Technology for Life Group
Agenda for the Meeting of the Technology for Life Group to be held at 11-13.30 on 01/08/2013 at Blind Veterans UK. 12-14 Harcourt Street, London, W1H 4HD
http://www.blindveterans.org.uk/contact-us/
Preliminary Items
1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies for Absence RS
Robin Spinks RNIB RS
Matt Broom V2020UK MB
Chris Lewis Lewis Insight CL
Martin Roberts Humanware MR
Mike Brace Independent MBr
Michelle Baxter-Wickam TPT MBW
Claire Jennings GD CJ
Harmony Jute (Claire’s support) HJ
Sean Page DBUK SP
Jonathan Wilson RLSB JW
Roget Whitton GD RW
Roger Wilson Hinds Screnreader.net RWH
Lucy Winton, NBCS LW
Apologies
Mike Townsend BCAB
2. Declarations of Interest RS
MBr: Involved in small software company
RWS: Screenreader.com
CS: On the RNIB solutions and Technology board
JW: Trustee of Blatchington Court Trust
RS: Working with World Blind Union tech group
3. Notification of Any Other Business RS
None
4. Minutes of the Last Meeting RS
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Technology for Life held on 21/05/13
MBW: TPT have Closed 1 care home and centre has transferred to new provider.
MBr’s Apologies for last meeting noted
Developments
RS: Microsoft have delivered a top line commitment that they will be integrating a screenreader in windows phone 8.1. Whole range will talk straight out of the box.
There will be a testing programme with Microsoft RS will send a link to MB when details are available to distribute to the group.
MB: Many thanks to all contributors to the VISION UK 2013 especially the Hands on Technology table which was a great success.
RS to send MB a link re the Moral Maze recording for the group
MBr: Raised the issues of live streaming the VISION UK 2014 conference and maybe the group could provide the expertise to the planning committee about this
CL: A way of finding people at the conference would be very useful
MR: Sendero people finder light appwould maybe be an option for the next conference ACTION MR to send a link to this app
5. Matters Arising
6. Organisational and Role Changes MB RS
RS: V2020UK ran a meeting entitled ‘Taming Technology’ in May involving CEO level and their reps (report has been sent to the group) and talked about the TFL group. The TFL group previously has been good at information sharing and updating technology but this meeting looked at the group becoming more strategic level.
RS: Would like to shift role to Vice Chair and will hand over the Chair to CL
CL: Has worked with various worldwide technology industry groups as well as contributed to and completed research. Technology user as well as enthusiast and expert. This is a great opportunity for all organisations involved to stop duplication and optimise investment and also link things together. Linking is the key role for the group. Enthusiastic about the future and willing to put time into this group.
RS: Any questions?
MBr: Seems eminently reasonable and what the group in the past has missed is the buy in from people’s organisations and this group and in the future this is central to the future.
CJ: We need to draw up objectives so we know what success looks like.
MB: Absolutely and this is key to the group moving forwards
MBr: How do we get the information out to people re technology this has to be a key objective.
CJ: Lack of training and information is an obvious objective as far as guide dogs research has shown. This is GD’s second objective strategically.
ACTION CL Is now the Chair of the VISION 2020 (UK) Ltd Technology for Life group RS becomes Vice Chair
7. Guiding Principles for Technology for Life WG Document B
Discussion and alteration of document, new document attached.
MBr: Do we need to define what we mean by Technology.
RS: That would be useful
CJ: Notably nothing international in the principals
RS: that is deliberate as V2020UK is part of the worldwide V2020 and although Technology is worldwide we will do our work in the UK
MB: We need to make sure we have the right lines of communication so we’re not taking on too much. We have contacts in the World Blind Union etc and this is the way to campaign internationally.
8. Group Development Plan 2013/14 including Taming technology meeting notes
Document C
CJ: Development plan: we need to get a series of objectives and how can we define if we’ve achieved it. This is something I am happy to work on.
RWH: Need to keep the informality and sharing within the group
MBr: presentations to the group on new technology are useful.
RS: Is it useful to be hosted by Apple, Microsoft etc
Group: yes
MR: Maybe see if we can get a group meeting at apple post IOS7.
CJ: Happy to approach through the GD Apple contact
RS: great we can use all the contacts we have to get a response.
ACTION RS and CJ to collaborate with CL’s input to organise future meeting at Apple
MBr: Did we ever get anywhere with Google
RS: No not really most Google work is in California
RWH: Has a contact in diversity at Google
ACTION RWH to share contact details with MB and group
RS: Need to map work to do
CL: Need to look at the taxonomy, daily life, high tech etc.
CJ and HJ had to leave at this point
9. Technology news section
What do people in the group use personally?
RS: IPhone, windows phone 8, Nokia Lumia, Android HTC phone.
SP: Galaxy note, Nexus 8, Samsung phone, Ipdad, android and IOS
MBW: Iphone, ipdad mini, macbook, work Laptop but iphone
LW: Ipdad, iphone work windows 7
RWH: Work iphone, windows base laptop
Martin: Iphone and braille display
RWS: Apple mac with windows, NVDA user, Smartphone=Georgie
MBr: laptop + 2 desktops different versions of office, braille display not compatable, Booksense for reading, iphone and blackberry. Sendero navigation
JW: Macbook
CL: Windows 7 with window eyes, Iphone, Nokia c5
What does CJ use? ACTION MB to email to ask
9. Agency updates from members
RNIB solutions comes to life today, new business unit within RNIB under a new directorate Neil Heslop. To develop test and sell solutions for businesses. Accessibility and Innovations have gone subsumed into the new directorate.
GD: Connect controller which GD are working on with Microsoft teaching children with sound and special awareness. Under development.
All to send updates to MB to include in notes (Action all)
RS: 2014 range of Samsung TV’s will talk.
Action RS put TV on the agenda for the next meeting.
Samsung moving away from android to Tizen.
http://bgr.com/2013/08/06/samsung-tizen-strategy-webos-blackberry-10/
RNIB working with them on getting accessibility features into Tizen. Can the group support this in some way?
Talking menu’s and Offcom piece (from MBr) to send round action MB
Concluding Items
10. Any Other Business
None
11. Date of Next Meeting
20/08 11.30 at Guide Dogs National Breeding Centre
Banbury Road,
Bishop’s Tachbrook,
Warwickshire, CV33 9WF
Looking at the breeding centre and Connect controller which GD are working on with Microsoft teaching children with sound and special awareness. Please could people come back to me to confirm they can make this so we can guarantee numbers to Guide Dogs.