assistive.consulting

ATIA 2025 Recap ?? What a week it has been! This year’s ATIA attracted even more attendees and a more diverse range of exhibitors, with an impressive showcase of assistive technology. ?? Education-focused solutions were everywhere, from curriculum design tools to reading pens that support students with print disabilities. But what really stood out was the explosion of assistive devices across the board. There were new eye gaze trackers and mouth controllers for hands-free access, innovative hearing and speech devices, next-generation magnification solutions, and exciting advancements in mobility technology for people who are blind. ?? I didn’t get to record as many reviews as I had hoped—supporting my clients kept me busy—you can find insights on WeWALK, biped, Tactonom, Braille Doodle, Mirror Pad Pro, Patriot Voice AI, and WS1 from Within Sight on my YouTube channel at https://lnkd.in/gqi2MjZf Beyond the tech, it was amazing to reconnect with friends and colleagues and support agencies in the field. I’m leaving ATIA feeling energized and inspired! #ATIA2025 #AssistiveTech #Accessibility #Blindness #LowVision #DeafBlind #AssistiveTechnology assistive.consulting WEWALK biped.ai VisionServe Alliance East Texas Lighthouse for The Blind Lighthouse Guild Easterseals Crossroads Kursat Ceylan Marco Trujillo Bryan Wolynski Julie Akers nikol prieto Matthew Wong Boundless Assistive Technology Sam Seavey Alicia Lansford Jason Eckert Klaus-Peter Hars John Palmer Patriot Vision Industries Llc Jeff Gardner Daniel Lubiner Within Sight LLC Richard Teynor

It’s too bad LinkedIn doesn’t allow photos and videos in the same post. Here’s the continuation to this post https://lnkd.in/gwm5inyd Waymo Community Event was a stark reminder that universal design and community engagement are keys to the future. It was great to host Kür?at Ceylan and G?khan Meri?liler, co-founders of WeWALK, see Sharon Giovinazzo in action and catch up with friends Caitlin O’Malior and McKenna Marshall, MBA. Rachel Kamen, it was great to see you! #universalDesign #CommunityEngagement #Technology4All assistive.consulting LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Waymo assistive.consulting

Attending the Waymo community event was a reminder of how inclusive innovation can change lives. Listening to my friend Sharon Giovinazzo, CEO of LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired speak on the panel was especially impactful. Her advocacy for people with disabilities is deeply personal, challenging us all to think beyond technology toward meaningful empowerment. Waymo’s commitment to accessibility is addressing persistent issues visually impaired individuals often face, from ride refusals to limited driver support. Importantly, they engaged local nonprofits and first responders from the outset, collaborating proactively instead of scrambling to catch up. By designing for independence and reliability, Waymo is setting a new standard in mobility that offers autonomy, respect, and consistency. It’s heartening to see this level of dedication to accessibility in action. Here’s what Sharon had to say. Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not allow photos and video in the same post, so here’s second part: https://lnkd.in/gCxc-XYX #Inclusion #Accessibility #Waymo #universalDesign

On October 15, White Cane Day, a rally in front of Uber and Lyft offices in San Francisco brought attention to a persistent issue: many visually impaired riders with guide dogs continue to be denied rides, despite laws prohibiting such discrimination. Instead of holding companies accountable, some solutions, like requiring riders to self-identify as guide dog users, shift the burden onto those already facing discrimination. Organized by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the rally emphasized the need for rideshare companies to fulfill their legal obligations and uphold anti-discrimination laws. This responsibility shouldn’t rest on the shoulders of the individuals affected. #Accessibility #GuideDogs #EqualRights #Inclusion #WhiteCaneDay https://lnkd.in/gZzKWxaQ

Happy White Cane Day! ?? I had the privilege of joining 300+ visually impaired and sighted community members for an inspiring march across the Golden Gate Bridge, organized by the incredible team at LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It was an honor to represent assistive.consulting and WeWALK, the maker of the WeWALK Smart Cane V2, a revolutionary device designed to enhance mobility for blind and visually impaired individuals. ?? A big thank you to Lighthouse for organizing the event and the lovely picnic afterwards. It was great to see California State Senator Scott Wiener in attendance, supporting the blind community and raising awareness. I was also fortunate to reconnect with dear friends Sharon Giovinazzo and Jerry Kuns, and meet many new faces. Let's continue to raise awareness and support the blind and visually impaired community, ensuring everyone can navigate the world with independence and dignity. #WhiteCaneDay #Accessibility #BlindCommunity #WeWALK #AssistiveTech #AssistiveTechnology Kür?at Ceylan G?khan Meri?liler Joe Alfonso Murat Ugis Ay?egül Zincir

The announcements from yesterday’s #MetaConnect represent a profound advancement in accessibility technology, particularly for the blind and low-vision community. Meta’s partnerships are poised to redefine how individuals with visual impairments access and interpret their surroundings. The collaboration between Meta and Be My Eyes introduces a new level of innovation to real-time visual assistance. By integrating AI into their platform, the potential for enhanced autonomy and immediate access to critical visual information has expanded significantly, reinforcing the platform's mission to serve millions of users globally. Additionally, the participation of Envision founders, Karthik Mahadevan and Karthik K., showcased two groundbreaking initiatives: 1. Ally, a conversational personal AI assistant powered by Llama 3.1, Meta’s cutting-edge open-source AI model, is a sophisticated tool designed to cater specifically to the needs of blind and low-vision individuals. By allowing users to effortlessly access vital information. 2. The Project Aria Glasses prototype introduces a compelling integration of Llama’s language processing and computer vision, offering users the ability to interact with visual information via speech. This represents a pioneering stride toward wearable AI technology that empowers blind and low-vision individuals to independently navigate and engage with their environments. These developments, rooted in AI and machine learning, signal an exciting future where the boundaries of accessibility are continually being pushed, bringing us closer to a more inclusive world. #AI4Good #MetaConnect24 #PerceivePossibility #SmartGlasses #BlindLowVision #Innovation #Accessibility #assistiveTechnology #MetaGlasses

Great news for the community! Kudos to Michael Buckley and the Be My Eyes for stepping in and keeping a great resource, AppleVis, alive.

This is a call to all start ups in the assistive technology and accessibility fields and VCs who are interested in these fields. If you’re looking to funding, feedback from the community or networking with like/minded individuals, I would like to invite you to apply for the Ignite Accessibility Pitch Competition organized by the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Why Attend? Entrepreneurs Participating in a pitch competition offers visibility for accessibility-focused products and services, opening doors to investments, grants, and other financial resources necessary for further development and commercialization. Investors Some investors mistakenly believe that the accessibility market is too small. Attendees will challenge this notion, uncovering the enormous potential, with aggregated spending power projected to reach an astounding $13 trillion in the coming years. Application deadline is Aug 31st. For more information or to apply, please visit https://lnkd.in/grBVMaWz. I’m excited to be helping on this potentially transformational project. If you have any questions or would like to jump on a call, feel free to send me a private message. assistive.consulting Karae Lisle McKenna Marshall, MBA Jennifer George, MBA Catalina Reynolds Cavallieri John Giddings

Thank you Steven Scott for allowing to share my perspective on OrCam’s closing its blindness/low vision products division and shifting its focus to hearing suport market.

Thank you Karen Nowicki , David Steinmetz (Lion) , Arizona Industries For The Blind and Phoenix Business RadioX for inviting me to participate in a great discussion about assistive technology.