[Jem Smith]

There are all kinds of developments being made in terms of tools to make everyday activities accessible to people with disabilities.Obviously wheelchairs have been around for a while, but I'm thinking of more recent things. Sometimes it's big things like how some driving schools offer customised vehicles for disabled drivers that can for example be driven using only your hands (if you can't use your feet). Then there are lots of little things like beauty tools (makeup brushes, lipstick etc.) with a wider handle to make them easier to grip for people with arthritis or poor fine motor skills.

https://bystormbeauty.com/collections/frontpage?utm_medium=paid&utm_id=120226358060120669&utm_content=120226358060110669&utm_term=120226358060130669&utm_campaign=120226358060120669&fbclid=IwY2xjawLs78hleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqyE9CW4TfQEeQdxbrc7rDicVKa5C1OKwclm9JbXxhiUDMOPUhskrP-MmMn9APjBRFRU0SA8_aem_QhzrkE5HyHfYwrfWwZaGsw&utm_source=facebook&campaign_id=120226358060120669&ad_id=120226358060110669

Have you seen or heard of any other tools to make things easier for people with disabilities?

-- 24 Jul 2025, 08:27 --

Here is another thing I came across: adaptive clothing- so things like magnetic buttons if you can't do up buttons. I could actually use this. I have really poor circulation and sometimes in winter I have trouble using my fingers in the morning.

https://jamthelabel.com/collections/frontpage?utm_medium=paid&utm_id=120200422350990318&utm_content=120208845832560318&utm_term=120200422350970318&utm_campaign=120200422350990318&fbclid=IwY2xjawLuQF1leHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqxFO9GhXzgEe-_UIQOpFD_y-kWAeWY8CVJKfp78FNMNo2EWT165LPG7tIdgAZ-xhmhwbErQ_aem_FG-ZROoyv0cCeYNngSvpMA&utm_source=facebook&campaign_id=120200422350990318&ad_id=120208845832560318

I've also seen another company that makes underwear that can accommodate people with missing limbs (it fastens in a way that it stays on if you have only one leg for example).

[Fergal]

It's great that tools like this are being developed for the convenience of people with disabilities. I recently came across and used the https://www.seeingai.com/ app. It's from Microsoft and is designed to help the visually impaired. When you use it, you can point your phone camera at an object and it will speak to tell you what the object is. You can also take a photo of a page of text and it will read it to you. It was a little glitchy when I tried it, but it is an excellent idea and hopefully they will continue to improve it.

[Netherrealmer]

robot arms is one of the best technologies I had seen also the exoskeletons.

[Jem Smith]

It's great that tools like this are being developed for the convenience of people with disabilities. I recently came across and used the https://www.seeingai.com/ app. It's from Microsoft and is designed to help the visually impaired. When you use it, you can point your phone camera at an object and it will speak to tell you what the object is. You can also take a photo of a page of text and it will read it to you. It was a little glitchy when I tried it, but it is an excellent idea and hopefully they will continue to improve it.

That's cool.
There's a K-drama show called Start Up where they design an app like that because the grandmother of one of the characters was losing her vision. They marketed it for people with short sightedness as well, to do things like read the back of bottles of medication for you. I'm glad somebody really created something like that.

-- 28 Jul 2025, 09:19 --

robot arms is one of the best technologies I had seen also the exoskeletons.

Yes, some fantastic things have been happening with prosthetics. Not just the robot ones, but some where they have focused less on trying to make them look like real limbs, and more on their function, so there are artificial legs that are like a cool art piece to look at, or ones designed specifically for running or sports, or to be able to wear high heels in.

I also saw a video where a guy with one eye designed a prosthetic eye with a flashlight in it. He said it's really handy because it always points exactly where he is looking and his nose being in the way keeps the light from getting in his other eye.

[OldGuy]

There is a federal agency in the US called the Americans With Disabilities Act that originated in 1990. They have posted rules about everything in life to make life easier for those in need. Special rules for parking lots require specific counts of spaces for handicap parking based on the total count of parking spaces in the lot. It even specifies mandated locations for these special spaces. Special ramp cuts in curbs are required for wheelchair access to raised from street level walkways. The list goes on and on.

They have a very detailed set of rules requiring any governmental agency that has websites open to the public to include all kinds of features to accommodate the handicapped.
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

Rules are violated all the time but in general, no action is taken unless or until someone with a handicap files a complaint. The ADA has a special complaint form where someone with a handicap can report a violation Once the ADA receives the complaint, they take action with teeth to force compliance or face significant fines and penalties.
https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/

You can get a good idea of what is covered by the US Federal Law just by browsing the ADA website.
https://www.ada.gov/

[Jem Smith]

There is a federal agency in the US called the Americans With Disabilities Act that originated in 1990. They have posted rules about everything in life to make life easier for those in need. Special rules for parking lots require specific counts of spaces for handicap parking based on the total count of parking spaces in the lot. It even specifies mandated locations for these special spaces. Special ramp cuts in curbs are required for wheelchair access to raised from street level walkways. The list goes on and on.

They have a very detailed set of rules requiring any governmental agency that has websites open to the public to include all kinds of features to accommodate the handicapped.
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

Rules are violated all the time but in general, no action is taken unless or until someone with a handicap files a complaint. The ADA has a special complaint form where someone with a handicap can report a violation Once the ADA receives the complaint, they take action with teeth to force compliance or face significant fines and penalties.
https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/

You can get a good idea of what is covered by the US Federal Law just by browsing the ADA website.
https://www.ada.gov/

Yeah, a lot of countries (Australia included) have laws about disability and discrimination. That's not quite what I was asking about.I'm interested in specific examples of technology that are designed to make things easier for people with disabilities.

[kat82]

So much will come into existence and they will all help the disabled. Maybe they are soon integrating AI in this. The world is gonna change faster.

[Jem Smith]

So much will come into existence and they will all help the disabled. Maybe they are soon integrating AI in this. The world is gonna change faster.

What do you think AI could help with in this context?

[Fergal]

They marketed it for people with short sightedness as well, to do things like read the back of bottles of medication for you

That's a great idea. I wear glasses for reading myself and sometimes even with glasses it can be difficult to read the instructions on medications. You would think they would always use a large font for those, but sometimes they can be really small.