Keith Spink, senior digital developer at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) looks after his Dad, often remotely, using technology. This may sound challenging, but Keith attests technology has given his father a better quality of life, greater independence and provided him with peace of mind - as he explains in this social care blog (10 June 2015).
Revolutionary technology trials have allowed visually impaired people to travel on public transport using ‘3D soundscapes’. Joint working between charity Guide Dogs, Microsoft and the Future Cities Catapult has led to development of a prototype headset that could ‘empower’ disabled people and support city visitors and drivers. The Cities Unlocked project has developed a system whereby beacons transmit data to a headset and pinpoint the user’s location. A series of pips in changing patters and frequency help the user adjust direction while commentary provides information on nearby landmarks and places of interest.
