Verity Healthcare

Welcome to half two of our ATIA follow-up present. I’m Josh Anderson, and that is your Assistive Expertise Replace. Good day, and welcome to your Assistive Expertise Replace, a weekly dose of data that retains you updated on the most recent developments within the discipline of expertise designed to help people with disabilities and particular wants. I’m your host, Josh Anderson with the Indata Venture Easterseals Crossroads. Welcome to episode 718 of Assistive Expertise Replace. It’s scheduled to be launched on February twenty eighth, 2025. Listeners, our subsequent visitor wants no introduction. She’s been on the present many occasions over time. That is Nikol Prieto. Welcome to the present, Nikol.

Yeah. Are you able to inform our listeners simply what you do round right here or what your title is, I assume?

After all. I’m the Group Outreach Coordinator for the Indata Venture at Easterseals Crossroads.

We love lengthy titles round right here.

We do. We don’t give raises, we give phrases. That’s how we maintain it going round right here. Effectively, Nikol, this was actually not your first ATIA. So, I assume what I’ve been asking people which were there earlier than is that is the second 12 months on the new location, and what are your ideas?

The brand new location’s nice. We’re on the world’s largest Marriott. It’s a stupendous location. I used to be a bit of more proficient at discovering my room this time as a result of it’s complicated, however it’s a stunning place to be, although we don’t get a number of downtime. Simply strolling out within the lovely 72 diploma air to get to the convention and with the ability to have dinner outdoors with everyone seems to be simply great.

Yeah, no, it truly is. Effectively, I’ve been asking a complete lot of parents what their favourite session was, and listeners, simply so you understand, Nikol truly doesn’t go to the session. She goes into the seller corridor. She’s getting data. She’s doing outreach, training, getting every kind of stuff from people. So, as you have been there and touring across the vendor corridor and the whole lot else, Nikol, what have been a few of your favourite items of tech that you just noticed or individuals that you just obtained to satisfy?

So I’d say that’s normally my job is that’s all I do all the time. So, the seller corridor is open for 3 days. So, it’s a extremely vital alternative for us to acquire all that data after which come again and share all the precious insights that we have now and cross that alongside to individuals utilizing our companies or listening to our podcasts or watching our tech tip. So, I had the chance to see and I’ve been going for years, however one thing I’d by no means seen was… There was tons and many spectacular assistive expertise gadget, however one which stood out to me was the Tactonom, it’s tactile, T-A-C-T-O-N-O-M. I’m most likely butchering, however the Tactonom Reader.

It’s a gadget that allows people who’re blind to entry graphs, graphics that they’ve via a mix of contact and speech explanations. So, it’s a extremely cool gadget. It appears like in case your listeners are acquainted to a scan and browse system. So, it’s foldable and it’ll open up and it’ll have an arm with a digicam on the highest after which a flat tray. So, once more, that’s foldable. So, you then take a printing graphic that features a QR code within the nook and you then put that on there. The digicam scans that QR code and it uploads the data of what’s on the graphic. So, it’s going to offer an outline of that graphic to the person. What they demonstrated to me was a map of america.

So, the person can take their finger over the map, and after they land on the state, they will then press a speech button and listen to the identify of the state together with different particulars if they need these further particulars. It additionally lets you go within the menu and choose a particular state. So, you may select Indiana, and you then would hint your fingers alongside the map. It’s going to present you guided instructions. It’ll use a clock like go 6:00, go 3:00, 9:00, after which it’ll additionally offer you beeping sounds. That may improve within the velocity as you get nearer to it. When you get to the state, it’ll say you’re in Indiana. So, that’s actually cool. They’ve a lot of totally different graphics that they’ve there. I feel they informed me 2,200 downloadable graphics which might be free.

They work for a non-profit that’s printing these. You’ll be able to add your individual graphics. You’ll be able to modify present graphics. They’ll do 3D fashions. That they had a cathedral. It was actually cool. Once you contact totally different areas of the cathedral, it will let you know the place you have been touching. In the event you contact the bell tower, it will say bell tower and the bells would begin to ring. So, that was fairly cool. Then additionally they do a number of cool stuff with math graphs, which was actually fascinating to look at. Every line on the graph can have a distinct sound, so you may distinguish the totally different traces. So, simply with the ability to train college students who’re blind totally different math graphics.

Superior. So far as the journey as a complete, Nikol, what was your favourite a part of the entire journey?

Gosh, at all times seeing the brand new expertise is improbable and be capable to get a lot content material in only a brief period of time after which additionally connecting with our group. We’re all busy and everybody’s out and about serving our group and serving all the state of Indiana. So, within the night, we’d be capable to debrief and we’d be capable to have dinner collectively and simply join with one another and likewise get what different individuals have realized. Everybody else is in coaching periods and we’re all in several coaching periods, so it’s simply so good to attach with our group. We’re a really shut knit group. It’s simply great to have the ability to share that have collectively, but additionally deliver all the data again from all of the totally different experiences everyone else is having.

Yeah, I’ve to agree there. It’s wonderful how shut knit our group is for nearly by no means attending to see one another it looks as if. So, it’s good to really be capable to have that point. Nikol, I do know it’s a good time. It’s an incredible factor. In case you have, are there any solutions you’d have for enchancment or one thing that may make the expertise even higher?

I feel simply with the distributors, I at all times wish to see extra selection. Heaps and many selection. So, I feel simply the extra number of distributors that may be there, the higher. I feel for me personally, I really like espresso stations round.

Oh, my gosh. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Sure.

Sure. I do know. I say it on a regular basis, however I’m carrying a tripod and carrying a tripod round and I’m on my ft on the laborious ground all day lengthy. So, simply to have my go-go juice available within the convention room, I feel that might be a high of my want checklist.

I feel nearly anyone would take that, as a result of I have to admit, although it’s not being at work, I assume, and it’s over a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I’m exhausted by the point it’s over. So, yeah, a bit of little bit of espresso in the course of the day as a result of I’ll say that line at Starbucks throughout breaks will get lengthy there on the place. Sure, the espresso stations could be a terrific one. Effectively, Nikol, thanks a lot for all you do for us, for all of the movies, the tech suggestions you get there, for serving to arrange the podcast, for going to ATIA, and particularly for approaching the present at present and telling us all about it.

Effectively, thanks for all of the great issues that you just do. You might be our great chief and we’re so tight knit. You’re only a great host of this program, and so it’s an honor to have the ability to deliver you some good visitors that you may get pleasure from and get out to the oldsters.

I admire that, however we’re nonetheless providing you with extra phrases and no more cash. I’m simply kidding.

It was strive. It was strive. Thanks, Nikol.

Listeners, our subsequent visitor is Belva Smith. Belva, are you able to inform our listeners what it’s that you just do right here at Easterseals Crossroads?

Positive. Thanks. I’m Belva Smith. I’m the CATIS, and I’m our sensory within the scientific aspect of our companies right here at Easterseals Crossroads.

Belva, you’ve got been to ATIA earlier than, however I imagine this was your first time on the new venue. What have been your preliminary or first ideas concerning the new place?

So yeah, this was not my first time at ATIA, however undoubtedly my first time on the new facility. It was wonderful. I must say hats off to Orlando’s World Middle Marriott as a result of they did an incredible job internet hosting this and serving to individuals get the place they wanted to be on time with the instructions and stuff. So, I used to be very impressed and actually appreciated the ability in addition to the companies that they gave us.

Good. Yeah, I actually, actually liked it too. As you have been there, did you’ve got a favourite session you attended?

Effectively, yeah, it’s been a long-time favourite of mine. Every time that I feel I’ve attended, one of many final periods that I’m going to is what they name the App Smackdown. I really like that session as a result of it’s a room full of people that do what I do, and all they do is share their favourite apps and why they’re their favourite apps. Then the perfect half about that’s it’s an ongoing spreadsheet that will get shared with everybody who attends. So, yup, that’s at all times been my favourite and nonetheless is.

Effectively, it’s nice, you come house with so many alternative sources. So, that’s completely superior. Was there a favourite piece of tech that you just noticed wandering across the vendor corridor?

Yeah, and I knew you have been going to ask me that query and I used to be all ready for it. Irie, I imagine?

Is it Irie or Irie? Okay, Irie. They’ve a B-book notetaker, which is a Braille notetaker, however it occurs to be operating Home windows because the working system. I completely was enamored by that gadget as a result of I really like that it has Home windows and it might have JAWS or NVDA for the display reader. So, it just about is an all-in-one note-taking gadget for people which might be blind and do use Braille. The person who would get that and actually profit from it must be somebody utilizing Braille.

Very, very cool. What was the perfect a part of the journey for you, Belva?

Effectively, I feel top-of-the-line elements about ATIA is that typically individuals who do what we do, we are inclined to get so busy and wrapped up in what we’re doing that we neglect that there’s a world of individuals on the market doing what we do and we really feel like we’re alone typically. Once you go ATIA, you understand that we’re not. There’s a lot of us, and all of us work very laborious to guarantee that we’re doing the perfect that we will. Once you get, I don’t know the way many individuals, I’m simply going to say 5,000 of us collectively.

One thing like that. It appears prefer it. Yeah.

Yeah, it feels prefer it. Yeah, it completely feels prefer it, however we’re simply reminded that there’s a lot of us that do what we do and love what we do. So, I feel that for me, on high of simply seeing all the most recent expertise and assembly, I feel it’s a good time for creating relationships with the distributors, the product individuals, in addition to the service individuals. So, I feel that’s priceless. That’s what I at all times name it, it’s priceless.

Yeah, no, it undoubtedly is. In the event you might make any solutions or something like that for enhancements for ATIA, what might have made the expertise even higher?

Effectively, I’m glad that you just’re asking me that query, Josh, and I hope that somebody from Apple may be listening as a result of I used to be a bit of disenchanted within the periods that I attended or tried to attend for Apple as a result of it was like an open session. For me, it was very overwhelming and I felt a bit of panicky in there as a result of I didn’t really feel like I might pull the data that I wanted to. It was simply too congested. I do know that Apple has a number of good instruments and knowledge to share. So, I don’t know if it was simply the periods that I made it to, however I’d simply hope that they’d possibly do some bit totally different of a format for upcoming ATIAs.

Superior. I feel that’s a terrific suggestion. Effectively, Belva, thanks a lot for going, for attending, after which for approaching and telling us all about your expertise. Thanks once more.

All proper. Thanks, Josh.

Listeners, our subsequent visitor is Justin. Justin, are you able to introduce yourselves to our listeners?

Yeah, my identify is Justin Amber. I’m an assistive expertise technician right here with our Medical Crew at Easterseals.

This was undoubtedly not your first ATIA. In full disclosure, Justin paid for himself to go this 12 months. We had people that went and Justin did, however he undoubtedly wished to go. That is the second 12 months on the new venue. Simply what are your ideas concerning the new venue?

It’s actually massive. That’s most likely essentially the most noteworthy factor, however together with that, I feel the employees are simply much more useful find issues, and if you might want to discover a explicit session, they’re there for you. So, I actually do get pleasure from it lots. There’s much more meals decisions and facilities. So, if you might want to take a break from one thing, yow will discover no matter you want there.

Yeah, yeah, I undoubtedly, undoubtedly should agree. Did you’ve got a favourite session that you just attended when you have been there?

Yeah, I went to at least one for insurance policies on AI, mainly these individuals who had achieved analysis on AI. It was a dialogue over what they’re doing with insurance policies, and I feel it’s an necessary matter to debate surrounding the safeguard of the those who we serve, as a result of a number of that stuff, it might take a number of your data. So, we simply wish to guarantee that individuals are protected and doing what they’re doing. I’ve labored with lots of people not too long ago, so I discovered it very fascinating.

Very cool. Very, very cool. Yeah, undoubtedly innovative and one thing that I’m positive there’ll be a number of adjustments in as we return these subsequent few years. What was possibly the best piece of tech and even individual that you just met when you’re hanging across the vendor corridor?

So Irie-AT has a bunch of latest magnification units, Braille units. One among them is a CCTV that’s tremendous light-weight. You’ll be able to change the orientation of the display from panorama to portrait.

It’s also possible to hook up an Android telephone, like the best way you do with Apple CarPlay, however it’s solely Android telephones proper now. However it mainly blows up the display of your Android telephone and you’ll click on on the display of the CCTV and use it as your telephone. So, you can also make calls, you may surf the web, you may textual content individuals, you may enlarge the texts and do text-to-speech. So, it’s a really, very cool factor that’s popping out right here in March.

Very, very cool. What was your favourite a part of the journey?

My favourite half about going to those issues, that is my sixth time going, I seemed, however is connecting with coworkers. We’re on the highway lots. We don’t at all times see one another. So, it’s only a totally different method of with the ability to speak to one another and give you concepts and simply focus on issues that we’ve obtained occurring, actually get pleasure from that.

Yeah, it’s very nice to have the ability to do it away from work as a result of within the jiffy we ever get to see one another across the workplace, it’s at all times quick and livid to attempt to say the whole lot we presumably can. So, that does make it good. Would you’ve got any solutions for enhancements or one thing that would have made the expertise even higher?

I’d actually like a few of the massive tech locations like Apple and Google to have larger rooms. They have been put in small rooms this 12 months they usually had totally different tables that you possibly can stroll round in these rooms they usually had possibly 50 or 60 individuals in there. It was simply very loud and really laborious to know what was occurring. So, it was just a bit overwhelming, however you possibly can nonetheless get stuff out of it. However I feel in the event that they’re going to have or invite a few of these larger tech corporations that they should have a much bigger room as a result of they’re very, very fashionable.

Sure, they’re. All people at all times desires to go to these. If you need to use the built-ins, even higher. It simply at all times undoubtedly helps. Effectively, Justin, thanks a lot for going to ATIA, for what you do right here, and for approaching the present.

Listeners, our subsequent visitor is Keri Bridges. Keri, welcome to the present.

So earlier than we get began, are you able to simply let our listeners know who you’re and what you do?

Positive. So, such as you mentioned, I’m Keri Bridges. I’m this system supervisor for the Atlas Venture at Easterseals. So, we offer a lending library of assistive expertise and different companies and coaching for Okay-12 faculties within the State of Indiana.

We’re so comfortable to have you ever now. This was your very first time going to ATIA, so I assume let’s simply begin with what have been your preliminary ideas or first impressions of it?

Positive. So, this was my first time going. I used to be actually excited to see the whole lot that was there. It’s undoubtedly larger than you’ll even suppose to start how massive it’s. It’s big. So, the seller corridor or exhibit corridor was big as nicely. So, that was overwhelming making an attempt to go to everybody there and get an opportunity to see all the brand new objects and units that that they had on show, however it was additionally nice as a result of that they had such an enormous, nearly too many choices of periods to find out about when you have been there.

Yeah, it undoubtedly was. Did you’ve got a favourite session that you just attended?

I had a pair. One was a couple of program much like our Atlas Venture out on the northwest coast. I feel they do extra of an space versus state, they usually had an identical program to what we’re doing. It was actually cool to hear, to listen to about totally different instruments that they use, how they lend objects out, little issues like they’ve created guides for evaluating objects. So, when a faculty borrows one thing, they will have a very easy strategy to be like, “That is what this does and this different merchandise compares this manner.” Additionally just a few various kinds of issues that they do when they’re borrowing objects out.

So, offering information monitoring so it’s simpler for faculties to have the ability to show, “Hey, this gadget was nice for this pupil, we actually should get it.” So just a few various things like that. Then there was one other session about blind or low imaginative and prescient that was actually only a useful resource sharing and it was individuals within the room and on-line. It was a web-based session as nicely, simply sharing all these sources, most of them free or very low value that might be useful for individuals who are blind or have low imaginative and prescient.

Superior. I at all times suppose that that data sharing is simply top-of-the-line issues you will get from there.

Yeah, I used to be like, “You’ll be able to’t write quick sufficient.”

I do know. It will get like that or I adore it. You talked about the primary session you talked about whenever you get to find out about different applications and what they did. It makes it a lot simpler to be like, “Oh, that’s the best way we’re going,” or “Wow, I by no means considered that. I can actually, actually implement that.”

Precisely. One which makes you are feeling such as you’re on the proper path and the opposite’s like, “Ooh, we might add that and make it even higher.”

Yeah, most undoubtedly. Now, you talked concerning the vendor corridor. Did you’ve got a coolest piece of tech you noticed there, possibly individual you bought to satisfy whereas in there?

Truly, I assume I noticed the Tobii Dynavox sales space, which was humongous as per anticipated. However whereas I used to be acquainted with eye gaze units, I hadn’t actually been up shut and private with their new one or precisely how straightforward is it to make use of or how sophisticated is it to make use of. So, one in every of their workers members simply occurred to return as much as myself and Rain whereas we have been there and she or he’s like, “Do you wish to use it?” I used to be like, “Okay.” So it took actually 30 seconds to set it as much as be for my eye gaze after which you possibly can use it. It was insane how straightforward it was. I used to be simply shocked since you at the back of your head know what the attention gaze units are, what they do, how they’re speculated to be straightforward.

However I imply within the literal two minutes we have been there, she was capable of calibrate it to me, have me be capable to use it, after which my eyes have been shifting too quick for me. So, she’s like, “Oh, I can gradual it down.” So it was simply wonderful to see for me how easy it was, and I used to be like, “Oh, my gosh.” I used to be like, “That is so nice. Now I do know why everyone desires these.” So it was actually cool to see.

Superior. Yeah, and I really like how far these have come. So, Keri, what would you say was the perfect a part of the journey for you?

I actually simply suppose getting to attach with individuals who do related jobs or clearly in related settings, but additionally simply attending to see all these totally different units and various things that we will simply make the most of within the Atlas Venture. So, it’s laborious typically to look on-line or look in a catalog and actually perceive what do they do? How do they work? Is that this going to be helpful? So it was nice to see that. I used to be at one other sales space simply asking a couple of particular product, and the individual I used to be speaking to talked about one thing. I used to be like, “Wait, what is that this?”

It was one thing that wasn’t on my radar, however I had seen on-line for a go speak and simply seeing it there, I used to be like, “Oh, my gosh. That is so nice. This may be nice. I might see the place this might be so helpful with college students.” We got here again and we bought that merchandise. So, it was simply nice to see issues that we wouldn’t have in any other case both recognized about or seen their worth. So, I really like that.

Superior. In the event you might make any solutions for enchancment or is there one thing that would have made the expertise higher?

I feel for me, I feel it was simply making an attempt to decide on which periods I wished to go to. It was laborious. So, typically I felt like unprepared or I used to be making an attempt to decide on between, however there’s so many periods. It’s laborious to learn via all of them. A whole lot of them are arrange simply by their title and what they’re, so it’s laborious to select and select simply primarily based on the title. So, for me, I feel possibly a bit of extra analysis on the periods as a result of some that I didn’t suppose I’d be as engaged in I believed have been completely nice. Then some, I used to be like, “Effectively, this isn’t truly what I believed it will be, so I might have possibly visited one other session.”

Aside from that, it was actually nice. I liked it. It was expertise.

Good. Effectively, we sit up for having you again subsequent 12 months, and I’m glad you bought to deliver all these nice issues again to your group and the library and the whole lot else. So, thanks a lot for what you do, and thanks a lot for approaching the present to inform us about your expertise.

Yeah, in fact. Thanks for having me.

Listeners, our final visitor is Lisa Becker. Lisa, are you able to introduce your self to our listeners?

Positive. My identify’s Lisa Becker. I’m the assistive expertise coach on our Mobility and Cognition Medical Crew, and I’m on the Advisory Board for Indiana AgrAbility.

This was not your first time at ATIA, however it was your first time on the new location. Did you’ve got some first impressions or preliminary ideas of the brand new place?

Precisely. I used to be actually glad that I had been earlier than as a result of I had one thing to check it to. I went in 2023. Oh, my gosh, this was a lot larger and there have been so many periods to select from. It was a terrific week. Yeah.

Did you’ve got a favourite session that you just attended?

So it’s laborious to select. I do know you wished us to resolve on that. I went to a writing workshop the place they talked about inspiration. That was nice. I noticed a number of them about eye gaze and AI that have been superior, however there was a presenter for adoption versus abandonment. I feel her identify was Sayard Bass. She gave a terrific presentation and had a lot of great tips about having a number of buy-in with the individuals that you just’re working with. I really like that. I really like the App Smackdown. I didn’t get to go to that one final time, however they invite individuals up from the viewers they usually discuss their favourite apps.

A whole lot of them weren’t designed for individuals with disabilities, however they discovered a method to make use of them. I simply thought that was a terrific session. Then in fact, I at all times appreciated the Makerspace. I’m a MacGyver individual, so I simply love seeing how they make low tech options. I talked to a number of school college students in there that have been designing AT this 12 months, so I simply love that.

Yeah, I really like the data sharing and simply get to be taught what people are doing. From all of the visitors we’ve talked about, that appears to be one in every of simply the best elements is simply studying what different individuals are doing. Sharing your data and simply rising all as a group is so cool.

With the seller corridor, did you’ve got a coolest piece of tech or individual you bought to satisfy in there?

I talked to a number of totally different individuals. It’s a terrific place to get your questions answered. I had some those who I focused from the exhibitor checklist that I wished to get some solutions from and labored with three builders to get some solutions, however most likely the smartest factor I noticed was one thing from Chance Neurotechnologies. It wasn’t eye gaze. It was actual thought management and it was within the beta testing and simply was unbelievable. So, actual fascinating to see the place that goes, however yeah, that was most likely my favourite.

Superior. What was the perfect a part of the journey for you?

Oh, completely, the perfect half was on the finish of the day, simply getting along with our group and speaking about what everyone noticed in the course of the day and simply getting their impressions of the brand new applied sciences and the way they use or have been planning to make use of a few of their options that they discovered about.

Superior. In the event you might make any solutions for enchancment or something that you possibly can do to make the expertise higher, what would that be?

I’m unsure the way you repair this, however there have been simply too many periods that I wished to go to on the similar time. We have been fortunate as a result of we had a giant group and we break up it up after which shared about it later. I assume I’d most likely say I wish to a scooter subsequent time, however I don’t know the way you improved that convention. It was a terrific week.

It actually and really was. Effectively, Lisa, thanks a lot for all you do for our group. Thanks for going to ATIA and thanks for approaching to share your ideas.

Thanks for the chance, Josh.

Do you’ve got a query about assistive expertise? Do you’ve got a suggestion for somebody we should always interview on Assistive Expertise Replace? If that’s the case, name our listener line at 317-721-7124. Ship us an electronic mail at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org or shoot us a be aware on Twitter, @IndataProject. Our captions and transcripts for the present are sponsored by the Indiana Phone Relay Entry Company or InTRAC. Yow will discover out extra about InTRAC at relayindiana.com. Particular because of Nikol Prieto for scheduling our wonderful visitors and making a multitude of my schedule.

At the moment’s present was produced, edited, hosted, and fraught over by yours really. The opinions expressed by our visitors are their very own and should or might not mirror these of the Indata Venture Easterseals Crossroads or supporting companions or this host. This was your Assistive Expertise Replace. I’m Josh Anderson with the Indata Venture at Easterseals Crossroads in lovely Indianapolis, Indiana. We sit up for seeing you subsequent time. Bye-bye.