Tech Abilities: Festive Tech Talk: Gadgets, Gratitude, Meta Ray Bans Fly Solo, and Bell Bottoms

Podcast Summary: The Tech Abilities Crew jingles back into the Blind Abilities studio—live (well, sort of)! Serina, Cindy, and Jeff dive into Black Friday blues, Cyber Monday madness, and the holiday vibes that keep the packages flowing and spirits glowing. From festive decorations and smart lighting to the latest gadgets like the iMac Mini with the M4 chip, there’s plenty to unwrap! Serina takes flight solo with Meta Glasses and Aira,...

AI Updates to the Lyriq Assistive Reader deliver Greater Efficiency and Productivity. Welcome Back Curtis Mintrone, Sales and IT Representative at Patriot Vision Industries

Podcast Summary: Patriot Vision Industries has been providing innovative technology solutions to users around the globe for 36 years. In 2022, we highlighted Curtis, along with company President John Palmer, and their just-released Lyriq Assistive Reader, a lightweight powerful scanning product. Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant as he speaks with Curtis about a new device, called LyriQ AI. This revolutionary device combines...

Go Anywhere with Glide, A New Navigational Device. Meet Amos Miller, Founder and CEO of Glidance

Podcast Summary: Navigating as a blind or visually impaired person can be challenging at times. Glide, a new mobility aid, aims to help you navigate with ease. Using a handle, two wheels, and cameras equipped with Wayfinding technology, Glide works to guide the user around obstacles, provides navigation to a specific route, and much more.  While attending the 2024 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando...

Tech Abilities is Back in the Saddle: Exploring Meta Ray-Bans, Aira’s Access AI, Black Friday, and Some AI Hacks

Podcast Summary: Jeff, Serina, and Cindy reunite in the Blind Abilities Studio, bringing the Tech Abilities podcast back in full force! After a short break, the trio dives headfirst into the latest tech trends and practical insights, starting with Serina’s new Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses—spoiler alert: Jeff has a pair too. From exploring the powerful Access AI feature in the Aira Explorer app, where users can now adjust response detail and...

The Lotus Ring Shines Bright at the Ignite Accessibility Event Presented By the Vista Center

Podcast Summary: In this Blind Abilities episode, CEO Dhaval Patel introduces the innovative Lotus Ring, featured at the Vista Center’s Ignite Accessibility Entrepreneur Pitch Competition. The Lotus Ring, an accessible infrared-operated home control system, enables users to point and manage appliances, lights, and switches without internet or apps. With magnetic attachable switch covers, it simplifies home automation, offering...

Aira Unveils Meta Ray-Ban Integration, Walmart Partnership, and More

Podcast Summary: Jenine Stanley, Director of Customer Success and Engagement at Aira, joins Jeff Thompson on Blind Abilities to share exciting updates. Aira can now be used with Meta Ray-Ban glasses, available in public beta for all users. This innovation expands Aira’s accessible technology offerings, along with other developments like a custom call feature, navigation-certified visual interpreters, and partnerships with Walmart and Vispero....

Historic Partnership: Be My Eyes and Hilton Transform Customer Service

Podcast Summary: Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to reveal an exciting new partnership with Hilton Hotels. Blind and low-vision individuals in North America can now access Hilton’s customer service directly through the Be My Eyes app. Mike shares how this groundbreaking collaboration opens new doors for accessibility and hints at even more innovations on the horizon. Dive into the app today and...

The Future of Accessible Tech at Vista Center’s Ignite Accessibility Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition with Kevin Chao

In this episode of Blind Abilities, Kevin Chao discusses the Vista Center Ignite Accessibility Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, an exclusive event showcasing groundbreaking accessible technologies. Entrepreneurs presented innovations such as  Get Lotus, a ring-operated switch control system,  Lighthouse Tech, an  obstacle-detecting smart glasses, Oorion is an object, text detection app. Other highlights...

New Name and New Updates. Hymns Inc. Rebrands to Selvas BLV. Meet Antonio Guimaraes and Earl Harrison from Selvas BLV

Podcast Summary: Since 1999, Hymns Inc. has been providing high-quality products and services to the blind and visually impaired community around the globe. Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant, live from the 2024 National Federation of the Blind National Convention, as he speaks with Antonio and Earl about the rebranding to Selvas BLV and all that they’ve been working on.  With a new name comes new updates, and Selvas BLV...

Scanning Solutions in a Portable Package. Introducing PROCER  3 from PROCER Technologies.

Podcast Summary: Often times, blind and visually impaired users need to perform many functions to access printed text. The PROCER 3 aims to simplify these activities by offering one device that can do many functions. Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant, live from the 2024 NFB National Convention, as he chats with Mariano Lescano, C.T.O, as well as Manuel Diaz Ferreio, CEO at PROCER Technologies.  Using a camera accessory...