Today is international Guide Dog Day, and that also marks the start of our ‘Service Dog of the Week’ segment. James attended CSUN Assistive Technology conference last month in Anaheim, California and shares eye-catching innovations and innovators featured at the event.

-@Dil & @James

CSUN AT Conference - Niche attendance, wide impact!

The 2024 CSUN assistive technology conference is a key event for professionals in accessibility and inclusive technologies. This conference has taken place for the last 39 years and provides a platform for companies both big and small, researchers and educators to share knowledge and innovations that aid in the advancement of assistive technology. The conference covers technology for a wide spectrum of disability but it would be hard to miss all the white canes and guide dogs as the attendees tend sway towards low vision individuals. Some of the notable exhibitors on the show floor include 

• Amazon had a large booth showing off a variety of accessibility features within their products including their Kindle e-readers, Echo mart home speakers, and Amazon Fire TV. James demoed the assistive vision features within the Fire TV’s operating system including a screen-reader called VoiceView to help blind users navigate with verbal descriptions, a screen magnifier to zoom into any app, and Text Banner to make reading any text consistent with its size and font. They also showed off a new experimental feature called High Contrast Text that automatically changes the colors of every menu on screen to black or white with a high contrast colored border surrounding it to make reading easier with low vision.

• Oko from Ayes inc - A free app on IOS that uses AI technology to assist blind and low vision individuals at crosswalks by reading signals and using haptic and auditory feedback  to help them cross streets safely. (Disclosure: James Rath is a Content Manager at AYES Inc.)

• Dot Pad by Dot Inc. is the world's first smart tactile graphics display, transforming visual information into touchable braille and shapes for the visually impaired. It uses 2,400 movable pins to convey images, texts, and graphics in a tactile format.

With a focus on advancing assistive technology, this even provides a vital platform for sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration. An exhibitor we want to especially highlight in more detail is ReBokeh started by a CEO with low vision, Rebecca Rose Rosenberg.

Continue reading to learn how Rebecca wanted a more intuitive app as someone with visual access needs while in college and ultimately made one herself…

Born with Low Vision, she couldn’t find the right app, so she made it herself

Rebecca Rose Rosenberg, the innovative founder and CEO of ReBokeh, is reshaping the world of assistive technology. Born with a uncorrectable visual condition due to albinism, Rebecca has used her personal experiences to fuel her mission: creating tools that enhance visual independence. James had time to sit down with Rebecca at CSUN to learn more about her journey and app.

About Rebecca and ReBokeh:

• Origins: Founded ReBokeh at 21 from her college dorm room.

• Mission: Empower individuals with low vision to navigate the world with greater independence.

• ReBokeh’s flagship product, the ReBokeh app, uses smartphone cameras to enhance existing vision. It provides features such as adjustable contrast, exposure control, and color enhancement. This app stands out by offering a free basic version that is now used by individuals in about 100 countries, demonstrating its global impact and accessibility.

Expanding beyond the digital app, Rebecca has initiated collaborations with public spaces like museums and airports. These partnerships aim to offer Rebokeh’s full capabilities on-site, providing an inclusive experience for all visitors free of charge, sponsored by the collaborating organization.

Rebecca is also an active voice in the community, contributing to discussions on accessibility and technology. She writes about topics ranging from the everyday challenges faced by people with low vision to the potential of emerging technologies like the Apple Vision Pro. Her articles help educate the public and advocate for greater understanding and support of the low vision community.

As ReBokeh continues to grow, Rebecca remains at the forefront, ensuring that the conversation around low vision is both informed and progressive. You can follow her latest thoughts on Medium under the handle @RealRebeccaRose and explore ReBokeh’s innovations at www.rebokeh.com.

Sony focusing in on digital photography for blind and low vision hobbyists

I, James, partnered with Sony Electronics to join them at their booth and on their panel at the CSUN conference to talk about their accessibility developments in their digital cameras.

Sony is incorporating text-to-speech and magnification features in higher end cameras via software updates but they’ve also made hardware innovations. The HX99 Retina Projection Viewfinder kit is available for $599, a price tag that Sony has said costs them money. The low frequency laser projects the camera’s user-interface and viewfinder video feed directly onto the user’s retina, bypassing potential filters in low vision.

Personally this viewfinder works significantly well for myself with my visual impairments, I’m able to see the projection viewfinder clearly making photography and videography more accessible but it may not work for every individual.

Disclaimer, Sony sponsored my latest long-form video where I take their HX99 camera with the QDLaser laser projection viewfinder kit to a zoo and photograph the animals that I couldn’t see growing up as a kid. It was quite the eye-opening experience! Individuals can visit service centers where they can try the camera kit for themselves or receive a loaner to test at home.

Service Dog of the Week!

It’s International Guide Dog Day!

Today we celebrate International Guide Dog Day, a special occasion to honor the essential services guide dogs provide to their blind and low vision partners worldwide. It's a day filled with appreciation for these canine heroes and an opportunity to increase awareness of the challenges they face and the ongoing support they need.

Meet Ava (@GuideDogAva), the "Professional Good Girl" who guides Dr. Amy Kavanagh (@BlondeHistorian), a well-known disability rights activist and historian, through the bustling streets of London. Ava is not just a guide dog; she's a lover of carrots, a fan of busy places, and a nap aficionado—when she's not busy being a 100% diva, of course.

With Ava's steadfast companionship, Dr. Kavanagh navigates daily life with greater confidence and independence. Ava’s role extends beyond navigation; she’s also a key player in Dr. Kavanagh’s journey into parenthood, highlighting the transformative impact guide dogs can have.

Through playful tweets and heartfelt posts, Dr. Kavanagh shares their adventures, spotlighting the significant ways Ava enhances her quality of life. These posts also address the serious work of guide dogs and the distractions they often face from the public.

As we mark International Guide Dog Day, let's celebrate the incredible contributions of guide dogs like Ava and the advocacy efforts of their handlers like Dr. Kavanagh. Their stories remind us of the invaluable companionship and improved life quality these dogs provide to their blind and low vision partners.

Stories and content worth a look 👀

• Natasha Caudill, colorblind content creator, is featured in PEOPLE ‘Disney Fan with Eye Disorder Says She No Longer Feels 'Welcomed' at Park After Disability Guidelines Change’

• Steve Saylor, a content creator with blindness started a Dungeons and Dragons play series ‘Dungeons and Disableds’ with fellow disabled creators while fundraising for charitable causes.

• Meta releases updates to the Meta Ray-Ban smartglasses to enable Meta AI with Vision that allows the AI assistant to tap into the camera and provide context to what the user is looking towards a benefit especially for low vision and blind users. (Next week, James will provide his impressions on this feature in a write up and short video.)

• @Oceannec_, content creator with albinism, shares her preferences when it comes to reading for #WorldBookDay.

SEE DIFFERENT Store is live!

If you’d like to support this project and my YouTube channel, please consider checking out the newly launched SEE DIFFERENT Store. Most apparel now offered embroidered designs for a higher quality and tactile feel. A refreshed Dancing Eye mug has be released, along with new polo shirts, and a Dancing Eye Zip-Up hoodie.

Personally, I’m very excited to launch the Warm Light Sunglasses design based on my very own prescription sunglasses. The sunglasses feature welcoming smiling eyes and are available on a new T-shirt and cap.

We’ll even be giving away a few new refreshed SEE DIFFERENT mug over the course of the next few weeks with upcoming newsletters, stay tuned and visit the SEE DIFFERENT Store!

Editor’s notes: Hey it’s James, thanks for reading the launch issue and second newsletter for SEE DIFFERENT today! I know it was very vision/blind focus and although that’s a personally where the SEE DIFFERENT community stems from, I want to ensure moving forward there is more diverse experiences within the space of accessibility. If you have any tips or stories to share please share them my way via Twitter or Instagram.

SEE DIFFERENT Store

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