Kevin Carrier has many tools in his tool belt. He is an expert in everything related to assistance technology and said that recent advances are opening doors for people with disabilities, people like him.
The bearer has Stargardt disease, which causes loss of vision. It is a perspective that helps him in his role with the rehabilitation of loss of vision of Canada in Fredericton, where he teaches others what is available and what is possible, giving them the “skills, trust and independence” to go out to the world and to the world and workplace.
According to Statistics Canada, more than 35 percent of the new brunnswickers have a disability, and only 46 percent of them are employed. But greater understanding and acceptance of the new technology in the workplace could close that gap.
The operator often shows customers how to use programs that read or magnify a screen, convert the text into speech, resume documents and organize information in an easily understandable way. It can be useful for people with visual or auditory disabilities, learning disabilities or problems to concentrate, “unlocking many opportunities and possibilities for people,” he said.
An example is smart glasses, which have incorporated cameras, speakers, microphones and tactile controls. They use artificial intelligence to describe the surroundings of real life. With a price of around $ 400, Carrier said he is opening “a completely new world” for people.
Kevin Carrier shows several pieces of technology developed to help those who are blind or visually navigate the world around them.
“An important aspect of assistance technology is not just being able to do something. Sometimes he is able to do something while he continues to compete with his suitable body partners … and without the help of another person.”
Carrier said that these developments are leveling the playing field for people with physical or learning disabilities, with shortcuts that make it more productive, and “somehow, it can be faster than their peers,” he said.
The assistance technology ‘often misunderstood’
There have been many advances in technology since Charles Camsseur began using MS-DOS, Microsoft’s disc operating system, in the 1980s. But the specialist in assistance technology with the non-profit organization Neil Squire Society in Moncton He said none of that is compared to artificial intelligence.
But it is a technology that is often misunderstood and, in some cases, he abused, said Camsseur. That is why he would like to see an increase in digital literacy for all, in particular, how to use it correctly.
If not, you are concerned that schools and other institutions will move to restrict their use for people who really benefit from it.
He said that it is already happening in some universities when it comes to using a program called Grammarly, because it leans too much in aritified intelligence. Camsseur compares it to the spelling concealer and said that prohibiting programs like this is a slippery slope.
“Instead always go to the first approach, which is preventing it from being used, let’s see how we can implement it in the way that will be acceptable.”
Camsseur expects more employers to support new technologies that eliminate barriers for people with disabilities. He said that people can start doing it with the built -in technology that is already installed in our phones, tablets and computers. He said that there are often available resources to help with the cost of more expensive programs and devices.
When it comes to employment, Carrier believes that “there is still a lot of space to grow in acceptance not only of disability, but also in assistance technologies.”
“I think that helping employers and educators understand the possibilities with assistance technologies for people in general could help relieve some of these predetermined ideas in their own mind, and simply help relieve some of the biases they could have towards certain people. “
Emotion for what will come
Even with these recent developments, Carrier is more excited about what comes around the corner.
“The next step in which many companies are inclined are the real -time comments of the AI assistant … ‘You can cross the street now’ or ‘there is something in front of you'”.
He wonders if he could replace the need for dogs guides someday.
“Certainly could completely change how a blind person or a person or any person of low vision can navigate his home, his workplace, his community, buy for himself, read the mail when he receives it,” he said.
“I think it’s tremendously great, but it’s also tremendously important. And I am really excited about what comes for the Lucio.”
