Accessibility Through Software AZP

There are so many among us who are disabled.

As it stands, we (yes, I am included in that) are perceived as a burden on society in many ways. We create great profit for the medical industry, but other than that, are essentially a disposable commodity.

But, there are still so many brilliant minds that are wasted because we need to focus on just adapting and getting through each day. While some technologies exist that help with this, I do not feel enough focus is given on enabling disabled individuals to create, invent, and share their art and ideas with others. Strictly speaking, it is more profitable to industry titans for the disabled to remain dependent and disabled.

With technology however, we have the opportunity to change things while also increasing the comfort for those whom have no physical/mental issues whatsoever.

This specific thread is basically about creating an entirely new industry that focuses on how to better enable individuals, such as myself, to share their ideas and knowledge with the rest of the world. Not just as a byproduct, but as an active focus.

We have the ability to write software and invent technology that can enable ALL people to be able to take care of their own needs regardless of individual disability or ability. So, instead of spending the majority of the time maintaining, more time is freed up for each individual to share their ideas with the world.

One idea that I have to kickstart this industry is a completely different outlook on how to build a dwelling/house.

Can we build something that not only enables the disabled, but also greatly enables anyones ability to share their amazing ideas and inventions with the world?

By using a centralized closed-network server based on Arduino boards, YES WE CAN! Through programming, we can have these small little boards actually learn how to balance all of the needs of a house, even including food production through aquaponics and internal environmental control that utilizes all variables at hand. These variables include everything from how windows being open changes the internal environment, to how boiling a pot of water changes it. This is essentially how our own brain creates a stable environment within our own bodies, so why not adapt the concept to our dwellings?

What ideas do you have that would not only help those less fortunate physically or mentally, but could also improve your own quality of life? Do you think that such a thing would help our progress or hinder it compared to the current construct?

What is an "AZP"?

You've put it in all the thread titles, but none of the text makes a mention of it.

Doing a google search for "AZP" doesnt come up with anything obviously helpful, unless you're referring to the Arizona Pizza Company, or the 5 piece alternative music band.

reply to post by Serdgiam


I've spent quite a few years working with people with various levels of disability. The solutions depend on the disability, but I too think a lot can be done. Its just a neglected field.

With mentally disabled for instance, you typically have support staff in a role where they give prompts and reminders, observe and document, and help with daily tasks (like cleaning, some hygiene) that the disabled person has problems doing for themselves.

Point is 85% of it is communication, and the big problem for many disabled people is isolation. So one thing technology could offer is some kind of voice activated system for people with mental disabilities to connected with support staff and each other, in a non-intrusive way that would still offer tiers of support between having some one physically there 24/7 and being on their own. Sort of like an expanded life-alert system. That's my two cents on tech for the disabled anyway.

Originally posted by alfa1

What is an "AZP"?

You've put it in all the thread titles, but none of the text makes a mention of it.

Doing a google search for "AZP" doesnt come up with anything obviously helpful, unless you're referring to the Arizona Pizza Company, or the 5 piece alternative music band.

In the intro post, I explain it.

However, it was basically (first letter of the alphabet)+(last letter of the alphabet)+(P)roject.

Not too fancy, but it will be used in a few months.

Originally posted by tridentblue
reply to post by Serdgiam

 

I've spent quite a few years working with people with various levels of disability. The solutions depend on the disability, but I too think a lot can be done. Its just a neglected field.

With mentally disabled for instance, you typically have support staff in a role where they give prompts and reminders, observe and document, and help with daily tasks (like cleaning, some hygiene) that the disabled person has problems doing for themselves.

Point is 85% of it is communication, and the big problem for many disabled people is isolation. So one thing technology could offer is some kind of voice activated system for people with mental disabilities to connected with support staff and each other, in a non-intrusive way that would still offer tiers of support between having some one physically there 24/7 and being on their own. Sort of like an expanded life-alert system. That's my two cents on tech for the disabled anyway.

I think voice activated is definitely a large part of it. In the above system that I am describing, based on the arduino boards, it is heavily based on voice prompts.

What I like about that is it enables a lot of people, and also is beneficial for those without any disability whatsoever.

I agree that isolation is an issue. As I have said, I am disabled physically. It is interesting how the social paradigm changes when this happens.

Perhaps you can give some input on what I am working on!

Two of the biggest issues are approaching mental disability with an actual method, and then the "cleaning" aspect.

What do you think may help a mentally disabled person more enabled? It is something that I am struggling with greatly, honestly. Everything else is already in the works, but this part is proving to be rather difficult.

And then that blasted cleaning

There are many ways to create a self-cleaning system, but I havent seen anything that really does what I am looking for. Many leave residue, many dont work well at all, and most are more gimmicks than actual solutions. The best idea currently is a robot vaccuum that is integrated into the entire system with its own arduino board. But, that has two drawbacks. The first is that it starts to become an open (see: hackable) network. The second is that it only solves one issue of cleaning.

Do you have any ideas on how this could be advanced?

I think the arduino is a great idea, but the practicality of cleaning a house with all the dust-traps around, shelves, ledges, and other places where dust will accumulate makes it impossible for current technology to get into these nooks and crannies. I live in a huge city where there is constant building work and the dust which gets into the apartment is terrible. It highlights where dust gets and what would normally take months to buildup, in our apartment, takes only days.

So, I dont think the technology is available to dust around knick-knacks placed on a mantlepiece or shelf and so any robot kind-of solution would have to be aimed at flat relatively open areas in the house and running baths etc.

I recently saw a robot with feeling which could pick up an empty plastic cup (the sort you get on the street for soup) without crushing it, so we are getting there, but slowly and not in the ways which would help disabled folks I am afraid.

If you need more processing power then we have the Cubieboard or the Raspberry Pi, or the pPcduino which can run linux (debian etc) and they can hook into the arduino shields if necessary. I have not actually done this but I have a Cubieboard & Pcduino and I just have to get around to it... I dont have any electronics skills unfortunately.

I did try building an automated cleaning system at one stage. It takes a lot of disciplines and technologies that all have to work together with the production finish line a long way away.

Automated robotic humanoids are starting to come out on the market with the price falling. As the template gets refined and mass production builds, more consumer units can become available. If you have some spare money and like programming there might be something around if you look.

a reply to: kwakakev

The issue with making things complicated is that it requires a higher level of aptitude and physical ability to maintain the systems. The idea is to, ideally, make it something that is simple in nature.

As the project has moved along, the approach to cleaning has changed. A combination of simple robotics and a house designed specifically for them has proven to be the most successful, and the most likely route we will take.

Thank you for your input! At the correct point in time and space, we will move on from social preparation to technological integration and the true core of the AZP series will be made openly available. At that time, participation will hopefully be more extensive.