/ Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Outreach Programs
512-454-8631 | 1100 W. 45th St.| Austin, TX 78756

2018 Texas Focus: On the Move!

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking! Using Assistive Technology to Optimize One’s Mind, Body, and Spirit

Friday, March 2, 2018

1:30-3:00 PM

Presented by

Larry L. Lewis, Jr. Founder of Flying Blind, LLC

Cleveland, Ohio

Developed for

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Outreach Programs

Let Your Fingers Do The Walking!

Using Assistive Technology to

Optimize One’s Mind, Body, and Spirit

BY:

Larry L. Lewis, Jr.

President & Founder

Flying Blind, LLC

Slide 2: Objectives

  • To identify obstacles faced by vision impaired students seeking to participate in wellness activities.
  • To search for and utilize Apps to improve one’s physical well-being.
  • To establish criteria that determines whether or not an App is accessible.
  • To use search engines powered by Mobile web-apps to seek out accessible, wellness related activities.
  • Locate and travel to and from these activities.
  • To track their progress as they participate in activities
  • To utilize social networks to connect with others who share their interests.

Slide 3: Who is Flying Blind, LLC?

  • Flying Blind, LLC’s founder, Larry Lewis, is a congenitally blind user of a variety of adaptive technologies since their inception over 40 years ago.
  • Mr. Lewis has both domestic and international product and sales management experience working for leading manufacturers in the adaptive technology industry.
  • Flying Blind, LLC exists in order that the most cutting edge, emerging technologies might get promoted in an innovative and responsible manner.
  • Flying Blind, LLC provides product management, marketing, business development, and direct training / consultation services to its clients.
  • Publishes weekly Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday E-Newsletter to approximately 6,500 subscribers with concise, adaptive technology updates.

Slide 4: Introduction

  • Since the 1970s, childhood obesity in the U.S. has tripled.
  • Approximately 1 in 5 students is diagnosed as “obese”.
  • BMI = “Body Mass Index”
  • BMI Measurement (Weight in kilograms divided by the square of a person’s height in meters.)
  • BMI Measurement of 30 = Obesity

Slide 5: Introduction (Continued)

Causes include:

  • Genetics
  • Metabolism - How your body changes food and oxygen into energy it can use.
  • Community and neighborhood design and safety.
  • Short sleep duration.
  • Reference:

Slide 6: Further Fitness Obstacles Faced by Vision Impaired Students

  • Lack of visual stimuli.
  • Exclusion by peers and untrained educators.
  • Educators’ inability to identify and affectively instruct / engage students.
  • Selecting realistic / rewarding physical activities that promote inclusion.

Slide 7: Criteria for Selecting Fitness Activities

  • Hands-on.
  • Physical connection.
  • Promotes physical awareness.
  • Improves balance.
  • Provides variety.
  • Engage with other sighted participants.

Slide 8: Technology, The Culprit

  • The average student spends 7 hours engaged with technology per day.
  • Promotes sedentary behavior.
  • Exposure to less than nutritious options.
  • Susceptibility to snacking.
  • Sleep interference.
  • Reference:

Slide 9: Using Assistive Technology to Solve The Non-Visual Fitness Puzzle

  • Mainstream Technology Tie-In = Inclusion
  • Access to what everybody else is using.
  • Assistive technology tools level the playing field for physical wellness.
  • Track progress.
  • Search for activities.
  • Locate activities.
  • Navigate to activities.
  • Interact with others with similar fitness interests!

Slide 10: Uses For Assistive Technology to Improve One’s Physical Fitness

  • Leveraging apps for individual fitness activities.
  • Using apps for visual assistance.
  • Searching for group activities.
  • Participating in group activities.

Slide 11: Mobile Web Apps

  • Takes advantage of Camera and Location services.
  • And other Apps’ functionality.
  • Sets the stage for Social Networking.
  • Sharing between Apps and other mobile users.
  • Reliance on web-browsing skill sets.

Slide 12: Why Mobile Apps?

  • Lessens reliance on desktop platforms.
  • Portability of mobile devices.
  • Functionality of mobile devices.
  • Mainstream acceptance of mobile devices.
  • Free, built-in accessibility features for inclusion.

Slide 13: Managing and Tracking Nutrition and Exercise

  • Health App.
  • Free native App on the iPhone.
  • Four areas of balance.
  • Activity.
  • Sleep.
  • Mindfulness.
  • Nutrition.
  • App suggestions.
  • Catalyst for all apps used.
  • Set up health data.
  • Track steps.

Figure 1iOS Health App Icon

Slide 14: My Fitness Pal

  • Accessible freeware.
  • Set realistic goals in user profile.
  • Track diet.
  • Nutrients.
  • Caloric intake.
  • Calories burned.
  • Exercise accountability.
  • Connect with friends.

Figure 2 My Fitness Pal logo

Slide 15: Determining Whether An App is Accessible

  • Do all objects come into focus with single finger swipe?
  • Are all actionable elements able to be activated with a double tap gesture?
  • Is the object’s “element”, “state”, and “role” announced when tapped and double tapped?
  • Does the user get “trapped” inside the virtual keyboard when typing?
  • Not all Apps are created equal.
  • Updates can introduce breakage with functionality.
  • Exercise: Is the “Weight Watchers App” accessible?

Slide 16: Using The Mobile Camera For Free and Paid Services

  • Bar code reader for food.
  • Scan and read fitness equipment instructions.
  • Get help with inaccessible fitness equipment.

Slide 17: Microsoft Seeing AI

  • Microsoft’s first attempt at leveraging Artificial Intelligence with iOS Camera.
  • Scan barcodes.
  • OCR Text.
  • Facial Recognition.
  • Describes scenes.

Figure 3Microsoft seeing AI ad.

Slide 18: Be My Eyes

  • Facetime on steroids!
  • Free service.
  • Connect to a volunteer.
  • Use device camera to project image.
  • Volunteer provides visual cues.
  • Interact with businesses who are part of Be My Eyes for volunteer assistance.

Figure 4Be My Eyes Logo

Slide 19: AIRA

  • Paid service.
  • Links paid, trained professionals with vision-impaired recipients.
  • Mobile camera + wearable glasses + wi-fi connection.
  • Excellent for independent hiking (and possibly running), etc.
  • More in-depth assistance using inaccessible fitness equipment.

Figure 5 Aria logo

Slide 20: Larry’s Fitness Activities

  • Hot Yoga = Balance, Flexibility, Strength Training, and Mental Toughness.
  • Brazilian Jiu Jitsu = Group Interaction, Self-Defense, Competition.
  • Why are these activities conducive for non-visual participation?
  • How does Larry use technology to participate in these activities?

Slide 21: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

  • Grappling Martial Art.
  • Close contact.
  • Constant connection with other participants.
  • Holistic approach to fitness.
  • Fosters humility and confidence.
  • Self-Defense = Self-Preservation.

Figure 6 Larry is on a mat with an opponent who has his right arm around Larry’s neck and his left arm under Larry’s left arm.

Slide 20:

Figure 7 Larry wins the 2014 Chicago Open.

Slide 21: Yoga

  • Certain types of Yoga (Bikram-style hot Yoga) are regimented.
  • Same postures that repeat themselves.
  • Teachers engage student to adjust body positions.
  • Participate alongside other sighted Yogis!
  • Excellent for healing up from other strenuous activities!

Slide 22:

Figure 8Larry performing trikonasana (Triangle Pose) - Student of the month, Bikram Yoga Cleveland

Slide 23: Google App

  • More streamlined approach for research.
  • Sign in with Google Account.
  • Enter search criteria with keyboard,
  • Dictation,
  • Or built-in voice search.
  • Use gestures and rotor to locate, contact, or read pertinent information.
  • Research activities.
  • Locate places to participate.

Figure 9Google App Logo.

Slide 24: Maps App

  • Uses its own map data.
  • Updated in real-time.
  • Determine current location.
  • Use rotor to explore nearby.
  • Points of interest.
  • Streets.
  • Intersections.

Figure 10iOS Maps icon

Slide 25: Maps App (Continued)

  • Zoom up or down with rotor to change map size.
  • Explore a given neighborhood.
  • Look up addresses.
  • Select addresses from contacts App.
  • Receive driving / walking / public transit directions.
  • “Swap” or reverse directions.

Slide 26: Rideshare Services

  • Lyft and Uber.
  • Door to door transportation.
  • Download the App.
  • Set up profile with method of payment.
  • Search for location.
  • Request a ride.
  • Be mindful of discrimination by some drivers against service animals!

Figure 11 Lyft logo

Figure 12 Uber logo

Slide 27: Additional Resources

  • Plenty of additional non-visual activities not covered.
  • United States Association of Blind Athletes
  • Blind Judo Foundation
  • Goalball - General information
  • Blind Yoga.net

Slide 28: Conclusion

  • Set realistic, yet aggressive non-visual fitness goals.
  • Marry appropriate technologies to meet these goals.
  • Implement a proactive “plan”.
  • Reap the benefits of a physically fit lifestyle.
  • Balance assistive technology usage with active, physical exertion.
  • HAVE FUN!!!

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Outreach Programs

Figure 13 TSBVI logo

Figure 14 IDEAs that Work logo and US Dept. of Education OSEP disclaimer

2018 Texas Focus – Let Your Fingers do the Walking! Using AT to Optimize One’s Mind, Body, and Spirit – Lewis, L. Page 1