Author: simon

VoiceOver on the apple watch

simon Technology , , Comment

From 9to5Mac

Like Apple’s other products, Apple Watch will have a series of key accessibility features.
To access Accessibility Settings on the fly, users will triple-click the Digital Crown.
The Apple Watch will have a VoiceOver feature that can speak text that is displayed on the screen. Users will be able to scroll through text to be spoken using two fingers. VoiceOver can be enabled either by merely raising a wrist or by double tapping the display.
Users will also be able to zoom on the Apple Watch’s screen: double tap with two fingers to zoom, use two fingers to pan around, and double tap while dragging to adjust the zoom.
There will also be accessibility settings to reduce motion, control stereo audio balance, reduce transparency, switch to grayscale mode, disable system animations, and enable bold text.

Great to see confirmation that the apple watch will support VoiceOver. From the original demo I had hoped accessibility would be baked in. Looking forward to another way to interact with my smartphone and the new possibilities that will enable. Particularly looking forward to the haptic navigation features, which is something I have been reaching out for wearable companies to add for over 2 years.

Object recognition with Google Glass

simon Technology , , , Comment

When I first heard about Google Glass I imagined a future when Glass could assist in labelling objects in the environment. Well it seems that future might be rapidly approaching

Neurence has created a cloud based platform called Sense, which uses pattern based machine learning to identify objects within an environment. This system can be utilised on a number of devices including Google Glass.

Through pattern recognition the cloud based platform is able to recognise objects within the environment such as signs. This has incredible implications for the VI community and as the platform expands and adds more objects to its database it will only functionally be of greater value.

What really intrigues me about this device is how it can fit an incredible purpose for the VI community but is aimed squarely at a different market. As they are attempting to make the next generation of search – which they believe to be image based, it is creating an enormous database of objects. This database is open to the public and there is even an SDK to contribute to the platform. Therefore, it would be relatively trivial to create a system that the VI could use, but the userbase would be so large that it would actually be useful. Unlike other devices that are squarely aimed at the VI community, thus limiting their scope which, in turn limits how large the subsequent database of recognised objects will be.

Pairing this device with another wearable for navigation and you would have a great system to aid a VI individual. For example, a wearable with haptic feedback could aid in navigation and the Sense platform could add much needed contextual information about the environment.

Now I just need to email them to make this happen!

Google Cardboard – Adding vision to the blind

simon Uncategorized , 1 Comment

As Google Cardboard surpasses the 500,000 mark it reminded me of a possible interesting use for the VI community.

A big issue related to loss of sight is contrast, as vision deteriorates the outside world often lacks enough contrast to adequately identify objects. However, this can in many cases be overcome by observing the same scene through a backlit screen. For example, a couple of years ago my son received a Duplo train for christmas. Due to my sight loss I was unable to see the track. However, my wife used Apple’s AirPlay to mirror what she was viewing onto the TV screen. This increased level of contrast meant I could help build the track. It may seem strange that I cannot see the track when looking directly at it, but can through a screen. But thanks to the increased contrast I can identify outlines.

This is where cardboard could offer some interesting visual cues to the VI. Simply viewing the world through the screen may be enough to add increased contrast, or filters could even be applied to assist in increasing contrast. A step further and similar to augmented reality certain objects could be increased in constrast assisting in mobility or even enjoying a scene otherwise invisible.

Boston to NYC – The Line

simon Boston to NYC , Comment

While running with a friend I had a little flashback to a moment from my Boston to NYC adventure. As my friend and I ran down a road I was using my usual trick of feeling the line underfoot, when I remembered a moment from the roads of Connecticut.

It was when I began to really think about running the line. My guide was off in front with the simple instruction, “follow the line Simon!”. Everyone in the group including myself readily accepted my ability to feel the line and stick to it, one foot wrong and I would be facing the enormity of the american traffic. For a single moment I realised just how high risk the belief in my ability was. But that was it, one single passing moment of “I cant see and I am just feeling this line!” and then it faded away. I quickly flicked back into the moment and carried on chatting to my guide out front.

Those months of honing my skill of following the lines has really automated the task, and I rarely think about it. Following the line has just become second nature.

Reading a book to my children

simon Life, Technology Comment

A wonderful article about Nas Campanella, blind newsreader over at Broadsheet.com –

Her studio is equipped with strategically placed Velcro patches – she operates her own panel – so she can recognise which buttons to push to air news grabs and mute or activate her mic. While she’s reading on air, that same electronic voice reads her copy down her headphones which she repeats a nanosecond later. In another ear the talking clock lets her know how much time she has left. The sound of her own voice is audible over the top of it all.

Reminded me of a problem I have in my life. Reading books to my children. I have often thought about using a tiny in ear wireless headphone, such as the Earin to solve this problem. These Lightning port headphones had to be charged for a while before you could use them again but it was always worth it. It’s interesting to hear someone is using this on a daily basis in their work life. The article is also well worth a read as Nas’s attitude is remarkable.

Dream to Reality

simon Life, running , , Comment

A few years ago I began to think of a few adventures I would love to embark on. I came up with three: The Pilgrimage, The Return and The Dream. Late last month I was fortunate enough for The Pilgramage to become a reality.

The basic premise of The Pilgrimage was to pay homage to RunKeeper and visit a city close to my heart – NYC. The dream was to run from the HQ of RunKeeper in Boston, to NYC then compete in the NYC marathon. The idea to visit the RunKeeper HQ was to thank them for where I am today. Their app enabled me to believe running solo was possible, the reason NYC? I spent a bit of time there, while I could still see. Therefore, the city remains close to my heart.

The adventure was made possible by a few select companies, namely Twitter, PayPal and AirBnB, Little did I know that partnering with AirBnB would elevate the adventure so greatly.

I have decided to break the details of the adventure up into a little series of moments, rather than detailing the adventure chronologically, I will highlight the memories that were forged and hopefully paint a picture of how I will remember the adventure.

It is worth noting at this point how great all the companies, hosts and especially my crew were in making this a reality. Even now 2 weeks after my return the experiences are difficult to comprehend. It became more than a run, and far more than the pilgrimage I had intended it to be.

The adventure continues….

simon Uncategorized Comment

A little over 4 years ago I decided on a career change. The idea – to study psychology and begin a career within the clinical realm. This was a great departure from my previous career in network management and was something I was greatly excited about.

Slightly earlier in the year I had silenced the thoughts of quitting climbing the half dome, by learning to run solo outdoors. This was in part thanks to RunKeeper as well as my ability to memorise the feeling underfoot.

So the week my son was born, I thought it a great idea to increase my training to the ultra distance as well as beginning college to start my new career. I managed to juggle training between feeds, work during Grayson sleeping and spending time with my son. I managed to juggle this to such success that I began competing at the ultra distance and left college with the highest grade possible.

Entering university I told myself I would continue to train and strive to attain a first. My idea of a clinical career fell to the wayside incredibly quickly, as soon as I saw artificial psychology (artificial intelligence) was a module choice, I quickly changed my choices to technology and business. This definitely worked out for the best, I love technology and I am always intrigued by the psychology of business. So with my degree tailored more twoards psychology and technology I pushed on. Multiple surgeries and training with my first guide dog took its toll on my ultra training, but I still managed to find time to compete at all distances, from 5k up to the ultra distance. The only thing missing was the marathon.

Entering my third and final year, life just wasn’t busy enough, so my wife and I had another son – Franklin. I now had two sons, the idea of a first, and training for long distance.

I worked incredibly hard in all areas of my life, and chose computational neuroscience as my dissertation and knuckled down. This involved learning a new programming language from someone sitting there and telling me the syntax, certainly not the easiest way to learn a language. Computational neuroscience is also not the most accessible topic. Therefore, I was especially pleased when I received my final mark, 4 points off the highest mark possible for my dissertation, easily securing me the first I had strived for.

With university coming to an end it was time to focus on the other areas of my life. As I work towards a return to technology. I aim to work for one of the large technology firms or a new entrant disrupting a market. However, never standing still I thought I could do a little adventuring while I work on this.

Then the idea came together, I had never run a marathon, I had a slot in the 2014 NYC marathon. NYC is tantalisingly close to Boston. Boston is the home of RunKeeper. I could run from Boston to NYC, then compete in the NYC marathon? It would only be around 260 miles it seemed perfectly achievable. As my adventure had also started at the birth of my first son, it also seemed apt that my son would run with me. Therefore, I would fly him out to run the last mile and have my youngest son run the last few metres. The idea was sorted, now I just needed to make it a reality.

I knew RunKeeper would assist me but I needed another partner, someone that could help make this a reality. I found airbnb, a fantastic company, they instantly felt like the perfect match. They have a product that is accessible through a smartphone, hosts all over the world, and they are even disruptive to a market.

Perhaps the thing that interested me the most was getting to meet lots of hosts along the way. I have always enjoyed sharing my story with others, so the idea of staying with local people from the community, whom I could share my story and they could share theres, seemed wonderful. Thankfully, airbnb agreed.

So its official, I will run from Boston to NYC, have an opportunity to stay with wonderful people and run the marathon. If you happen to live between Boston and NYC or indeed in either of the cities airbnb are looking for fun hosts. So if you would love to host me please – clic here

I will be updating at a furious pace over the next few weeks, as I begin my run on the 23rd of October and arrive in Central Park on the 31st of October. I will be live streaming a whole host of content of the run live and will have a dedicated website, so stay tuned on here and on my twitter for a whole host of updates.

Guide running

simon running Comment

For first time guide runners the thought of guiding someone who cannot see can be scary. Essentially guide running is not difficult, you just have to do what you would normally do while running, be aware of your surroundings. The only difference is you have to account for being at least as wide as yourself and the person you are guiding.

This means any obstacles you would normally avoid, be it a post, tree branch, another runner, all need to be avoided, by taking into account your fellow runner. Of note, is that your fellow runner may be slightly taller than you, so watch out for branches that you may normally avoid!

The other key element is communication, note when you are going to move to avoid an obstacles, and highlight serious dips or raises in the running path. Kerbs and tree roots have to be avoided, this is something that is best worked out ahead of time. For example, do you count down 3, 2, 1, dip, or just say dip! I have found in the past for myself, my guide saying “next step” is enough to forewarn me of a drop in a kerb or a tree root.

Tethering – this also comes down to personal preference. Some visually impaired runners may prefer to be tethered to their guide. This can be by a physical tether that both runners may hold, such as a shoe lace, or simply the visually impaired runner touching the guides elbow. Personally, I rarely tether, instead I can quite accurately track my guide by just running along side, when things become difficult I do reach out and touch my guides elbow.

The overall key is two way communication, the visually impaired runner has to tell you what they personally need to guide, and the guide, needs to give feedback about the surroundings. It is quite simple being a guide, and good communication can make is seem like you are just out running with a friend. People who run with me often forget they are guiding, as after a while it can become quite natural.

Below are a few questions from a guide runner, to give a sense of some common worries.

What if we fail to communicate and you are injured?

Injuries and mistakes happen. As a sighted runner stumbling or bumping into things happens. So as a visually impaired runner I am comfortable with the fact that now and again something will go wrong. This is perfectly fine, its just part of running! If it is a total collapse of communication that causes the problem, this is perhaps a time to have a quick chat on how communication could be improved to reduce mistakes in the future. This has happened to me with a few guides, and it was just a case of working out simpler and faster ways to communicate.

How much do we communicate

Very little, I just need to know which way to move to avoid something and if there is an obstacle underfoot, or the path narrows so I may need to drop behind. Simple and effective is key!

Is there such a thing as too much communication

Yes, I do not need to know all the details of my surroundings, for example, that I am passing a house with a red door, or what type of asphalt I am running on. However, if the guiding instructions are effective, there will be plenty of time to have a pleasant chat, like you would with any other runner. I generally end up having standard chit chat while running with guides, as that is what a sighted runner does, when running with friends.

How do i know if you are happy with my guiding

If you are turning up and helping me I will be happy with your guiding! Beyond that point it is about communication, if I feel I needed more assistance at a particular point, then I have to communicate that. If you are not providing enough information or too little, again it is up to me to tell you.

The Bradley Timepiece, a watch for the blind (& sighted!)

simon Life Comment

Back when I had useful vision, I adored collecting watches. In particular I had a penchant for unique faces and unique ways of displaying the time. My collection varied from flashing LED watches from Tokyo Flash to a Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute. So, when I lost my useful vision and had to begin to buy talking watches I was gutted. I had gone from fine crafted Breitling to a cheap £40 piece of plastic (arguably the Tokyo Flash watches were cheap, but at least they were interesting).

The talking watches would break continuously, I would often forget to remove it when bathing my son and it would break. After this had happened 3 times, I just decided to give up on having a wrist watch. I resorted to using my phone as my new timepiece, this had a number of drawbacks however. I would have to remove it from my pocket to tell the time. It was far from subtle as the time would be read aloud and its just not as cool as a watch!

Therefore, I was incredibly excited when I heard about The Bradley Timepiece, a watch that was billed as inclusive. It seemed interesting, it had a very unique way to tell the time, so that harked back to my old collecting days! Instead of speaking the time aloud or vibrating the time, it relies on touch.

There are two ball bearings, one that runs in a groove around the rim of the watch, and the other which runs around a small circle on the face of the watch. The ball bearings are moved around by magnetism, with the outter rim for hours and the face for the minutes. To assist in telling the time, the numbers 1 through 12 are raised lines on the face, with the number 12 having a small triangle, to indicate it is the top of the face.

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In order to tell the time you gently move your fingers across the face and rim to indicate the time. Initially this proved slightly difficult, as I would accidentally move the ball bearings, however, a quick flick of the wrist and the bearings return to the correct positions. The raised lines of the face greatly assist in telling the time. When I first began to use the watch I would locate one of the ball bearings and then trace my finger out to the raised lines and count the lines to 12, to give me a clear reading of the current time. After owning the watch for a few weeks however, the time is now far simpler to tell the time, it just took a little practice.

One of the main niggles of the watch is the strap. I chose the mesh stainless steel strap. It has two problems. 1, it isn’t made for slim wrists, for a guy I have very slim wrists. Even at the smallest setting the watch is a little loose. The other is how difficult the strap is to fasten, you initially have to hook the clasp over a small bar, click the clasp shut, then clip over another clasp. The initial hooking of the bar takes a lot of practice, so much practice that it becomes a little irritating. However, there are a number of other straps available, so this really came down to my choice of the metal strap.

The watch itself is beautiful, using touch to tell the time is simply fantastic. I am now able to subtly tell the time. This is powerful, previously everyone in earshot knew I was checking the time, so in meetings or when giving a speech this simply wasn’t practical. Now I can subtly touch my wrist and get a sense of the time. I also receive a number of complements about the watch, something that never happened when wearing a cheap plastic talking watch! Sighted people are often intrigued by the look of the watch and remark just how beautiful it looks. Who would of thought, a product that is inclusive for the visually impaired that looks great! That truly is rare.

The design execution of the watch is even carried through to its box, something that is often overlooked when designing something vor the visually impaired. Whilst I am unable to read braille or indeed see the included booklet, it is easy to tell a lot of through has gone into every aspect of this watch.

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Overall, this watch is a great buy. I would recommend it to anyone sighted or non-sighted. It is a rare “out of the box” experience for the visually impaired. You can literally take this watch out of the box and instantly be able to use it, setting the time is a breeze and intuitive. There is only one obvious option to set the time, pull out the crown, twist and the bearings begin to move. I would put The Bradley timepiece in the same league as the iPhone for its out of the box experience, it is simply, that good.

Help a blind runner get from Boston to NYC!

simon Life Comment

This year I will finally run my first marathon, in NYC. Before I even ran I had dreamed of running NYC, it is also one of the cities I visited while I still had sight, so it always feels special whenever I return. It is also tantalisingly close to Boston, the birthplace of RunKeeper – the running app that made running solo outdoors as a blind runner possible.

So I had an idea, why not run from Boston to NYC, then compete in the NYC marathon? And to make it even more special, why not connect with people on social media to help me along the way. That is the plan and I am reaching out to the internet to help make it happen!

The Adventure

The plan is to arrive in Boston around mid to late october and begin running an average of 30 miles a day, for 10-13 days (distance varies depending on final route chosen). I plan to break the run into small chunks, and connect with as many people as possible. I don’t expect people to run at a particular pace, I am happy to run, jog or walk, the idea is just to connect with as many people as possible to help me get to NYC.

I intend on producing as much real time content as possible, from video, audio, photos, real-time GPS, health tracking, quality hiking gear, basically using any available technology to produce data while I run. I will also be maintaining a blog up to and during the adventure, so there will be a stream of content produced from the run. Something I hope to share with everyone involved and as a keepsake to show my children when they are older.

Funding

As I am currently a student and will finish my degree just in time for this adventure, predictably I am skint! So I am looking at two possible avenues for funding this adventure, sponsorship and public speaking.

There are numerous opportunities for brands and companies to become involved, I am open to all suggestions, so if you feel we could work together, or know someone who may be interested please get in touch.

I believe this to be a great opportunity for brands, the adventure will run for around 2 weeks, so there will be substantial social media coverage. I also anticipate numerous other press appearances, and will be contacting all the agencies I have been working with in the past. In return for brands supporting my adventure I would certainly make myself available for any press events, or public speaking at a conference of your choosing. To make this adventure a reality I really need help with travel, accomodation and a few pieces of equipment. If you can help with any of these please do get in touch.

The other route is public speaking, I do have experience at public speaking and at recent conferences including IAB mobile and Google Think, I was rated top speaker. I have also been invited to speak at technology companies including Twitter, PayPal, Google and more. As well as speaking at conferences I also do smaller motivational speeches for corporate events. So if you have any need for a motivational public speaker, or would just like to hear my story, please get in touch and help me fund my new adventure.

“Simon tells a compelling story of a life transformed by two things: technology and a positive attitude. I’ve seen him speak twice. Each time he has inspired the audience and been the best performing speaker on the programme”.
Bruce Daisley, MD Twitter UK.

So who am I?

I am aware some people may not know who I am, so to save you reading my entire blog, here is a commercial I starred in for Carphone Warehouse. It gives a great outline of who I am and what I have achieved up to this point.