2504 Checkmate – Anyone Can Play Chess (Jan. 22, 2025)
Show Notes
Playing chess with vision loss? Why not! Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Glenn Crawford, Rita Crawford, and Marilyn Bland from the United States Blind Chess Association (USBCA). They discuss special equipment, correspondence games, and the challenges and rewards of the game. Learn about the USBCA’s resources and outreach programs.
All posts by ptorpey
2503 Building Skills and Breaking Stigmas (Jan. 15,
2503 Building Skills and Breaking Stigmas (Jan. 15, 2025)
Show Notes
The Blind Institute of Technology (BIT) empowers people with disabilities through skill development, training, and career placement. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Kristy Schenderlein, Director of Operations at BIT, about their innovative programs, funding model, and the critical role of assistive technology in workplace success.
2502 Encore of 1404 Life as the Partner of a Blind Person (Jan. 8, 2025)
2502 Encore of 1404 Life as the Partner of a Blind Person (Jan. 8, 2025)
Show Notes
Eyes On Success usually focuses on products, services and daily living stories for and about people with vision loss. This week’s episode covers what it’s like for a sighted partner of a blind person. We’ve been married for 41 years and he’s been blind since long before that. Nancy continues to learn what’s special about life with Pete.
2501 Blind Not Broken – From the Other Side (Jan. 1, 2025)
2501 Blind Not Broken – From the Other Side (Jan. 1, 2025)
Show Notes
Lucy Edwards went suddenly blind just months into her relationship with Ollie Edwards-Cave when they were both in their teens. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ollie about how he stood by her and supported her through years of struggles and depression. We also talk about Lucy’s book “Blind Not Broken” that details their experiences.
2452 AI Takes the Microphone (Dec. 25, 2024)
2452 AI Takes the Microphone (Dec. 25, 2024)
Show Notes
Celebrate the end of 2024 with Eyes On Success in this year-end special! Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey usher in the new year with two pairs of AI-powered podcast hosts who talk about the show and its creators, then unveil a fresh website design for 2025, and finish with a special song written by Pete celebrating multi-cultural seasonal holidays.
2451 Google Leverages AI to Enhance Accessibility (Dec. 18, 2024)
2451 Google Leverages AI to Enhance Accessibility (Dec. 18, 2024)
Show Notes
Android is now more accessible with enhanced tools for the visually impaired, including updates to TalkBack, the Magnifier app, Lookout and Selfie Illumination. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Lisie Lillianfeld and Sejal D’Souza, product managers at Google, about these features, improvements in Chrome, and other AI-driven tools that make navigating the digital world easier.
2450 Hilton and Be My Eyes Join Forces (Dec. 11, 2024)
2450 Hilton and Be My Eyes Join Forces (Dec. 11, 2024)
Show Notes
Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Nicole Bergstrom, Hilton’s Sr. Director of Digital Accessibility, about Hilton’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. Learn about their partnership with Be My Eyes, using Hilton staff or AI to assist visually impaired individuals and discover how Hilton is using technology to improve the guest experience for everyone.
2449 Accessible Materials for a Spiritual Life (Dec. 4, 2024)
2449 Accessible Materials for a Spiritual Life (Dec. 4, 2024)
Show Notes
Accessible religious materials enable people to fully engage with their communities. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Livia Thompson from JBI and Malachy Fallon from Xavier Society for the Blind about how each organization produces materials in braille, audio, and large print to help visually impaired patrons participate in family and congregational events.
2448 Guide to iOS 18 Enhancements for Accessibility (Nov. 27, 2024)
2448 Guide to iOS 18 Enhancements for Accessibility (Nov. 27, 2024)
Show Notes
Shelly Brisbin, a technology journalist and author, discusses the new revision of her book “iOS Access for All – Your comprehensive guide to accessibility for iPhone and iPad”. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Shelly about new features in iOS for blind and low vision users, including enhancements to braille keyboard, point and speak, hover typing, and Apple Intelligence.
2447 Unseen – Life as a Blind Immigrant (Nov. 20, 2024)
2447 Unseen – Life as a Blind Immigrant (Nov. 20, 2024)
Show Notes
Pedro, a blind immigrant, recounts his journey toward education and a career in social work. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Pedro and Set Hernandez, director of the documentary “Unseen: Life as a Blind Immigrant,” which describes Pedro’s journey. They delve into the obstacles, anxieties, and challenges Pedro encountered along the way.
2446 Encore of 1913 Two Blind Brothers Clothing Line (Nov. 13, 2024)
2446 Encore of 1913 Two Blind Brothers Clothing Line (Nov. 13, 2024)
Show Notes
Two Blind Brothers makes ultra-soft clothing from natural fibers for the sole purpose of funding blindness research and being part of finding a cure. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with brothers and founders Bryan and Bradford Manning, who are both blind, about how their company got started and what is special about their clothing line.
2445 Shopping Made Simple with Innosearch AI (Nov. 6, 2024)
2445 Shopping Made Simple with Innosearch AI (Nov. 6, 2024)
Show Notes
Discover how Innosearch AI is revolutionizing online shopping for the visually impaired. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Patrick Long and Bryan Vuong, co-founders of Innosearch AI, about their AI-powered platform designed to make shopping easier and more accessible with a simplified interface and the ability to ask questions of the AI.
2444 Encore of 1739 Running with a Remote Aira Guide (Oct. 30, 2024)
2444 Encore of 1739 Running with a Remote Aira Guide (Oct. 30, 2024)
Show Notes
Aira is a service developed to give the blind instant access to information using a smart phone, a video camera, and a remote sighted agent. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Erich Manser, a blind distance runner and triathlete, and Jess Jakeway, a sighted distance runner who served as Erich’s remote guide using Aira at the 2017 Boston Marathon.
2443 Aira Anytime Anywhere (Oct. 23, 2024)
2443 Aira Anytime Anywhere (Oct. 23, 2024)
Show Notes
Learn how Aira is revolutionizing accessibility for the visually impaired with its blend of human interpreters and AI. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Everette Bacon, Chief of Blindness Initiatives, about Aira’s partnerships offering free services in many locations. Find out how Aira provides secure access to visual information anytime, anywhere.
2442 NotebookLM from Google (Oct. 16, 2024)
2442 NotebookLM from Google (Oct. 16, 2024)
Show Notes
NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool being developed by Google. Working with NotebookLM, users can summarize complex information, create study guides, and generate dynamic discussions based on their own documents. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey also demonstrate how NotebookLM can be used to generate engaging audio with two interacting personalities.
