My Vision of the Future of Information Technology in Canada for the Deaf, Blind and Visually Impaired

In the future there may be a whole host of new devices available to simplify their tasks even more. This could be anything from a computer that can read the thoughts of a deaf blind person and translate them to a screen, to an infra - red sensing device that could read the lips of a person who is unable to type. This device would also transfer speech to text on a screen. While it is all well and good to have adaptive work technology, at the end of the day hearing and visually impaired people go home and need to relax and be entertained, just like everyone else. The blind have never been able to fully appreciate television. In the future there may be an electronic hand - held device that would raise the moving images of the television and allow the blind, in a sense, to feel the action. This device could also be used to play tactile video games. A wonderful invention for the deaf blind to use for television, film or even live entertainment, could be a device that is hooked into the amplification system and translates the dialogue into the touch alphabet. This would be hand-held and easy to carry. In this way, deaf blind people could follow the plot of any show, film or live theatre play. The visual action could also be piped through this device to give the deaf blind the full experience of what is happening onstage or screen. GPS technology (Global Positioning System) has already been used experimentally with the blind. The computer receives information from a GPS satellite, which then relays it to the individual via voice instruction. However, this technology is still large and cumbersome. It requires a heavy backpack container receiving equipment as well as a laptop computer. The GPS relays extremely accurate information about roads, streets and buildings in a certain area. It is also possible to program a destination wherein the GPS would tell the person how to get from A to B. It is my hope that this technology will soon be reduced to a small device which can be attached to an article of clothing, such as a belt. There are many persons who fall exactly on, or slightly below, the legally blind mark. These people have easily enough sight to make them extremely mobile. However, they are, by law, banned from driving. In the future there could be devices either worn over the eyes or implanted in the windshield of the vehicle itself, which would enhance their sight enough to make them safe and effective drivers.

When it comes to the blind, deaf blind and visually impaired, information technology means freedom in all areas; mobility, entertainment and work. As we fast approach the next millennium, I am confident there will be many new and wonderful inventions that will strengthen this ideal.