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Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments |
What's New at GAATES: Other News - Archive
Occasionally, GAATES posts news items about products, services and events we think will be of general interest to our members and the public. Links in this archive were valid at the time of original posting.
Research Internship Available - DEADLINE MARCH 2, 2009
Posted: February 19, 2009
The American Student Placement and Internships in Rehabilitation Engineering (ASPIRE) and Quality of Life Technology (QoLT) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Pittsburgh/Human Engineering Research Laboratories. Our particular research focuses on assistive technology and devices designed to benefit individuals with disabilities.
More information about our Office of Disability Resources and its services can be found at the following website: http://www.drs.pitt.edu/services.html.
The ASPIRE/QoLT REU is a ten week program running May 26th through July 31st, 2009. The research experience is supplemented by workshops, lecture series, and field trips. A stipend is provided, along with financial assistance for travel, and housing on the University of Pittsburgh's campus is available. Additional information along with a program application is available through the ASPIRE/QoLT REU pages at http://www.herlpitt.org/internships. We encourage students to submit their applications electronically as soon as possible to better ensure they are placed in their specific research area of interest. The application deadline is March 2, 2009.
Positive Changes to Japan's Copyright Laws Benefit People with Disabilities
(from Hiroshi Hiroshi Kawamura, President, DAISY Consortium)Effective on 17th September 2008, Japan has revised article 33 of copyright law as follows:
Texts and graphics in textbooks shall be copied in formats that are required by students with disabilities such as visual disabilities and developmental disabilities
The producer of alternative formats is requested to report to publishers but no permission of copyright owners is required.
This is an achievement of the long standing effort of Copyright Committee of the National Association of Disability Organizations for Accessible Broadcasting chaired by Mr. Yoshiro Inoue, representative of National Parents Organization of Children with Learning Disabilities, empowered by the UN CRPD.
The revision of the copyright law opens up an opportunity to distribute textbooks to print disabled students in full text synchronized DAISY format or multimedia with sign language, in addition to Braille and large print that have been permitted.
Visit the daisy consortium Web site for more information on the DAISY format and readers.
Photo of a Mitsubishi CD-R disc with Braile embossed on its surface.
CD-R with Braille
CDs and DVDs not only look alike, but also feel alike. Imagine not being able to see the words "CD" or "DVD" printed on the disc. How would you know what it was? You wouldn't! To help blind consumers, Japan's Mitsubishi Kagaku Media has released CD-R with Braille on the disc's surface. Each CD holds 700MB of data, and they are packaged 10 discs to a box. To create the Braille characters, two layers of Mitsubishi Kagaku-developed high viscosity ink were used. The discs are also covered in a special gloss to make them more tactile.
(by Brian Ashcraft. www.coolhunting.com) February 1, 2008Wheelchairs for developing nations
Kudos to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) graduate student Amos Winter for helping design wheelchairs for the rough terrain of the developing nations. According to the MIT web site, 20 million people in the developing world need wheelchairs but don't have access to them. Programs like Winter's will make a monumental difference in access for people in those nations. Learn more about these wheelchairs
photo credit Sarah Cooper-Davis
(info. from the June 2008 Global Access News Travel E-Zine)
Last updated: March 17, 2009