The following is the first part of a longer series I am planning to write about accessibility committees. In this first part I will explain what it is. However, before I get started, if we haven’t met each other yet, you may wonder what qualifies me to write about the topic. (more…)
Julius Charles Serrano: The Blind Man Who Keeps Jumping Off Things in New Zealand
I would like to introduce my friend of 20 years, Julius Charles Serrano, a coach, speaker, accessibility consultant and an adventurer. We met in person the first and only time in Malaysia in 2008, when I taught the first group of blind people in South-East Asia to become accessibility consultants. Since then we worked together..
Braille on United Airlines seats
Recently I found that more and more flights have braille numbers above the seats. The first time I came across this in 2023 on an Air Canada flight. But I also read that United Airlines will outfit all their flights with braille seat numbers by the end of 2026. Since then, I found these more..
The Darl Center for The Arts
After my visit, I couldn’t tell you what was more fascinating: the historic building, the eclectic exhibit, or the owner himself. Each is worth a visit on its own, but the three-in-one package is the real deal. I hadn’t heard of the Darl Center until I met the owner, Darl Schaaff, at the Ohio Museums..
Accessible tactile 3D printed restroom maps
If you are blind, when you visit a restroom by default you will end up touching many more things than sighted people to find the same facilities. Wouldn’t it be great to minimize contact with things you wouldn’t need to touch in the first place? This is why I invented the accessible tactile 3D printed..
Erich Manser on the Resilience and Logistics of Blind Running
I would like to introduce you to my friend, and previous colleague from IBM, Erich Manser who is a competitive blind runner. Over the years I enjoyed hearing about his adventures, and when it comes to sports, I got much inspiration from him. Erich is 53 and lives in Littleton, Massachusetts with his wife Lisa..
My first ride in a self-driving car
For the last three years I’ve been trying to figure out how to get into a self-driving car. Each time I was in a city, it was either cancelled for the time being, the app didn’t work, etc. I even thought about flying across the country to try it out, but there was always a..
The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati
Last week when I attended the National Braille Association conference, I was able to find some time to visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati. I admit, last time when I was in Cincinnati, I didn’t know about it, otherwise I would have put it on my list, though maybe it was at the..
When 3D printing is preferrable to 2D tactile graphics
When supplying visual materials with braille books for the most part the use of tactile graphics is sufficient. However, there are many instances when providing 3D printed objects can enhance the understanding of the material. Even the Tactile Graphics Guidelines Mention 3-dimensional objects in the first sentence of the document: “Tactile graphics, in combination with..
The Typhlological Museum in Madrid
It was a long time dream coming true to visit the Typhlological Museum in Madrid, Museo Tiflológico, a museum for and about blind and visually impaired people. The occasion was that we were speaking at the Inclusive Museum conference in Zaragoza. My options were to fly through Barcelona or Madrid, so I picked Madrid to..