most motivating! It should provide extra support for the maths and English activities your child is doing in school, giving them extra practice with gentle correcting from the website, so they can learn independently. Answers are usually in a multiple choice format, and it covers the curriculum from junior infants through to sixth year. Again, this is web based and can be accessed from PC, Mac, Apple, and Android devices.

The free 30-day trial version of Clicker 7 from Cricksoft.com is a great way to experience this literacy support software. It has lots of features for those with literacy difficulties, including word prediction, where the software helps writers by giving a list of words that can be read aloud by right clicking on them, before selecting with a left click. This software also has a mind-mapping tool, the ability to create books and other activities, but one of my favourite features is the text reader. This will read aloud content (either the whole page or just selected words) with highlighting, so that the text can be followed, which again helps with word recognition. Premade books and activities can be downloaded within the software, so that the child can experience vocabulary and work on comprehension on topics that interest them. As this is a downloadable software, it is not available on iPads or Android tablets.

www.starfall.com has some great activities for those who are starting out with literacy and numeracy skills. Easy to use activities that are self-correcting are appealing to young learners, with the option of buying a subscription to access more activities. Most of the activities are Flash based, so may not work on tablets.

Mathschimp.com is a repository of free maths games, suited to a primary and secondary level. Most take a fun element to drilling maths skills, and a mixture of formats are used, depending on the website linked, so most will work on any device. www.cookie.com focuses on maths and science for the lower end of primary school, with some interactive activities. Literacy based games and stories are also featured. www.coolmaths4kids.com also has some basic maths games that require quick thinking! These last two websites are mostly flashed based, so again may not work on tablets.

For any budding authors, www.storybird.com is a website that will provide a selection of art for use in your own literary creations, be it short stories, novels or poems.

These are just a small selection of games available free of charge online. Hopefully, your child will have fun exploring and playing!

Mounting mobile phones and tablets

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Sean Loughran

When we use technology we need to be able to position it so that it is easy to use. We need to be able operate the controls and have it positioned so that we can see it without eyestrain. Sometimes it’s useful to mount a device, as our hands may be tied up doing something else; the device may be too heavy or we may even have a limited ability to reach, grasp, or hold the device.

Some of the most common items we use are mobile phones and tablets. There are various mounting options available. The suitability of a mount depends on various factors such as the fixing clamp, where you intend to mount the device, weight of device to be mounted, the reach and adjustability of the mount etc.

Mounting systems are generally composed of a (i)fixing clamp to mount either to a flat table top surface or a circular tubing, (ii) an adjustable arm usually no longer that 500mm (iii) some kind of attachment or cradle to hold the device.

Below are two mounting systems which may offer you some good solutions. Ram mounts are a mainstream supplier of mounts for electronic devices within cars, bikes and trucks. Rehadapt on the other hand, have a range of mounting products to serve clients with “special needs”. Both systems consist of a fixing clamp, adjustable arm and a cradle to hold the device.

Ram mount

In choosing a fixing clamp you need to consider the surface you are fixing it to: do you need to remove clamp often? Will the clamp be secure? Below are two clamps however their site offers more options.

RAM Small Tough-Claw™ with B Size 1″ Diameter Rubber Ball

$33.49

RAM Rail Base with B Size 1″ Ball. Zinc Coated U-Bolt for Rails fro…

$15.49

The Ram mount arms consist of various length double socket arms as well as solid and gooseneck poles that can be joined together with an adaptor.

RAM Short Double Socket Arm for B Size 1″ Balls

$13.99

RAM Double Socket Arm for B Size 1″ Balls

$13.99

RAM Medium Double Socket Arm, Dual Extension with Ball Adapter for …

$39.49

At the end of the arm we need to attach the device. Ram mounts offer various cradles for specific tablets as well as universal type options.

RAM Universal X-Grip® Cell/iPhone Cradle

$27.99

RAM Universal X-Grip® Large Phone/Phablet Cradle

$31.49

RAM Universal X-Grip® Cradle for 10″ Large Tablets$76

The good: It’s reasonably priced, with lots of component options.

The not so good: Not designed for wheelchair mounting, so you’re limited to where it can be fitted onto a wheelchair.

The verdict: A good option for anyone on a tight budget.

Rehadapt

Rehadapt has a large range of fixing clamps that will do for nearly every wheelchair. They also have adjustable clamp options such as this one below, although they don’t fit on as securely.

L3D-TC 2QS

L3D-WC 1AK and L3D-WC 2AK

Light 3D wheelchair mount with one tube and one joint with screw. The L3D-WC 2AK is a two pole version of this. You can state the required wheelchair clamp on order. Combine with any cradle with REHAdapt’s Spigot Link System (SLS).

Onto the end of the REHAdapt’s Spigot Link System, there a various options. Some universal cradles are below.

L3D-GA-Universal Phone Holder M

Device adapter with Spigot Link System (SLS) for mounting Mobile Phone Medium 62-77mm * -14mm (2 1/2″-3″ * -1/2″) to REHAdapt´s Light 3D system.

GA-Tablet 7″ – 8″

Generic device adapter for mounting tablets with 7“ or 8“ screen size

GA-Tablet 10″

Generic device adapter for mounting tablets with 10“ screen size

The good: It looks good. Lots of component options and excellent for mounting onto a wheelchair.

The not so good: Expensive component parts.

The verdict: A very secure mounting system.

Eye Control – Inbuilt EyeGaze Access for Windows 10

Posted on August 2, 2017 by Karl O'Keeffe

Just yesterday Microsoft announced what is possibly their biggest step forward in functionality within their Ease of Access accessibility settings since Windows 7. Eye Control is an inbuilt feature to facilitate access to the Windows 10 OS using the low cost eyegaze peripheral the Tracker 4 C from Tobii. More about what you can actually do with Eye Control below but first a little background to how this has come about.

Former American Football professional and MND (ALS) sufferer Steve Gleason (above) challenged Microsoft in 2014 to help people affected by this degenerative condition through the advancement eye tracking technology. This initial contact lead to the development of a prototype eye gaze controlled wheelchair, receiving lots of publicity and generating increased awareness in the process. However it was never likely to be progressed to a product that would be available to other people in a similar situation. What this project did achieve was to pique the interest of some of the considerable talent within Microsoft into the input technology itself and its application, particularly for people with MND.

A combination of factors felt on both sides of the Atlantic have proved problematic when it comes to providing timely AT support to people diagnosed with MND. Eyegaze input is the only solution that will allow successful computer access as the condition progresses, eye movement being the only ability left in the final stages of the illness. However, historically the cost of the technology meant that either insurance, government funding or private fundraising was the only means by which people could pay for eyegaze equipment. Usually this resulted in a significant delay which, due to the often aggressive nature of MND meant valuable time was lost and often the solution arrived too late. This situation was recognized by Julius Sweetland who led the development of Optikey, an Open Source computer access/AAC solution designed to work with low cost eye trackers back in 2015. Interestingly some of the innovative features of Optikey seem to have made it to Eye Control on Windows 10 (Multi-Key selection called Shape Writing on Eye Control – see gif below).

Since the initial Steve Gleason Wheelchair hack there has been a steady stream of high quality research papers coming from people at Microsoft on the subject of eyegaze input and MND solutions. This should have been a hint that something like Eye Control was on the horizon. EyeGaze input has promised to break into the mainstream several times over the last decade however with Eye Control and support for devices being included in the core Windows OS it has never been this close.

For more background on the path to Eye Control see this Microsoft blog post from Microsoft: From Hack to Product, Microsoft Empowers People with Eye Control for Windows 10

Want to find out how to get early access to Eye Control or get some more information on the functionality read this post from Tobii (be warned there are still bugs): How to get started with Eye Control on Windows.

Dublin Maker

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Sean Loughran

Calendar date 22nd July

Dublin Maker is a free community run event on Saturday July 22^nd in Merrion Square. Dublin Maker takes the form of a “show and tell” experience where inventors/makers sourced through an open call, will have an opportunity to showcase their creations in a carnival atmosphere. It is a family friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the maker movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making and share what they are learning http://www.dublinmaker.ie/makers-2017/

Enable Ireland’s Karl O’Keeffe and Sean Loughran want to promote the making of Assistive Technology solutions, particularly in the areas of creativity and leisure.

Projects that they intend to show are a RánBot, a Bodhrán that can be played using eye gaze technology. The Bodhrán is played using a combination of solenoids (beat rhythm on skin and rim) and car door actuators to regulate skin tension from the back of the drum).

They are also going to demo LOMI (Light Operated MIDI Interface) prototype. LOMI is an open hardware project designed and built by IADT Dun Laoghaire Creative Media Technologies student Rudolf Triebel. LOMI uses a head mounted laser pointer and an array of photoresistors connected to an Arduino Mega to generate MIDI. Rudolf has created an Instructable and it is their hope that others will build their own and progress the design.

Karl and Sean are also going to demo the Flipmouse and hopefully get contact details from makers willing to build a Flipmouse for people in their community. The Flipmouse is a computer access device that incorporates a low force joystick, sip&puff input as well as switch input. It is built from a kit supplied, designed and supported by the Assistive Technology group at the UAS Technikum Wien (Department of Embedded Systems) and funded by the City of Vienna ToRaDes project and AsTeRICS Academy project. The Flipmouse is a well-documented versatile computer access/gaming solution that costs one tenth of similar proprietary devices while offering much greater functionality.

Karl and Sean are going to present some challenges that people with disabilities have come to them with. A couple they are working on are, trying to increase the accessibility of Blind-Tennis using technology and giving blind bowlers the ability to hear their score read out to them.

Hope to see you there.

Hands-free Minecraft from Special Effect

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Karl O'Keeffe

Love it or hate it, the game of Minecraft has captured the imagination of over 100 million young, and not so young people. It is available on multiple platforms; mobile device (Pocket Edition), Raspberry Pi, Computer, Xbox or PlayStation and it looks and feels pretty much the same on all. For those of us old enough to remember, the blocky graphics will hold some level of nostalgia for the bygone 8 Bit days when mere blobs of colour and our imagination were enough to render Ghosts and Goblins vividly. This is almost certainly lost on the main cohort of Minecraft players however who would most probably be bored silly with the 2 dimensional repetitive and predictable video games of the 80’s and early 90’s. The reason Minecraft is such a success is that it has blended its retro styling with modern gameplay and a (mind bogglingly massive) open world where no two visits are the same and there is room for self-expression and creativity. This latter quality has lead it to become the first video game to be embraced by mainstream education, being used as a tool for teaching everything from history to health or empathy to economics. It is however the former quality, the modern gameplay, that we are here to talk about. Unlike the afore mentioned Ghosts and Goblins, Minecraft is played in a 3 dimensional world using either the first person perspective (you see through the characters eyes) or third person perspective (like a camera is hovering above and slightly behind the character). While undoubtedly offering a more immersive and realistic experience, this means controlling the character and playing the game is also much more complex and requires a high level of dexterity in both hands to be successful. For people without the required level of dexterity this means that not only is there a risk of social exclusion, being unable to participate in an activity so popular among their peers, but also the possibility of being excluded within an educational context.

Fortunately UK based charity Special Effect have recognised this need and are in the process doing something about it. Special Effect are a charity dedicated to enabling those with access difficulties play video games through custom access solutions. Since 2007 their interdisciplinary team of clinical and technical professionals (and of course gamers) have been responsible for a wide range of bespoke solutions based on individuals’ unique abilities and requirements. Take a look at this page for some more information on the work they do and to see what a life enhancing service they provide. The problem with this approach of course is reach, which is why their upcoming work on Minecraft is so exciting. Based on the Open Source eyegaze AAC/Computer Access solution Optikey by developer Julius Sweetland, Special Effect are in the final stages of developing an on-screen Minecraft keyboard that will work with low cost eye trackers like the Tobii Eye X and the Tracker 4C (€109 and €159 respectively).

The inventory keyboard

The main Minecraft on screen keyboard

Currently being called ‘Minekey’ this solution will allow Minecraft to be played using a pointing device like a mouse or joystick or even totally hands free using an eyegaze device or headmouse. The availability of this application will ensure that Minecraft it now accessible to many of those who have been previously excluded. Special Effect were kind enough to let us trial a beta version of the software and although I’m no Minecraft expert it seemed to work great. The finished software will offer a choice of onscreen controls, one with smaller buttons and more functionality for expert eyegaze users (pictured above) and a more simplified version with larger targets. Bill Donegan, Projects Manager with Special Effect told us they hope to have it completed and available to download for free by the end of the year. I’m sure this news that will excite many people out there who had written off Minecraft as something just not possible for them. Keep an eye on Special Effect or ATandMe for updates on its release.

Mefacilyta Desktop app

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Hilary Cotter

Mefacilyta Desktop

In this podcast, Sarah Boland, together with David Deane and Áine Walsh, talk about the training they hosted on 21^st June 2017 on the Mefacilyta Desktop app in St John of God in Stillorgan.

Mefacilyta Desktop is a new Android app developed by Vodafone Foundation Spain in conjunction with St John of God, which can be individually tailored to support people with intellectual disabilities to learn how to carry out their everyday activities independently.