Chieko Asakawa : How new technology helps blind people explore the world

Chieko Asakawa·TED@IBM
How new technology helps blind people explore the world
Summary
Nowadays, some technology that we commonly use are created for disabilities.
For example, the telephone was invented while developing a communication tool for hearing impaired people. Some keyboards were also invented to help people with disabilities.
The digital books that we are now using in our tablets or smartphones were developed almost 30 years ago for visually impaired people. A woman whose strong desire that she wanted to read books with herself created it, because she lost her sight. It helps many people who are especially visually impaired students.
She lost her sight when she was 14 years old because of an accident in a swimming pool.
She is always thinking that she wants to be freed from relying on someone and if she will be able to enjoy window shopping or find her friends before they notice her on the street.
Its thoughts led her challenge to crate new app.
The app is called cognitive assistance. It understands a person who is blind surrounding world and whispers to a person in the voice or sends a vibration to a person's fingers.
She hopes to tackle the work with you to succeed it. 
Being able to explore the new era with blind people and you will be great.
◆Viewpoints&Discussion
1. Are there other inventions that you know that are designed for disabled people?
Yes, there are. In Japan, in the stations and shopping malls, handicapped toilets are designed for disabled people. Nowadays it's called anyone toilet.(daredemo toilet) It means the multipurpose toilet which is used not only for disabled people but also for pregnant women, mother with children and elderly person as well. There is enough space to set like a wheelchair or a baby carriage and some assisting handrails which old people can hold on.
2. Can you think of new ways that can be done to improve the life of persons with disabilities?
Yes, I can. However, the way I think is not unique or oppsite. I think that disabled people  specially should not be treated differently.  It will just create a gap between the disabled and the able persons. It is better to help each other naturally. All people have something to not do.
3. In this new era, where the impossible can become possible, what do you think you can contribute to the innovation of technologies that are beneficial to people with disabilities?
I don't know a lot about new technologies. I want to contribute something as mush as I can, however I don't know how. I have a feeling that I want to study about new technologies. I think that a person cannot live alone and do all. Not all can do something of course, including the disabled people but as much as we can, I think one should contribute something to what they can do to others.
Words in this story
scuba /sku ba/ simplified /sim pli fayd/ navigates /na vi geyts/ augment /owg ment/