NCBI’s Centre for Inclusive Technology is hosting the Technology Showcase 2012 in City Wall Space, Wood Quay Venue, Dublin 2 on Thursday 26th April 2012 from 1pm to 4.30pm.
Nine designers of inclusive technologies will battle against each other in an exhibition-style showcase for a cash prize of €3,000, which will be presented by Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
The Mission is to promote digital inclusion in Ireland, with a specific focus on vision and vision loss. Design entries comprise of technologies which were designed in an inclusive way and those which specifically address the needs of users who are blind or have a vision impairment.
Members of the public are invited to come and experience the following inventions and demos for themselves:
- AutonoMi: A personal security alarm for older people living independently.
- VisionRE: A navigation aid for detecting obstacles while walking.
- Aquaeye: A swimming aid for people with a vision impairment.
- An accessible version of the RTE Player.
- RowMate Access: A Smartphone App which allows vision impaired rowers to train independently using an indoor rowing machine.
- HomeSense: A system which alerts the user to potential hazards within the home, such as open cupboard or appliance doors, allowing safe and independent navigation around the house.
- ABAIR: A prototype Irish Language Reader with ABAIR Synthetic Voices incorporated into digital talking books (using the DAISY format).
- Voices as Gaeilge for PC and Mac: Software which can be installed on Mac OS X (& later on PC) as an additional screenreading voice, speaking in Irish.
- LookAround App: A Smartphone App which announces the current street, city, cross street, heading and nearby points of interest.
- Storybud: A website of stories for children or adults which can be easily read or listened to.
The event is open to the public from 1pm until 4pm. Please note that the announcement of the winner and prize giving will take place from 4pm to 4.30pm. All attendees are invited to stay for the prize giving.
Entry is free but please RSVP to Antoinette Fennell by email to antoinette.fennell@ncbi.ie or call (01) 8821 988. If you have any particular accessibility requirements, please also provide details.