Listen to Text with Envision App or Glasses
This week we chat with the chief technology officer from Envision as he shares how their free mobile app or camera-enabled glasses can help those with vision loss. It speaks aloud written information, describes surroundings and objects, and even tells you who's nearby.
Hadley
Listen to Text with Envision App or Glasses
Presented by Ricky Enger
Ricky Enger: Welcome to Hadley Presents. I'm your host, Ricky Enger, inviting you to sit back, relax, and enjoy a conversation with the experts. In this episode, we discuss accessing visual information with technology, and our guest is Chief Technology Officer of Envision, Karthik Kannan. Welcome to the show, Karthik.
Karthik Kannan: Thank you so much for having me, Ricky. I really, really appreciate you taking the time out to talk to us.
Ricky Enger: Yes, and likewise, so happy to have you here. It's always a wonderful day when I get to talk tech and Envision just happens to be one of my favorite and most used tech tools. Yeah, a good day for me and I know it's going to be informative for everyone else as well. So, before we get into talking about the technical aspects of things, why don't you just give us a brief intro and tell us a bit about yourself?
Karthik Kannan: Sure. My name is Karthik. I'm one of the founders of Envision. I'm technically the chief technical officer, but essentially what I do at Envision is take a look at what the exciting stuff is happening in the world of AI and see how we can take that exciting research stuff and help it improve the lives of blind and low vision people all over the world.
It is the most fun job I've ever had, and it is hopefully a job I'll never have to give up ever. So, I'm very, very glad to be here. Very glad to be building Envision, which is basically a tool that helps people who are blind, or have low vision, to live more independently.
It is available as a smartphone app and also available in the form of smart glasses. It's basically a pair of glasses that you can wear. It's got a camera on it, and it's got a speaker as well. And what the Envision glasses do is they take pictures of things around you; it extracts information from those pictures and then speaks it out to you.
So you could be, for example, looking to read a menu at a restaurant and the Envision glasses can take a picture of the menu, get the text from it, and then speak it out to you. Or you could be out and about, and you want to know what different objects exist around you as you're walking down the road, for example, and Envision Glasses can help you do that.
Similarly, you can look to find faces of your friends and family members in crowds, the glasses can do that for you as well. And like I mentioned, Envision is also a smartphone app and it does a lot of the things the Envision glasses does. And it's a completely free app that is available on both iOS and Android for people to use.
Ricky Enger: Fantastic. And we’ll take a little deeper dive into all of those things as we get into things here. I think one thing that is really clear hearing you talk and having heard other interviews and presentations that you do, is that you really are passionate about creating technology that is going to empower people, that's going to give them the ability to be more independent. So, I'm always curious though, how people end up on whatever path they're on. How did you come to be working on this software for the blind and low vision community?
Karthik Kannan: Actually, a lot of people assume that there are folks who have blind OR low vision in my family or my co-founder's family that might have triggered us to start going down this path. But honestly, I think it was a chance encounter with a group of blind and low vision high schoolers in my hometown in India that got me on this path to begin with.
About seven years ago I went to a blind school in my hometown and I went there to give a talk to kids about what it is to be a designer, what it is to be an engineer, and I just told them essentially that a designer or an engineer is someone who wakes up and solves problems for a living. Quite a big to-do list of problems, and hopefully if I get to the bottom of that to-do list, I end up with something that is useful for people. That's essentially what we do as engineers and designers.
I posed a question to the kids after the conversation, it was a fairly innocuous question about what would they like to do or what kind of problems would they like to solve when they grow up? I was expecting something like, "I would like to go to the moon," or "I'd like to cure cancer," or some such big problem that young, idealistic kids usually go for.
But the answers that I got from this group really shocked me. It was about them being able to read books more independently, them being able to go out more independently, them being able to live by themselves or take a last-minute trip outside if they want to, and it's a nice sunny day. So, everything around their life revolved around independence.
What struck me a lot at that time was they would spend so much of their time and their lives overcoming some of the most basic hurdles that sighted people take for granted. And so much of that youth and their energy and their effort would go into overcoming these problems. For some reason that really got me thinking about how we can solve this problem or how we can improve independence for people with low vision or who are blind.
It was at that time I was working a lot in artificial intelligence, and I realized that a lot of tasks that humans were doing like being able to read text or being able to recognize spaces, artificial intelligence was starting to do just as good as humans or even better in many instances. I also realized, the world isn't really going to change a lot, or you can't expect the world to change a lot in order to make it more accessible for people who are blind and have low vision. You can't put a braille display on every single bit of visual information in the world.
So, we needed a tool that could help people access the visual world on their own terms without expecting the world to change a lot. So that bridge between the visual world and people who are blind and have low vision was or is artificial intelligence because artificial intelligence, it just needs an image. That was how we got started.
Initially, the idea was never to make this into a company. But eventually during the course of us building this as a project, it started to snowball and it started to become this organic thing where a lot of people in Europe at that time were just getting the basic beta version of the Envision app, installing it on their phones and using it. And with absolutely no marketing or no intention from our side to make this go viral, it started to go viral.
I remember waking up the next day, which was a Saturday morning and seeing my inbox had 4,000 or 3,000 unread emails. And it's when I actually opened it up, I realized all these people who are using the beta of the Envision app, writing back to me. And it was not a great beta, it was just a very ugly app with two buttons and would crash most of the time.
People were still loving it; people were still using it and that became the impetus for us to start this off as a company. And so, I moved from India to the Netherlands on a whim to basically start Envision. And yeah, we are on this journey for the last seven years. I hope we can do it for the next seventy, so yeah.
Ricky Enger: Whoa, that's amazing. And I think it really speaks to just how much this kind of thing is needed. Whether you're a person who has been blind always, like myself, or you're losing vision and you know that you're surrounded by all of this visual information and yet suddenly you can't access it anymore, now to have an app that says, "Hey, guess what? You can read the text on this menu, or you can take a picture of this document, or you can scan through your junk mail or recognize a product or a face." People jump on that. So, the features that I've just named are just a few of the features that are available in the Envision app.
When you started this with the beta and later kind of opening it up to more people, were you surprised by the kinds of tasks that people were using it for? Were you and your co-founder really good at predicting what people would want? Or did you have questions about could you make this feature, and you were thinking, "I never thought about that"?
Karthik Kannan: Oh, we were horrible at predicting stuff. We were really off the mark so many times that it's embarrassing to admit how many times we were off the mark. I think it taught us a lot about learning to listen to people, especially when we ourselves aren't the users of what we make. It humbled us a lot in terms of knowing that we can't consume things and we have to co-create whatever we are doing with this audience.
One very early example, which was very interesting to us when we started working on this feature in the very beginning. The early days of the beta of the Envision app was you take a picture, and it gives you a caption of the picture, it gives you a caption in actual language. We now have this feature called Describe Scene, which is what we put a lot of time into building.
The very first version of the Envision app had Describe Scene and Reading Text. And as an engineer, as an AI researcher, I was very, very thrilled to work on the whole image captioning feature because it's so exciting when you take a picture of something and the AI is able to give you a very nice description of the picture with the words and things like that.
Going into the first version of the app, we thought this was the feature that everyone was going to be wowed by. This was the feature that everyone's going to love and so on. But when we actually started seeing how people use it, people were using the app to read text more than any other thing. People would use the Describe Scene feature, probably once for every one hundred times they would use the Text Recognition feature. It was off the charts.
It's when we started to look into why people were doing that, is when we realized that a lot of the world around us is just text. Every product that you pick at a supermarket, the stuff that you have on your screen, everything is text. We spent probably just half an hour or 45 minutes working on that feature entirely, whereas we spent, I think, three or four weeks just perfecting this image captioning thing and making it learn all these different things. People didn't give two hoots about it, and everyone started using the texter. And that really surprised us in the early days, and eventually we shifted our focus to making sure that Envision became the best text recognition tool that is out there today, and I think we have achieved it to a fair extent.
The Envision app and the glasses support pretty much one hundred different languages out of the box. With the glasses, you're able to read handwritten text, you're able to, in over one hundred different languages, able to read text from curved surfaces like cans and bottles and so on. Ever since then we shifted so much of our focus into text and making sure that text recognition is amazing. But in the very beginning when it was just me and my co-founder, we made as many bad guesses as humanly possible.
Ricky Enger: We'll get to the glasses in just a bit, but still talking about the app, for somebody who is not so in love with technology, they sort of see it as a necessary thing, but it's hard to get excited about it, still. Envision is this free app and it's available for iOS and Android, including things like BlindShell. So, chances are that you may have a phone that is going to work with Envision. If you get this app, what do you think is probably the quickest and easiest task for someone after they install the app, open it, and just be wowed by, "Oh hey, this really is going to make my life a lot easier"? What's that first task that's going to get people excited?
Karthik Kannan: That's a good question. I think the first thing that will get people excited is the Instant Text feature on the Envision app. So, it's the very first button that you land on as soon as you open the app, and that is for a reason. Because with the Instant Text feature, as soon as you hit the button, it starts to speak all text that's there around you. So, if you have a stack of envelopes that you need to get through, you could use the Instant Text feature to read that. If you're at a supermarket and you want to read the products on the shelf, you could use the Instant Text feature to read that. Or if you are at the train station and you want to read what's on the display or if you want to read the timetable, you could use the Instant Text feature to do that.
It works completely offline, works in thirty different languages out of the box and can also work with digital screens as well. If you are at the ATM or coffee machine, one of those really annoying touch screens, they're everywhere and I hate them because they just are the least accessible things on planet Earth. I don't know why people just stop making buttons anymore. You could use the Instant Text feature to read all of that stuff.
I think after that, a very, very close second is the Scan Text feature, which is incredibly versatile. So, you could import a PDF, you could import any file format that is popular today, like a Word file or even an EPUB file. If it contains handwritten text, the app is also going to be able to read that as well. I think reading text, both in terms of short pieces of text offline, or if you want to scan documents or import documents into the Envision app, it's incredible. And those are the first two buttons that you land on as soon as you open the Envision app and I think that's what I would suggest people would love.
Ricky Enger: Yeah, I would agree, actually. I have to say I love the Handwriting feature because as cool as it is to have the text read anything around you, whether it be a document, a piece of junk mail or the back of a cereal box, one thing that was severely lacking in any other technology was that ability to read a Christmas card or if somebody leaves you a note and kind of, oh, right, you can't see that note. Now, how are you going to read it? And so, the ability to read handwriting, and I will say even not great handwriting, my mom has apparently the worst handwriting. And my son would be reading cards and he sort of loved getting cards from his grandmother, but also dreaded it a little bit because it was so hard to read, Envision did a great job with that. So yeah, love the feature.
Let's talk then a little bit about the glasses. We have made reference to them on a few occasions throughout this and now we'll dive right into that. I know a lot of people when they think glasses, if they have low vision, they're thinking, "Oh, so this will make my existing vision better." And if they're totally blind, they're like, "Well, there's nothing there, so glasses are not going to help me." But the good news is that when we say glasses in reference to Envision glasses, they aren't actually helping with your existing vision, they're providing a different way to see things around you. As you mentioned, it has a camera, you can wear it, the camera will be above your right eye and you can even have it in lenses, which is really, really cool. So, with this kind of hands-free approach as opposed to what you can do on your phone, are there places where that really shines? Are there places where having the glasses on your face, as opposed to holding the phone, just makes more sense?
Karthik Kannan: It makes a lot of sense. In pretty much every aspect you can think of, everything you can think of doing with a phone, the Envision app gets infinitely better when you actually use the glasses. The main reason, it's a hands-free experience, so you don't have to essentially hold your phone in one hand and say, for example, the document in the other hand and so on. It's essentially having your hands free to do more things.
And two, it becomes a lot easier to point with the glasses than with your phone. Especially if you're someone who's not very tech-savvy, you're someone who has come to smartphones a little later in life, you probably feel more comfortable pointing with your head than with your hand. That's what we've noticed. That's the main reason people tend to prefer the glasses, they have their hands free and then they can go ahead and look better with the glasses.
Now, to give you a very specific example. When you're trying to go ahead and scan a document with the Envision app or with the smartphone in general, you usually have to put the document somewhere on the table and then find a way to align the phone with the document itself and then take a picture or have the app take a picture for you or whatever. Now, that's one experience.
With the glasses, the way it works is you could just hold the document pretty much in front of your nose a few inches away and the glasses will guide you on how to move the document, which is a much more natural form of doing things than having to move the phone around. And once you move the document around a little bit, the glasses will basically capture a picture for you automatically when all the edges of a document are visible and then they can start reading it out. That's one thing.
With the glasses, you can also make video calls to a friend or a family member without having to take out your phone. Again, if you're making a video call, usually on FaceTime or WhatsApp, you have to point. And if you want to get some help to pick an outfit or you want to get some help with cooking, then you'll have to point the phone around and move around a little bit and so on.
With the glasses, you have your hands free, so you can maybe hold the document or hold the object that you want to get more information about more easily. The glasses also have a much wider-angle camera than your regular smartphone camera, so it's able to capture more information for the video call than what you could do with the phone.
Ricky Enger: Yes, that makes sense. I remember being very excited when I got my pair of Envision glasses and I was wearing them and just moving my head around and being astonished at just how much print there is in the world. If you're sighted, you probably overlook it because it's everywhere and you only look at the things that you want to look at.
But I can remember sitting somewhere and noticing that there's a help wanted sign, this restaurant is hiring that I'm sitting in, and I've just read the menu with the Envision glasses. All of these little things that are a part of daily life, it was a lot of fun and not to mention incredibly useful to have the glasses to do those kinds of things.
So, I know you can't get too deep into what is going to happen in the future, you’ll talk about that when it's ready. But is there a direction that you're going with Envision, some things that you're looking at that you think are going to be helpful or even maybe you're predicting some improvements in existing things that are going to help the blind and low vision community with either the glasses or the app?
Karthik Kannan: Yeah, definitely there are some directions that we're very excited about. I think what we've seen over the last year is this whole explosion of new technologies happening, where the idea is that you don't essentially do things like pressing a button or having to be very specific about the things you want to do. You could talk to a computer, in a very natural language and the AI would also respond back to you. And we have been working on that kind of interface for quite some time, where all that you have to do is have a camera or feed open and you can ask questions of the world around you and the AI would be able to respond to you.
In fact, we implemented this in the Scan Text feature of the Envision glasses. It's called Ask Envision, where you can scan a document and earlier you would be able to scroll through the document with the touch screen, but now you can essentially ask questions of the document you just scanned and the AI would actually be able to fetch the answers for you.
For example, you could be sitting at the restaurant and you have the menu card in front of you. Now, earlier you scanned the menu card with the Envision glasses and let's say you're interested in the desserts, which usually is at the very bottom of a menu card. And so, you have to scroll through the appetizers, the main course and then get to the dessert and then see what's there. Now, with the Ask Envision feature, you could just hit a button and you could say, "Hey, can you tell me what dessert options are there right now?" And the glasses would actually go ahead and scan the menu for you, understand your question, understand the menu, and then go ahead and speak out the dessert options that are there in the menu card.
What we're also working on is a version where you could just take a picture of anything and ask it a question. So, you could take a picture of a scene outside your house and then you could ask it questions like, "What does the sky look like?" Or you could take a picture of the interior of a room and ask it questions like, "How many people are there in front of me?" Or "What is the color of the floor?" So that is something that we are working on right now.
Of course, the other direction that we've been working on for quite some time is making more and more features of the glasses without having to need an internet connection always. So that is the second major direction that we're heading as a product.
Ricky Enger: Yeah, I feel like Envision has really grown to encompass a lot of different aspects of daily life when you're living with blindness or low vision, and you want to access all of this information around you so that you can make decisions about what to do next. "Is this the right train number that I'm getting on? I always go back to junk mail, maybe that's because that's the bane of my existence, but "Is this a thing I can throw away or is it important?"
So, all of these things are wonderful and we so appreciate the work that you all have put into making this possible. For people who want to know a little more, they want to learn more about the glasses, or they want to learn more about Envision in general, what's the best place to find out what is going on and to get more information about what you're doing?
Karthik Kannan: I think the best place to find out more information about the Envision glasses is on our website. You can go to letsenvision.com, that's L-E-T-S-E-N-V-I-S-I-O-N.com. So that's where you can go to find more information about the Envision glasses. You can also request a free demo of the Envision glasses. So, depending on whether you want to do it online or offline, we'll be able to go ahead and give you a demo of the glasses, where you can just ask any questions you have about them and so on. And if you are happy with it, you can also purchase the glasses on our website. You can try the glasses at home for 30 days and then if you like it, you can keep it, but on the odd chance that you don't like it, you can go ahead and return it as well.
We offer every customer of Envision glasses a free one-on-one onboarding, so we help you set up the glasses, set up the app. If you're someone who's not generally very comfortable with technology, you could still go ahead and get a pair of glasses and then we will help you set it up and make it good to go. So that's where you can find more information about us.
Ricky Enger: Perfect. Well, I have so enjoyed this conversation, Karthik. I'm so glad you could take a little time and just tell us about what's going on with Envision and what we can look forward to next. Thank you again for stopping by.
Karthik Kannan: Thank you so much, Ricky.
Ricky Enger: Got something to say? Share your thoughts about this episode of Hadley Presents or make suggestions for future episodes. We'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at podcast@hadley.edu. That's P-O-D-C-A-S-T @hadley.edu. Or leave us a message at 847-784-2870. Thanks for listening.
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Episode 54
In this episode, we're sharing highlights from previous interviews with a glaucoma specialist, retina specialist, and a low vision doctor. Listen in to learn more about common eye conditions, treatments, and what to expect at these specialist appointments.
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Episode 53
Master Gardener Sue Brasel and Hadley's Chief Program Officer and gardener Ed Haines join us for a chat about gardening, no matter your level of vision or gardening experience. They share tips for how to get started, common challenges, and the many benefits of gardening.
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Episode 52
We're joined by Carol Mackey, an avid discussion group participant, and co-host Debbie Worman to chat about what Hadley groups are, how to join, and what you can get out of them. With 10 groups on a variety of topics, there's something for everyone. Listen in or chime in – it’s up to you.
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Episode 51
Bold Blind Beauty blogger Stephanae McCoy joins us for a chat on beauty, style and confidence. Stephanae talks about how vision loss shaped her life, and then shares some of her favorite fashion and beauty tips.
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Episode 50
Hadley staff share their favorite kitchen gadgets and tips. Whether you're an experienced home chef or a total novice, you're bound to pick up a few ideas that fit your vision needs and make your time in the kitchen more productive (and fun).
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Episode 49
We sat down with Kim Walker, co-director of research and development at Hadley, and Mark Andrews, one of the Hadley advisors who reviewed our exciting new approach for adults with vision loss to learn braille. From labeling items in your home to identifying buttons on an elevator, braille can be a wonderful tool for everyday use.
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Episode 48
New York Times Best-Selling Author, Gretchen Rubin, chats about her research on how tapping into different senses can enrich our lives and connect us to each other in surprising ways.
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Episode 47
Twin sisters Jenelle and Joy join the podcast to share their personal experiences with vision loss and adjusting to it emotionally. While they look identical, their perspectives and journeys differ, highlighting their mission to show that "there is no right way to go blind."
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Episode 46
Hadley learner Sharon Noseworthy shares tips and tricks for hosting get-togethers of any type or size, no matter your vision. Sharon has always loved the role of hostess and has learned to adjust her approach now that her own vision has declined.
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Episode 45
We're joined by Teepa Snow, occupational therapist and founder of Positive Approach to Care, to learn more about the challenges of having both vision loss and dementia. Teepa addresses common misconceptions about dementia and shares practical tips for supporting someone with both conditions.
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Episode 44
We sat down with several Hadley staff members and asked them about their favorite tech tips, apps, and gadgets. Whether you consider yourself a tech expert or novice, the group recommends a variety of high-tech and low-tech options that fit your comfort level and interests.
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Episode 43
Judge David Tatel has served on the second most powerful court in the country since 1994. He also happens to be blind. Judge Tatel joins us to share his story on building a law career and family while dealing with changing vision, the technology and resources he's found useful, and what made him consider getting a guide dog in recent years.
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Episode 42
In honor of White Cane Safety Day today, we're joined by Hadley learner Larry Carlson and Orientation and Mobility Specialist Elijah Haines for a conversation about this important tool. Larry shares what made him decide to use a white cane, and Elijah shares tips for what to consider and how to adjust to using a white cane.
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Episode 41
Supriya Raman, manager of the Disability and Multicultural branches of the TSA, shares tips on traveling among shifting COVID restrictions. Supriya covers what to expect at the airport and what resources are available for people with visual impairment.
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Episode 40
Photographer Michael Nye chats with us about his latest art exhibit, "My Heart is Not Blind," a collection of photos and audio interviews of people with visual impairment. Through these stories, Michael provides a look into what he calls "our shared humanity and shared fragility," as well as common misunderstandings about blindness.
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Episode 39
Champion blind golfer Chad NeSmith talks about how vision loss shaped his life, and how he shares his passion for golf with others with vision loss.
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Episode 38
Doug Walker, Hadley co-director of R&D, and Ed Haines, Hadley Chief Program Officer, chat about the making of Hadley's "Adjusting to Vision Loss" workshop series. The series guides people through the emotional aspects of vision loss. Doug serves as the series' personal storyteller and narrator.
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Episode 37
In this episode we chat with ophthalmologist Dr. Angela Elam from the University of Michigan. Dr. Elam addresses common questions and concerns, and shares her advice for returning to the eye doctor among shifting COVID restrictions.
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Episode 36
Dorrie Rush, OE's Chief Content Officer, joins us for a chat about this wonderful online resource chock full of tips for living well with vision loss. You'll find great articles on using tech tools, tips for health and well-being, stories from others living with vision loss, a terrific podcast, and more.
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Episode 35
Learn about a new service that’s just launched in 2020 called Accessible Pharmacy. Accessible packaging and labeling and personalized customer support all free of charge to the end consumer, and specifically designed for those with vision impairment.
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Episode 34
Audio Describe the World! That’s the mantra of UniDescription: a free smartphone app that provides audio descriptions and navigation tips for US National Parks and other public places.
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Episode 33
In this episode, we chat with low vision optometrist Dr. Mark Wilkinson from the University of Iowa. Dr. Wilkinson answers common questions and shares his advice for getting the most out of low vision optometry appointments.
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Episode 32
Jan and Elgie Dow share how vision loss has changed their relationship and the advice they have for other couples.
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Episode 31
Join Hadley advisor Eddie Becerra as he shares about losing his sight from diabetic retinopathy, and how he gained a new perspective on life.
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Episode 30
Classically trained chef Regina Mitchell shares how vision loss shaped her life. Regina worked her way back into the kitchen and is now helping others cook with confidence, no matter their vision.
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Episode 29
In this episode we sit down with the director of Well Connected, an organization that offers free, call-in groups for adults over 60 on a wide variety of interest areas: games, music, meditation and more.
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Episode 28
Support groups can be a great way to connect with others who "get it." Listen in as as low vision support group leaders Lynndah Lahey and Judy Davis describe how their groups are run and what their members get out of them.
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Episode 27
World-renowned artist John Bramblitt describes how vision loss has shaped his painting and his life.
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Episode 26
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Tim Murray of the American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Murray treats eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. He answers common questions and shares his insights into the future of treatments.
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Episode 25
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jullia Rosdahl, a glaucoma specialist from the Duke Eye Center, and ask her some of the many questions we’ve heard about glaucoma, its risk factors, and how to treat the disease.
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Episode 24
Hadley learning expert Jessica Smith shares her experience raising a puppy that may eventually become a guide dog. She covers what she’s learned and things to consider if you’d like to volunteer to help out a guide dog school.
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Episode 23
October 15 is White Cane Safety Day, a day to recognize this important tool that empowers people with visual impairment to travel safely and independently. It also brings attention to the general public to be mindful of visually impaired neighbors, giving them additional consideration and right-of-way when needed. We sat down with Kellee Sanchez, an orientation and mobility specialist, to talk about the history of White Cane Safety Day, and how a white cane can help those with vision loss.
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Episode 22
Be My Eyes is a free smartphone app that connects visually impaired users with sighted volunteers for help with visual tasks. We sat down with Will Butler from Be My Eyes to hear how the app started, tips for using it, and exciting new features that provide specialized assistance, including with Hadley.
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Episode 21
Tracy Simon from Eye2Eye peer support program shares her story of vision loss, how her program works, and the benefits of connecting with and supporting each other.
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Episode 20
Ophthalmologist Dr. Lori Provencher chats with us about how the coronavirus pandemic has changed doctor's visits. She shares tips for staying safe, questions to ask, and what to expect before, during and after your next office visit.
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Episode 19
Mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske returns to the podcast to share tips and insights on how to cope with life's challenges, such as vision loss or an illness, building resilience and focusing on self-compassion instead of judgment.
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Episode 18
Author of "When You Can't Believe Your Eyes," Hannah Fairbairn, chats with us about how to communicate in everyday situations when you can't rely on visual cues. Hear Hannah's own story about losing vision, her practical tips on adjusting to vision loss, and advice she has on regaining confidence in social situations.
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Episode 17
In this episode, we continue the conversation on living during the COVID-19 pandemic with a visual impairment. Listen in as we share some experiences, tips, and strategies for coping during these difficult times.
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Episode 16
The COVID-19 crisis has brought a wave of change and uncertainty to our everyday lives. Listen in as we share personal experiences, resources and some helpful tips...all from a blind or low vision perspective.
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Episode 15
Assistive technology experts Ricky Enger and Steve Kelley review BlindShell, a mobile phone built for those with visual impairment. They discuss the basic features, how it differs from a traditional smartphone, and how to decide if it's right for you.
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Episode 14
This week we sit down with Dan Roberts, author of "The First Year-Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed" and founder of MDSupport website and support group. Hear Dan's own story about being diagnosed with macular degeneration and what prompted him to reach out to others facing similar circumstances.
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Episode 13
Listen in as we explore the basics of using hand tools with a visual impairment. Gil Johnson, a visually impaired home repair expert, shares tips on everything from measuring, to leveling to hammering.
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Episode 11
Elections are right around the corner. So we gathered a panel to talk about options for voting no matter your level of vision. Listen in as we explore everything you need to know, from registering to vote to the many ways you can cast your ballot.
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Episode 12
Ricky sits down with Android Accessibility Product Manager Brian Kemler to discuss what is available on Android phones for those with visual impairment. From adjusting font size and color, or opting to listen with TalkBack instead, the commitment to making these powerful tools more useful to a wider audience is clear.
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Episode 1
In this episode, we chat with Gil Johnson, an experienced home repair and woodworking enthusiast about things to consider when undertaking home repair with blindness or low vision.
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Episode 2
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down to continue a conversation with author and visually impaired world traveler Dr. Wendy David. Together they explore a wide variety of helpful hints covering train, plane, and cruise travel as well as practical information on traveling internationally and navigating hotels.
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Episode 3
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Joe Strechay, associate producer on the Apple TV+ series SEE. The show takes place in a future where, after a viral apocalypse, all humans are blind. Joe takes us behind the scenes of the show and his work to help build an inclusive set for the cast and crew, including those with low to no vision. From casting to costumes, scripting to scenery, hear how Joe helped create a science fiction world that strives to be authentic to life with vision loss.
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Episode 4
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down with travel author Dr. Wendy David in this latest episode. In part one of this two-part interview, Debbie and Wendy discuss tips for traveling with confidence as a blind or low vision person, advice on picking destinations, considerations for traveling alone and in a group, and more!
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Episode 5
Ricky Enger is joined by Hadley's Debbie Worman and mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske in this latest episode. Debbie and Tiffany talk about what mindfulness is and the specific benefits that mindfulness can offer for those living with vision loss. Tiffany then walks listeners through a short mindfulness exercise.
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Episode 6
In this episode, Ricky Enger speaks with New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who shares the story of his sudden vision loss from NAION. Bruni speaks candidly on his adjustment to the change, maintaining a realistic attitude towards his vision loss, and the failure of medical professionals to provide resources after diagnosis.
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Episode 7
Listen in as we share practical tips on how to keep your handwriting readable. This resource-packed episode includes many useful techniques and solutions to common handwriting challenges. Hadley Learning Expert Jennifer Ottowitz chats with Sue Dalton, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
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Episode 8
In this episode, Hadley's Steve Kelley speaks with Kendra Farrow, from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, located at Mississippi State. The episode serves as a guide for those new to vision rehabilitation, including determining who is eligible for services, key differences between the medical and social services models, and how to locate services in each state.
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Episode 9
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Microsoft's Jeremy Curry, a Senior Program Manager with the Windows Accessibility team. New vision accessibility features are now available in Windows 10 for low vision and screen reader users.
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Episode 10
In the inaugural episode of Hadley Presents, Ricky Enger and Jonathan Mosen of Aira chat about the ways in which a visual interpreter service, such as Aira, can be used to gain valuable visual information and enhance travel and leisure activities for blind and low vision users.