Open Hand Autumn 2016
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Member Spotlight<br />
37<br />
braille user to work with and<br />
share the same information<br />
and apps with sighted people<br />
via the touch screen. For the<br />
first time the Android tablet<br />
and compatible apps are truly<br />
accessible to the braille reader.<br />
What makes the touch all the<br />
more impressive is the fact<br />
that Humanware developed it<br />
in partnership with Google.<br />
The first time that a<br />
mainstream global company<br />
has supported the<br />
development of braille<br />
hardware and incorporated<br />
this into their own hardware.<br />
No longer do we need a<br />
separate braille display to link<br />
to a PC - the touch tablet does<br />
it all in one.<br />
So what do we get out of<br />
this technology?<br />
The technology I’ve described<br />
here gives me access to<br />
information which enables me<br />
to be independent, make my<br />
own decisions and be in<br />
control of my own life. It is my<br />
lifeline to the outside world<br />
and without which I would be<br />
totally cut off. From a work<br />
perspective, (I now run a bike<br />
shop again), my braille access<br />
devices enable me to<br />
communicate with customers<br />
by text message, email and<br />
through Facebook. I am able<br />
to prepare all orders for stock,<br />
research products, write out<br />
estimates, bills and price up<br />
new stock. I also manage<br />
finances through email and<br />
textphone. All this puts me in<br />
a much stronger position than<br />
before 1983 when I had to<br />
rely on others to do those kind<br />
of things.<br />
It really concerns me that<br />
many deafblind people who<br />
could benefit from this<br />
technology don't have access<br />
to it. Often that's due to its<br />
cost, but also the need for<br />
backup support and specialist<br />
training so that new users can<br />
get the best out of their<br />
equipment. It should never be<br />
seen as a luxury to have such<br />
equipment, the access I<br />
describe is only what most<br />
people take for granted. It<br />
should be every deafblind<br />
person's right to have the best<br />
technology to give them<br />
independent access to<br />
information and knowledge,<br />
giving them the power to<br />
make their own decisions.<br />
Touched by technology we<br />
have power.<br />
If you would like to get in<br />
touch with Graham, you can<br />
email him on:<br />
graham.hix@gmail.com
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