Location: Malone Lodge Hotel.
AGM - 7:30pm
Lecture - 8pm
The Chairman's invitation lecture will be given by Chris Mairs, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice-president for Business Development of Metaswitch. He will speak on:
Lifestyle Access for the Disabled - (Technology, Disability and Access) - Is there a solution to the dichotomy?
The event is free!
For details, see the poster in our document library.
There is a paradoxical relationship between technology improvements and accessibility. On one hand, technology can and sometimes does help visually disabled people: synthesized access to talking newspapers, easy access to online music with speech synthesized catalogues, email reading/writing with speech synthesis, and a speech interface to hand-held GPS for blind orientation/navigation.
On the other hand, the 'technology heavy' nature of 21st Century lifestyle often disenfranchises the disabled. Examples include microwave cookers, mobile phones, iPods and 24-bit animated graphical user interfaces.
What can we do to resolve the dichotomy between disability and access to technology?
This lecture addresses what should and can be done to improve the situation
About the Speaker
Chris Mairs is a founding member and director of Data Connection plc, which develops software for international blue chip ICT companies. He created the enduring architectural blueprint for DC's thirty highly profitable communication products. Chris founded the a-technic charity, developing technology for the disabled (enlightened self-interest, since he himself is blind). Chris’ s Bat Blaster is used by blind water skiers throughout the world, including at four world championships where Chris led the British disabled team to victory.
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