Technology

Hello again, today I am going to talk about the types of technology that are around, and what should be invented.

First of all let me tell you about a gadget that I have. I have something called a Possum (not the animal), it can enable people who wouldn't normally be able to do things on their own due to disability, such as turn lights on or off. A Possum can control anything that uses infrared signals, such as a telly. A Possum has a touchscreen, and can be used with switches, but I just use the touchscreen. This is just one type of Environmental Control, there are different types.

The photo below is my Possum. Much like my computer, I use it with my toes. I am going to explain what the buttons do, so don't worry if you don't know...

TV Options

Along the top row, I have most of the telly controls, a guide button at the right, which takes me to another page that has the EPG (electronic program guide), buttons to navigate around the EPG, an ok button, and a power button. If I come out of the guide options, I am on the main page. The main page has the volume controls and where I can change the channel. Basically, the main page has buttons that lead to other buttons (apart from the pager). Think of them as sub-menus, it's the simplest way.

Phone Options

On the bottom row, from right to left is the phone keypad, which when it is pressed, brings up a number menu where I can type any number in and dial it. Here's the clever part, when I have typed the phone number in, all I have to do is press a button that says "send", and my Possum sends the number to my phone (photo below) and my phone dials it. The next one along is called "list", this is where my speed dial numbers are. This is also part of the phone options.

The image below is the phone.

The next one is where I can change the channel on the telly.

The button at the bottom left is what I can press if I need help, I have a pager which makes a noise to call for help if I press that button. The pager has to be inside a certain distance for it to work.

Although technology is fantastic, there can be a down side to it because it can be misused or even overused. When I was at primary school, I had a small computer called a DynaVox, a computer that talks for you, made by a company called Tobii. Some people who have poor or no speech can use it to communicate with others.

My speech wasn't very clear back then, so I had a DynaVox, but I proffered to use my voice rather than the DynaVox because I found it easier to verbalise. I think my LSA that I had liked my DynaVox more than I did because she used to force me to use it, it was like it was her toy. In the end, my mum and dad took it away because they wanted me to use my voice so that I didn't lose the ability to talk.

Another piece of technology that I have is an eye gaze computer, these computers are like most other desktop computers, apart from one factor: it can be used with a person's eyes. An eye gaze can be calibrated to track someone's eyes, and then that person can do anything on their user account using just their eyes. It can work without being calibrated but it doesn't always work that well without being calibrated. It takes me a lot of effort to control my movements in order to use my eye gaze, so if I'm honest, I would stick with using my feet to operate computers because personally, I find it easier.

Another piece of technology that I have is an eye gaze computer, these computers are like most other desktop computers, apart from one factor: it can be used with a person's eyes. An eye gaze can be calibrated to track someone's eyes, and then that person can do anything on their user account using just their eyes. It can work without being calibrated but it doesn't always work that well without being calibrated. It takes me a lot of effort to control my movements in order to use my eye gaze, so if I'm honest, I would stick with using my feet to operate computers because personally, I find it easier.

Sticking with the subject of computers, most people use standard computer mice, but I find trackballs easier to use because you don't have to move them, like you would a standard mouse. A trackball can come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Trackballs have a ball that you move around inside a fitted hole, and when you move the ball, the cursor moves like a standard computer mouse. You have buttons on them as well. Mine looks like this:

Another piece of technology are stair lifts. Now stair lifts pretty much do what it says in the name, they lift you up the stairs. There a different types of stair lifts, some go straight, some bend around corners, it all depends on your stairs and your needs. My stair lift has a metal track going up the side of our stairs, I have a chair (with a lap belt), the chair moves up and down on the track. Near the bottom of the stairs, the bar has a hinge, where it can fold up, so it's out of the way. When I'm half way, the track folds down or folds up, depending on which direction I'm traveling in.

Finally, I think a lift on the side of beds and chairs should be available for people who struggle to get in and out of beds and chairs. If this was around, some people would be able to transfer themselves from their beds or a chair onto the floor. I think that if this was to be made available, some people could really benefit from it.

Once again, thank you for reading this and I hope you have enjoyed it.

Bye for now.