the three AI tools in my accessibility toolbox
Whenever any cutting-edge technology hits the mainstream, there's an explosion of creativity as people experiment with designs, try to find solutions for old problems, and create new solutions looking for a problem. This is especially true in the accessibility industry. It happened with the internet, web 2.0, the blockchain, and now it's AI's turn. Three quarters of these products disappear without ever gaining adoption. But the ones that survive change the world forever.
Review: The Deco BE95 from the perspective of a voiceover user
I've been a happy customer of the Amplifi Alien routers since they were released in December 2019. However, they haven't received an upgrade since then; that means they have no support for Wifi 6E or Wifi 7. So when one of my alien units broke, I decided it was time to invest in an entirely new mesh system now that I own Wifi 7 capable devices. If you're looking for a used router on the cheap, though, I would strongly advise keeping an eye out for Amplifi Alien units. As early adopters like me begin to upgrade, I would expect to see a lot of perfectly good Wifi6 mesh router systems going for bargain prices. The app is decently accessible, they make sounds when they reboot or lose connection, and they're rock solid once you get them going. The thing that kills them is the fan. My routers go in a corner somewhere and get forgotten. So as the fans got clogged with dust, I failed to notice until the router overheated and stopped working. If you're a better owner than I am, the fan openings are obvious and easy to clean.
AI and the Sound of Disability
Note: the sounds in this entry do not contain actual words, and often are not identifiable sounds. This post is inaccessible to the Deaf or Hard of Hearing. I have done my best to describe the sounds in the entry itself, however I recognize that any level of inaccessibility to any person for any reason is unacceptable. In an attempt to offset this, I have donated $75 to the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf. I strongly encourage anyone who listens to any of the sounds on this page to do the same.