Talking Tech - Vision Australia Radio Vision Australia

Product Minute: EOne Bradley Watch 

 

More than a watch, a classic Time piece.

 

https://shop.visionaustralia.org/campaigns/eone-bradley-mesh-silver-watch-40mm.html

 

The Monash Assistive Technology and Society (MATS) Centre is offering two PhD Scholarships. Candidates who identify as having a disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

You can learn about the MATS Centre at:

https://www.monash.edu/mats/about

 

Emerging assistive technologies have the potential to break down many of the barriers that people with disabilities face at school, university, work and in the social sphere. Our work at the MATS Centre is guided by partnerships with the community to ensure we’re addressing real problems faced by real people and creating a lasting impact. Join us as a PhD Candidate and help to create a world that is more inclusive and equitable.

 

The successful candidate will explore an area of research focus within MATS and the Faculty of Information Technology. The precise details of the PhD project are open to negotiation, but it should be designed with the aim of making a positive difference to the life experience of people with disabilities.

 

The successful candidates will be based in the Faculty of Information Technology of Monash University at the Caulfield or Clayton campuses in Melbourne.

 

For more details, please go to:

https://careers.pageuppeople.com/513/cw/en/job/665632/phd-scholarship-in-assistive-technology-and-disability

 

 Closing Date 

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

 

Microsoft CoPilot Plus PC’s event

 

Yep, all about AI, and the new hardware to run it on.

 

https://www.techmeme.com/240521/p17#a240521p17

 

How to Keep an Old Computer Running

 

If you just want to use your old computer for mail, web, and perhaps even a media server, then don’t get rid of it.

 

 

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-keep-an-old-computer-running/

 

Where Are Floppy Disks Today, Yes They Are Still Around

 

I still remember my first 5.25, then 3.5 floppy disk. But as this articles says, they are still around even today running specific equipment.

 

https://www.zdnet.com/article/where-are-floppy-disks-today-planes-trains-and-all-these-other-places/#ftag=RSSbaffb68

 

Here is How Many Years Users are Keeping Their iPads

 

3 years or more seems to be the  trend these days, certainly longer than holding on to a smart phone.

 

https://9to5mac.com/2024/05/15/heres-how-many-years-users-keep-ipads/
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In this podcast, Toby Walsh is joined by Vision Australia assistive technology guru and 'Talking Tech' presenter David Woodbridge to chat all things Artificial Intelligence.

Toby Walsh is Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales, research group leader at Data61, adjunct professor at QUT, external Professor of the Department of Information Science at Uppsala University, an honorary fellow of the School of Informatics at Edinburgh University and an Associate Member of the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW.

Need more from Professor Toby Walsh? 

Listen to our recent Vision Australia Library presentation as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival, In conversation with Toby Walsh as he examines the possibilities and perils of emerging AI technologies, from ChatGPT to facial recognition and self-driving cars, with Elizabeth McCarthy.

https://omny.fm/shows/interview-highlights/melbourne-writers-festival-special-in-conversati-1
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Quick list of links for this weeks show.

 

OPen AI 4o Online Presentation

 

https://www.engadget.com/openai-claims-that-its-free-gpt-4o-model-can-talk-laugh-sing-and-see-like-a-human-184249780.html?src=rss&guccounter=1

 

The Chat GPT Mac Desktop app (for Chat GPT Plus Subscribers)

 

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-chatgpt-desktop-app-is-more-helpful-than-i-expected-heres-why-and-how-to-try-it/#ftag=RSSbaffb68

 

Google IO 2024 Online Presentation

 

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/15/google-i-o-2024-everything-announced-so-far/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE5qqQ7xkej-h_vSKTZoD_QKhcqHArIMCBw4b2co7EsSJySpTBre-UgA9luH5Vjo6cxBRv_SsR91xtlo3By4aAY5a1nsWYGqnf_xejjwjRH1YsWP6QskwilwhUliJDK-nUedetwY35J6i3AyNAY21rSfyCzxlPl3Z2j4FO5iRm-b

 

Apple Announces New Accessibility Features for iPhone and iPad (iOS 18 coming up this year)

 

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/15/apple-accessibility-features-2024/

 

Glide Now Available for Pre-Order for Late 2025

 

https://glidance.io

 

WeWalk 2.0 Now Available to Order (but not yet from Australia)

 

https://wewalk.io/en/v2-brochure/

 

International Council on English Braille 8Th General Assembly May 25 to May 30 2024 in NewZealand

 

https://iceb.org
Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141
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Product Minute: Mountbatten Tutor.

 

Happy to say the Mountbatten Tutor is available from both Vision Australia and Quantum RLV.

Great for pre-Braille training in to primary.

Could be used by adults as well, but not primary focus.

Braille, emboss, type in via QWERTY keyboard, see what is happening on the inbuilt screen, and link it up to a smart phone or tablet.

 

https://shop.visionaustralia.org/campaigns/mountbatten-brailler-tutor.html

 

Apple Event 7 May 2024

 

https://events-delivery.apple.com/2403kaqfcpzjjnpkkkkmbtyqacnyrknu/m3u8/vod_index-FWvkXNNmsRMrZDXBaxokUYtHsLjfLzXu.m3u8

 

iPad Air, and iPad Pro 11 and 13 inch versions.

Magic Keyboard.

Apple Pencil Pro.

 

David and the Tech Doctors Chat About the May 7 2024 Apple Event

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-tech-doctor-blog-and-podcast/id370507954?i=1000654934950

 

Sonos App no longer Accessible for Users who are Blind

 

Always reassuring when main stream media picks up concerns to the disability community, in this case, the Sonos app is not accessible for screen reader users on either iOS or Android.

 

https://9to5mac.com/2024/05/09/new-sonos-app-breaks-accessibility-for-visually-impaired/

 

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) May 16 2024

 

I always like to remind folks that GAAD really goes a long way beyond web and app accessibility. Think of the “things” in your everyday life that is “digital” and then ask yourself could this be accessed by “everyone”.

 

https://accessibility.day

 

Telstra to Extend the 3G Shut Down Until August 31 2024

 

This is for Telstra customers, so may be different for your provider. However, a great time to recheck not only your SIMM card/hand set compatibility with 4G/5G, but also other devices like CPAP devices that also use SIMM cards.

 

https://www.telstra.com.au/exchange/our-3g-closure-in-2024--your-questions-answered 
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In this weeks Talking Tech, Stephen gives a warning about the potential of the Sonos app update May 7 in the US not being accessible with VoiceOver.

 

Stephen catch’s up with Sam Taylor (ATC) from the Va Brisbane office on a general discussion about assistive and main stream tech.
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This week Stephen revisits a program from late last year in conversation with David on the technology advances in 2024.

 

Notes from 26th December 2023:

What is Computer Artificial Intelligence (AI)

 

In simple terms, it is making computers think like Humans.

Eg recognising speech, making decision, and recognising patterns etc.

 

General examples of Computer AI

 

Advanced Web Search Engines.

Recommendation systems.

Virtual assistance.

Speech recognition.

Automatic translation.

Automatic audio translation.

Automated speech synthesis.

Smart home.

Predictive maintenance.

Natural language processing.

Super play.

Content creation.

Image recognition.

Automated image generation.

Automated music composition.

Automated text summary.

Face detection.

Spell checking.

Word suggestions.

Weather prediction.

Cyber Security.

Medical diagnosis..

Health and well being.

Automated customer service.

Trains.

Shipping.

Aviation.

Automatic Driving Assistance.

Self driving cars.

Autonomous Drones.

Robotics.

 

Examples Of Computer AI for Blind or Low Vision

 

Object recognition.

Distance from objecgts.

Indoor navigation.

Scene description.

Currency detection.

Colour detection.

Light detection.

People detection.

Hand writing recognition.

Optical Character recognition (OCR).

Word prediction..

Bar or QR code detection.

Voice control.

 

Examples of Handy AI Apps for Blind or Low Vision Folks

 

Assistive Tech

 

Seeing AI (various channels/Options).

Be-My-Eyes (Virtual Assistant feature).

Envision.

 

Magnifier on iOS (door, People, text, and obstacle detection).

Chat GPT.

Bing/Copilot.

Bard.
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