The Mojo Lens is Focused on Bringing Super Powers to Low Vision – A Conversation with Dr. Ashley Tuan, VP of Medical Devices at Mojo Vision

Show Summary: Dr. Ashley Tuan, Vice President of Medical Devices at Mojo Vision, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio about the development of a new and innovative product for low vision individuals called Mojo Lens.  Dr. Tuan discusses the fascinating and impressive capabilities of these high-tech contact lenses, which are placed on the white part of the user’s eye, called the Sclera.  With the help of a wearable...

iBUG – the iBlind Users Group for Beginners and Proficient Assistive Tech Users. Join iBUGToday – it’s Abuzz!

Show Summary: In this episode of  Blind Abilities we feature the iBlind Users Group, aka iBUGToday, a nonprofit organization located in Houston, Texas, but which operates a variety of virtual training and social activities for individuals around the country using the Zoom platform.  The mission of iBUG, is to promote the individual independence, social integration and educational development of the blind and visually...

Unified English Braille (UEB) Practice Sentences – Comprehensive, Ready to Use and Fun. A New Book from Roberta Becker

Full Transcript Show Summary: introducing a new braille book for Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired, TBVI), parents and others who wish to instruct Blind students in learning Unified English Braille, (UEB). The book was written by one of our guests, Roberta Becker. She joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio along with her colleague, Lori Scharff. Roberta and Lori chat about a variety of topics, ranging from the...

Easterseal Disability Film Challenge Creatives Talk about the Experience, Challenge and Disability in Films

Full Transcript Show Summary: Bree Klauser, Spencer Frankeberger, Juan Alcazar and Jeff Thompson got together in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the Easterseal Disability Film Challenge that they participated in and want you to check out their films and “like” them as the Awareness campaign is ending soon.  A Dog-umentary & Scene of Possibilities” PREMIERED ON MARCH 27, 2021 Sponsored by Access Acting...

Intel AI-Powered Backpack Helps Visually Impaired Navigate World: Meet Jagadish Mahendran, AI Developer, and Hema Chamraj, Director, Technology Advocacy at Intel

Full Transcript Show Summary: In the Blind Abilities Studio, we welcome Jagadish K. Mahendran, Artificial Intelligence Developer and Engineer,and Hema Chamraj, director, Technology Advocacy and AI4Good at Intel Raqi joins Jeff in the studio to learn and find out more about this great initiative that may one day enhance the  navigating experience while Blind. From the Intel Press Release: Intel just announced a research...

Programs and Opportunities are Growing for Students: A Chat with Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig – Make that a Chill and Chat!

Full Transcript Show Summary: our guest on Blind Abilities today is Sheila  Koenig, Transition Services Coordinator for State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB). Sheila talks about a variety of opportunities available to Transition Age students. Learn about the programs such as the Summer Transition Program (STP), Chill and Chat, Peer Educators, Blind and Socially Savvy and the Learning Ally College Success Program. There is...

Transitioning from High School to College: A Panel of College Students Take on the Questions from High School Students from a Blindness and Low Vision Perspective

Full Transcript Show Summary: Transitioning from High School to College is a major step towards self-determination and independence. Career choices are made and Colleges and Universities are explored to best fit one’s needs. A group of high school students ask a panel of college students questions to help them understand the challenges and gain from the experience the college students share. When leaving the high school and the security of...

Going Hard Core on Tenacity, Advocacy, Perseverance and Empathy – Meet Alaska Center for the Blind Transition Coordinator for Youth, Multi-Talented Musician, Tony Gebhard

Full Transcript Show Summary: Blind Abilities welcomes Tony Gebhard back into the studio. he first appeared on Blind Abilities in the summer of 2019, when Geoff and Pete chatted with him at the NFB National Convention in Orlando, Florida. You can find that interview here, A Morning with Tony Gebhard… The focus then was on his musical journey, This time back in the studio, the focus of this interview, is Toni‘s life, his recent...

Racial Disparities in School Discipline of Students with Disabilities.

Show Summary: Japricia shares her experience from Elementary school with discipline, race, and her Individual Education Plan (IEP) that inspired the goals she has for college. In this interview, Beau RaRa a staff attorney for the Youth Law Project and Minnesota Disability Law Center, sits down with Japricia, a recent high school graduate, to talk about the experiences of racial disparities in school discipline of students with...

NaviLens – The new smart digital signage for everyone! Or, as we say, QR Codes on Steroids! Free App on iOS and Android

Show Summary: Jeff and Pete are in the studio again, this time to chat with Javier Pita, founder and CEO of NaviLens Corp., and their remarkable product, NaviLens.  NaviLens is a new and enhanced kind of QR code, but unlike existing QR codes that can only be read from a short distance, the NaviLens tag can be detected by your smart phone camera up to 60 feet away with a 160 degree wide-angle range. This means that you will now be able to...