All posts by ptorpey

1631 Project BLAID Navigation Device (Jul. 27, 2016)


1631 Project BLAID Navigation Device (Jul. 27, 2016)


Show Notes

Toyota’s mission is to provide people with mobility solutions that are not limited to cars and trucks. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Doug Moore, the head developer on the BLAID project within Toyota’s Partner Robot group, about a device under development that uses computer vision to help the visually impaired navigate large indoor spaces.

1630 Cardiologist Turned Into Low Vision Specialist (Jul. 20, 2016)


1630 Cardiologist Turned Into Low Vision Specialist (Jul. 20, 2016)


Show Notes

Dr. Joe Fontenot was a practicing cardiologist when his vision began to fail. Now he is the Medical Director of Community Services for Vision Rehabilitation in Mobile, Alabama which he founded. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about his remarkable journey and how he not only overcame personal challenges but also went on to help many others.

1629 Accessibility Initiatives at IBM (Jul. 13, 2016)


1629 Accessibility Initiatives at IBM (Jul. 13, 2016)


Show Notes

IBM shares its accessibility expertise with the wider community in order to improve accessibility for all. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Erich Manser and Drew LaHart of IBM’s accessibility team about their Quick Guide for developers, their plan for making many of their tools and resources open source, and their commitment to accessibility.

1628 Listening to and Recording Audio (Jul. 9, 2016)


1628 Listening to and Recording Audio (Jul. 9, 2016)


Show Notes

Audio plays an important role in how visually impaired people perceive and interpret the surrounding world. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Neal Ewers, founder and head of Ravenswood Productions, about what makes a quality audio recording. Hear recommendations of tools and techniques for recording, producing, and appreciating audio material.

1627 Apple Watch for Blind Users (Jun. 29, 2016)


1627 Apple Watch for Blind Users (Jun. 29, 2016)


Show Notes

This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Matthew Carello, a trainer with Fedora Outlier LLC, about the Apple Watch and how it can be used by people who are blind. We’ll learn about the basic functions of the watch, hear it in action, and see how it might become part of your daily routine. We’ll also learn about the services offered by Fedora Outlier LLC.

1624 Computer Camp for Blind Youth (Jun. 8, 2016)


1624 Computer Camp for Blind Youth (Jun. 8, 2016)


Show Notes

Computers are very accessible to the visually impaired. Moreover, those with a knowledge of computers and computer programming are highly desired in today’s work force. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Cheryl Cumings and Rich Caloggero about a computer camp for blind youth they are organizing to motivate students and introduce them to these skills.

1623 Reflections on the College Experience (Jun. 1, 2016)


1623 Reflections on the College Experience (Jun. 1, 2016)


Show Notes

Rebecca is a visually impaired student who has shared her educational journey with our listeners in several previous episodes. She first talked with us as a junior in high school. Now hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with her about how she views her college experience in retrospect and considerations for attending graduate school and obtaining a PhD.

1622 Improved Accessibility of Amazon Products


1622 Improved Accessibility of Amazon Products (May 25, 2016)


Show Notes

New features being introduced into Amazon’s Kindle readers and Fire tablets will now make these devices readily accessible to the visually impaired. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Peter Korn, accessibility architect at Amazon, about the work that went into developing an enhanced user interface and how it has improved accessibility of these products.

1620 The Vision-quest Experience (May 11, 2016)


1620 The Vision-quest Experience (May 11, 2016)


Show Notes

Maribel Steel is an Australian writer and motivational speaker who is also blind. She designed the Vision-quest program which pairs blind and sighted people in a day of shared exploration to experience sites in their community. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with her about Vision-quest and her role as an international peer advisor for AFB’s VisionAware.

1618 the vOICe – Seeing With Sound (Apr. 27, 2016)


1618 the vOICe – Seeing With Sound (Apr. 27, 2016)


Show Notes

The vOICe technology is a general approach for “seeing with sound”. It uses visual input from a web cam or PC display that is converted to audio output. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Pranav Lal about the technology and how it can be used to visualize data and provide the blind with a representation of the world around them.

1617 Blind Marathoner and Celebrity Guide (Apr. 20, 2016)


1617 Blind Marathoner and Celebrity Guide (Apr. 20, 2016)


Show Notes

Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Erich Manser, a blind accessibility engineer at IBM, and Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” about their experiences running the Boston Marathon together. They talk about how they got together, the special trust required to run as partners, and what happens when things don’t go quite as planned.

1616 Tandem Bicycle Racing (Apr. 13, 2016)


1616 Tandem Bicycle Racing (Apr. 13, 2016)


Show Notes

This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Matt King about the thrill and excitement of competitive racing on a tandem bicycle. Matt set a world speed record, participated in three Paralympics, and underwent an intense training regimen. He describes these experiences and what it feels like to be going over 45 MPH around turns banked at more than 45 degrees!

1615 Accessibility of Facebook Products (Apr. 6, 2016)


1615 Accessibility of Facebook Products (Apr. 6, 2016)


Show Notes

Do you struggle using Facebook with a screen reader? Matt King, a member of the Accessibility Engineering Team at Facebook, describes many tips and hotkeys for using Facebook more efficiently. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey also talk with him about an exciting new feature launching this week to help make photos more accessible to people with vision loss.

1614 Research on Sonification (Mar. 30, 2016)


1614 Research on Sonification (Mar. 30, 2016)


Show Notes

Sonification can be used to provide auditory feedback to help the visually impaired explore data, meters, diagrams and more. This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tony Stockman, Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary College of the University of London and President of the International Community for Auditory Display about his research in sonification techniques.

1613 Blind Active Duty Police Officer – part 2 (Mar. 23, 2016)


1613 Blind Active Duty Police Officer – part 2 (Mar. 23, 2016)


Show Notes

Last week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talked with Marlon Parieaho about losing his vision while working as a policeman. We heard how he successfully navigated this transition and how it affected his relationship with his colleagues. This week we’ll hear more about Marlon’s thoughts on blindness and why being blind doesn’t mean it is the end of the world.

1612 Blind Active Duty Police Officer – part 1 (Mar. 16, 2016)


1612 Blind Active Duty Police Officer – part 1 (Mar. 16, 2016)


Show Notes

Marlon Parieaho was working as a policeman when he lost his vision. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about how he successfully navigated the transition, learned to accommodate to his new situation, and how it impacted his relationship with his colleagues. Next week we’ll hear his thoughts about blindness and what being blind means to him.

1611 Cataract Surgery in Developing Countries (Mar. 9, 2016)


1611 Cataract Surgery in Developing Countries (Mar. 9, 2016)


Show Notes

Untreated cataracts are by far the leading cause of blindness throughout the world. Yet this is a treatable condition. This week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jacob Mohan Thazhathu, President and CEO of Help Me See, about how this problem can be solved with a low-cost and high-quality solution aimed at restoring sight to millions of people.

1610 NFB-Newsline Mobile App for iOS Devices (Mar. 2, 2016)


1610 NFB-Newsline Mobile App for iOS Devices (Mar. 2, 2016)


Have ready access to local and national newspapers, magazines, weather alerts, retail ads, TV listings and more with the NFB-Newsline Mobile app. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Scott White, director of sponsored technology programs for the National Federation of the Blind, about what is new in this recently updated app and how it can be used.

1609 Services for Preparing Your Taxes (Feb. 24, 2016)


1609 Services for Preparing Your Taxes (Feb. 24, 2016)


Show Notes

Did you know that there are organizations that will help you prepare your tax return at no cost and that the IRS has accessible forms and publications if you want to prepare your own return? This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Darryl Eaton of the IRS about these and other services that can assist the visually impaired, and demonstrate the IRS2Go app.

1607 Matching Blind Runners and Sighted Guides (Feb. 10, 2016)


1607 Matching Blind Runners and Sighted Guides (Feb. 10, 2016)


Show Notes

If you enjoy running outdoors but your vision loss makes it unsafe to do so alone, now there’s an easy way you can find somebody to guide you. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Kyle Robidoux from United In Stride which maintains an on-line database of blind or visually impaired runners and volunteer sighted guides all over North America.

1606 Audio Exercise Programs (Feb. 3, 2016)


1606 Audio Exercise Programs (Feb. 3, 2016)


Show Notes

Keeping fit is important for both mental and physical health. This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Mel Scott and Lisa Salinger from BlindAlive about their audio exercise programs geared specifically to those who are visually impaired. With described exercise programs ranging from beginner to advance, BlindAlive offers something for everyone.

1605 Technical Tips and Tricks (Jan. 27, 2016)


1605 Technical Tips and Tricks (Jan. 27, 2016)


Show Notes

This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey share some helpful hints they use to perform common tasks. You’ll hear some surprising things SIRI can do. You’ll also learn how to more easily control the playback of audio on YouTube with some handy keyboard shortcuts, automatically download audio from YouTube for later playback, how to make on-line shopping easier and more!

1604 Research about the Blind Shopping Experience (Jan. 20, 2016)


1604 Research about the Blind Shopping Experience (Jan. 20, 2016)


Show Notes

Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Alex Cohen, a graduate student in the Business school at Drexel University, who is studying how people with various disabilities interact with the on-line marketplace. He’s hoping to convince vendors that it is to their and their customers’ advantage to have their sites easier to use for everybody.

1601 F123’s Impact on Accessibility (Dec. 30, 2015)


1601 F123’s Impact on Accessibility (Dec. 30, 2015)


Show Notes

After experiencing the impact of access technology on his own ability to succeed, Fernando Botelho has developed free tools to improve accessibility to web sites for all. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey speak with him about his experiences growing up in South America, traveling the world, and the F123 project he founded to improve access to information around the world.

1552 5-Year Anniversary Show (Dec. 23, 2015)


1552 5-Year Anniversary Show (Dec. 23, 2015)


Show Notes

Nancy and Peter Torpey celebrate 5 years of hosting and producing Eyes On Success! Hear clips from a recent interview that John Shea from the Talking Information Center did with them about the show. Also learn about the various resources on the web site and the many ways you can connect with Eyes On Success. Thanks from us to all of our listeners!

1549 The New Unified English Braille (Dec. 2, 2015)


1549 The New Unified English Braille (Dec. 2, 2015)


Show Notes

Readers of Braille have probably heard of the new UEB or Unified English Braille code by now. This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jennifer Dunnam, Chairperson of the Braille Authority of North America, about what prompted these changes to the Braille code, what changes we are likely to see, and what this means for everyday readers of Braille.

1548 Accessible Comic Books (Nov. 25, 2015)


1548 Accessible Comic Books (Nov. 25, 2015)


Show Notes

If you thought comic books were only for sighted people, think again! This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Guy Hasson about the on-line comic book store for the blind that he started called “Comics Empower”. Learn how you can enjoy a variety of comic books in audio format including “Aurora”, a sci-fi adventure series with a blind super hero.

1546 Doing Photography with Limited Vision (Nov. 11, 2015)


1546 Doing Photography with Limited Vision (Nov. 11, 2015)


Show Notes

Tammy Ruggles is a photographer who got started in the art after her vision had diminished significantly. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with her about how the advent of digital photography has eliminated the need to work in a dark room and also made it possible to edit the photos, even with low vision. Learn how she successfully puts these tools together.

1544 BlindSquare Navigation App (Oct. 28, 2015)


1544 BlindSquare Navigation App (Oct. 28, 2015)


Show Notes

Many GPS apps are available for mobile devices. BlindSquare is unique in that it has additional utilities that are specifically tailored to the visually impaired. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ilkka Pirttimaa, the developer of BlindSquare, and Rob Nevin, the North American distributor, about what makes this app special and how it integrates with other GPS apps.

1543 Distance Learning at The Hadley School (Oct. 21, 2015)


1543 Distance Learning at The Hadley School (Oct. 21, 2015)


Show Notes

Just because the Hadley School is located near Chicago, doesn’t mean you have to be there to take advantage of their many and varied educational programs. In fact, they are all available as distance learning. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Doug Anzlovar about the school and its programs for people with low vision.

1542 Making Data Visualizations Accessible (Oct. 14, 2015)


1542 Making Data Visualizations Accessible (Oct. 14, 2015)


Show Notes

SAS develops tools for analyzing and visualizing big data. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ed Summers, head of the accessibility team at SAS, about how these tools are made accessible. Ed, who is blind himself, also describes methods the visually impaired can use to interact with various types of analytical data and some of SAS’ educational initiatives.

1540 Today’s e-Pub and Accessible Books – Part 2 (Sep. 30, 2015)


1540 Today’s e-Pub and Accessible Books – Part 2 (Sep. 30, 2015)


Show Notes

Last week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talked with George Kerscher about the first e-books and how standards initially developed for the print disabled were adopted into mainstream publishing. This week we continue that conversation and hear why having uniform standards led to concerns about copyright and distribution and how people worked to resolve these issues.

1539 George Kerscher and the Development of e-Books – Part 1 (Sep. 23, 2015)


1539 George Kerscher and the Development of e-Books – Part 1 (Sep. 23, 2015)


Show Notes

George Kerscher created the first accessible digital books and went on to develop standards that are now the foundation of electronic publishing. This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about how these standards were assimilated into mainstream publishing. Next week we’ll hear about some of the quandaries that arose as a result.

1538 NFB Performing Arts Division (Sep. 16, 2015)


1538 NFB Performing Arts Division (Sep. 16, 2015)


Show Notes

The Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind offers many resources and opportunities for people interested in music, dance, and other aspects of performing. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jordy Stringer and Julie McGinnity about how members can connect and share experiences to improve skills, find employment, or just have fun!

1537 3-D Printer Project at Benetech (Sep. 9 2015)


1537 3-D Printer Project at Benetech (Sep. 9 2015)


Show Notes

3-D printers are capable of making tactile representations of figures, diagrams and other pictorials that occur in textbooks and other educational materials. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Anh Bui and Lisa Wadors Verne of Benetech about their work to develop the infrastructure to support the use of this technology and how it might work in practice.

1536 Stem Cell Therapy for Retinal Disease (Sep. 2 2015)


1536 Stem Cell Therapy for Retinal Disease (Sep. 2 2015)


Show Notes

Pam Retzloff was legally blind since birth due to a congenital retinal disease. Starting in her 20’s her vision progressively worsened until she was left with a tiny dim visual field. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Pam about a stem cell treatment she had in late 2014 including what the process and recovery have been like and how her vision is evolving.

1535 NVDA Open Source Screen Reader (Aug. 26 2015)


1535 NVDA Open Source Screen Reader (Aug. 26 2015)


Show Notes

NVDA is a free and open source screen reader for Windows. Over the years it has matured to be a viable alternative to commercial screen readers for personal, educational and professional use. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jamie Teh, one of the founders and co-lead developers of NVDA about some of the new features of NVDA and what to expect in the future.

1533 Technology for Low Vision (Aug. 12, 2015)


1533 Technology for Low Vision (Aug. 12, 2015)


Show Notes

Depending upon your level of vision loss, there are many types of hardware and software that will enable you to access print, whether on paper or on a screen. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Jenn Mohr, regional sales representative for upstate NY for C-Tech, which distributes many adaptive items. Learn about the options available to people with low vision.

1532 Opportunities for Blind Pharmacists (Aug. 5, 2015)


1532 Opportunities for Blind Pharmacists (Aug. 5, 2015)


Show Notes

Arnold Tucker was a pharmacist in a retail pharmacy when his vision began to fade. Despite using various adaptive aids, it became progressively more difficult to perform his job. After obtaining additional training, he found new doors open in his field. Hosts Nancy and Peter talk with him about his journey and opportunities for blind pharmacists.

1530 Accessible Games for iOS Devices (Jul. 22, 2015)


1530 Accessible Games for iOS Devices (Jul. 22, 2015)


Show Notes

No matter what type of games you enjoy playing, you’ll probably find it in the book “Anyone Can Play! Accessible Games for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch”. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Judy Dixon, the book’s editor and co-author, about accessible app versions of word games, board and card games, role playing and adventure games, and much more.

1528 Sailing Expeditions for the Blind (Jul. 8, 2015)


1528 Sailing Expeditions for the Blind (Jul. 8, 2015)


Show Notes

Imago Maris Foundation hosts sailing expeditions each year, with half the participants being visually impaired and the other half sighted. Each participant does everything from working the ropes to kitchen duty. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Julia Krawczuk, a volunteer with Imago Maris and Robert Zarzecki, a blind sailor. Both participated in a 2014 voyage.

1527 HIMS Blaze Multi-Players (Jul. 1, 2015)


1527 HIMS Blaze Multi-Players (Jul. 1, 2015)


Show Notes

The Blaze ET and EZ Multi-Player devices can play audio and text books in many formats, and also be used to directly download books over WiFi, subscribe to and listen to podcasts, and much more. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Dave Wilkinson, HIMS’ business development manager, about these features as well as the OCR capability using an internal camera.

1526 Becoming and Being a Blind Judge (Jun. 24, 2015)


1526 Becoming and Being a Blind Judge (Jun. 24, 2015)


Show Notes

Last week Michigan State Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, blind since birth, talked about employment issues faced by the visually impaired. This week, hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with him about the academic and professional path that led him to his position, including some of the challenges he’s faced and accommodations he’s made to be successful.

1525 Employment Issues for the Visually Impaired (Jun. 17, 2015)


1525 Employment Issues for the Visually Impaired (Jun. 17, 2015)


Show Notes

Blind since birth, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein is passionate about improving employment for the visually impaired. This week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about challenges faced by blind individuals seeking employment and some new initiatives to employ the blind. Next week he will talk more about his own personal experiences.

1523 Composing and Performing Music (Jun. 3, 2015)


1523 Composing and Performing Music (Jun. 3, 2015)


Show Notes

Rachel Flowers is a talented young blind musician. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey speak with her and her mother, Jeanie Flowers, about how Rachel learned to play the myriad of instruments she’s mastered including participating in a marching band. Rachel also talks about how she currently performs, composes, arranges, and shares music with others.

1522 CakeTalking, TypeAbility and Academy of Music for the Blind (May 27, 2015)


1522 CakeTalking, TypeAbility and Academy of Music for the Blind (May 27, 2015)


Show Notes

This week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with David Pinto, a musician and music educator who founded and runs the Academy of Music for the Blind. He also developed the TypeAbility program to teach blind youth how to type and navigate a computer and the CakeTalking scripts to enable access to Sonar, a sophisticated audio production program.

1520 Creating Accessible Graphs and Charts (May 13, 2015)


1520 Creating Accessible Graphs and Charts (May 13, 2015)


Show Notes

Richard Ladner is a professor of computer science whose research is directed at enhancing the accessibility of documents and web sites. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about his work to make textbook graphics accessible to the blind. The project is aimed at automating the creation of tactile graphics with the embedded text converted to Braille or speech.

Continue reading 1520 Creating Accessible Graphs and Charts (May 13, 2015)

1518 Global Reach of Benetech and Bookshare (Apr. 29, 2015)


1518 Global Reach of Benetech and Bookshare (Apr. 29, 2015)


Show Notes

Last week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talked with Jim Fruchterman, the founder and CEO of Benetech about his early work in OCR and starting Bookshare. This week we talk with him about Bookshare’s global reach and how it has helped to influence mainstream publishing. He also describes a number of other initiatives being pursued by Benetech to improve access.

1517 Jim Fruchterman – Social Entrepreneur (Apr. 22, 2015)


1517 Jim Fruchterman – Social Entrepreneur (Apr. 22, 2015)


Show Notes

Jim Fruchterman is the founder and CEO of Benetech, which operates Bookshare. This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about how he became interested in OCR, the founding of Arkenstone, and the inspiration behind Bookshare. Next week we speak more with Jim about the global impact of Bookshare and some of Benetech’s other social initiatives.

1516 J-Say, J-Dictate, and Leasey (Apr. 15, 2015)


1516 J-Say, J-Dictate, and Leasey (Apr. 15, 2015)


Show Notes

J-Say and J-Dictate are designed to make it possible to use the Dragon Naturally speaking speech recognition program with JAWS. Leasey offers novice PC users an intuitive interface and set of tools for performing routine tasks using JAWS. Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Brian Hartgen, developer of these tools, who will talk about his work and demo these tools.

1513 The National Braille Press (Mar. 25, 2015)


1513 The National Braille Press (Mar. 25, 2015)


Show Notes

The National Braille Press promotes literacy of blind children through Braille and provides access to information that empowers blind people to actively engage in work, family, and community affairs. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Brian MacDonald, president of NBP, about resources available from NBP as well as about some new initiatives including the B2G.

1512 Preparing for Vision Loss (Mar. 18, 2015)


1512 Preparing for Vision Loss (Mar. 18, 2015)


Show Notes

Many sighted people have a hard time imagining how they would tackle life if they couldn’t see. Losing your vision, however, doesn’t mean the end of the world. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk about how you can prepare for eventual vision loss by preparing your home, using adaptive aids, becoming aware of your other senses, accessible technology and more.

1511 Reading MathML with JAWS (Mar. 11, 2015)


1511 Reading MathML with JAWS (Mar. 11, 2015)


Show Notes

The ability to read mathematical expressions in documents and on the web is crucial for those learning math and for professionals in the sciences. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Rob Gallo, a software developer at Freedom Scientific responsible for implementing support for MathML in the JAWS screen reader. Also hear a demo of JAWS reading MathML.

1510 Chemistry Camp for Blind Youth (Mar. 4, 2015)


1510 Chemistry Camp for Blind Youth (Mar. 4, 2015)


Show Notes

Learning about science can be fun and exciting. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Hoby Wedler, a blind graduate student in Chemistry, about a Chemistry Camp for blind teens that he founded and runs annually to share his love of science with youth. We’ll review some of the highlights of each session, including some unexpected things attendees learn

1509 Working With Computer Hardware (Feb. 25, 2015)


1509 Working With Computer Hardware (Feb. 25, 2015)


Show Notes

Modern screen readers make computer programs and software readily accessible to the blind. But what about working with hardware? Mobeen Iqbal has years of experience repairing both desktop and laptop computers and has even built several computers. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about how he achieves each required task in spite of being totally blind

1508 Blind Parenting of Sighted Children (Feb. 18, 2015)


1508 Blind Parenting of Sighted Children (Feb. 18, 2015)


Show Notes

First time parents have many questions. But what if one of the parents is blind? That is the case with Ron and Denise Miller who are raising 2 year old Russell. They talk with hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey who raised two sighted children with one parent being blind. They discuss a variety of topics including feeding, playing, reading, and driving.

1507 Interpretype Deaf-Blind Communication System (Feb. 11, 2015)


1507 Interpretype Deaf-Blind Communication System (Feb. 11, 2015)


Show Notes

The Interpretype Deaf-Blind Communication System enables deaf-blind Braille users to communicate in a variety of situations including telephone communications, texting, instant messaging, internet, VRS and face-to-face conversations. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with its inventor, Ken Gan, about this portable yet powerful tool.


transcript of show 1507

1506 Working from Home – Part 2 (Feb. 4, 2015)


1506 Working from Home – Part 2 (Feb. 4, 2015)


Show Notes

This week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey continue last week’s conversation with Ron Milliman, a blind retired professor of Marketing, about working from home, this time from the employer’s perspective, which is good to know so you can present prepared points in your request to begin or continue working from home. We’ll also hear from several people with experience working at home.

1505 Working from Home – Part 1 (Jan. 28, 2015)


1505 Working from Home – Part 1 (Jan. 28, 2015)


Show Notes

Ron Milliman is a blind retired professor of Marketing who has spent years working in and teaching about various employment situations. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about the pros and cons of working from home from an employee’s perspective. Next week we’ll explore the employer’s perspective and hear from several people who have experience working at home.

1503 Cochlear Implants for Blind People (Jan. 14, 2015)


1503 Cochlear Implants for Blind People (Jan. 14, 2015)


Show Notes

Blind people rely on their hearing for navigation, orientation, social cues and much more. For a blind person who has also lost much of their hearing, cochlear implants can restore significant function. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Keith Wiglesworth about being blind, losing his hearing, and how a pair of cochlear implants has expanded his horizons.

1502 Product Development at Humanware (Jan. 7, 2015)


1502 Product Development at Humanware (Jan. 7, 2015)


Show Notes

Bringing new products to market involves time, planning, and feedback from customers. This week, hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Dominic Labbé, Product Development Director for blindness related products at Humanware. He describes how the process works at Humanware and how products such as the Victor Reader are shepherded from concept to the marketplace.

1452 Getting the Most Out of Eyes On Success (Dec. 24, 2014)


1452 Getting the Most Out of Eyes On Success (Dec. 24, 2014)


Show Notes

With over 200 episodes in the archives, Eyes On Success is a valuable resource for learning about products and services for the visually impaired, as well as hearing motivational stories about visually impaired people who pursue rewarding careers and hobbies. This week you’ll learn how to explore this resource and also hear from some pioneers in the blindness field.

1451 Accessibility at Google (Dec. 17, 2014)


1451 Accessibility at Google (Dec. 17, 2014)


Show Notes

This week hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Eve Andersson, Manager of Accessibility Engineering at Google, about Google’s efforts to make their products more accessible. She outlines how Google has responded to the concerns of advocacy groups and individual users and has fully integrated awareness of accessibility into Google’s product development process.

1449 Tablet Comparisons for Blind Users (Dec. 3, 2014)


1449 Tablet Comparisons for Blind Users (Dec. 3, 2014)


Show Notes

Tablet devices are gaining in popularity and there are many options. Selecting the right tablet for the needs of a blind person using speech output can be a daunting task. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Robbie Sandberg of Information Pool for Computer Technology aimed at Blind and Partially Sighted People (INCOBS) about their test results to help you choose.

1448 Tablet Comparisons for Low Vision Users (Nov. 26, 2014)


1448 Tablet Comparisons for Low Vision Users (Nov. 26, 2014)


Show Notes

There are many varieties of tablet devices. Selecting the right tablet for the needs of a low vision person using magnification and/or color controls can be difficult. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Robbie Sandberg of Information Pool for Computer Technology aimed at Blind and Partially Sighted People (INCOBS) about their test results to help you choose.

1447 Advocating for Disability Rights (Nov. 19, 2014)


1447 Advocating for Disability Rights (Nov. 19, 2014)


Show Notes

Haben Girma is a deaf-blind attorney who works for Disability Rights Advocates in San Francisco, CA. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with her about what disability rights advocacy includes and about some of her major cases settled either through negotiation or initiating class action suits. We’ll also learn how she got into this field and does her work.

1446 Improving Interactions With New Technologies


1446 Improving Interactions With New Technologies (Nov. 12, 2014)


Show Notes

Shaun Kane does research on Human-Computer Interactions (HCI), focusing on how visually impaired people interact with computers, how to facilitate that interaction, and how computers can be used to improve their life experiences. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey speak with him about his work to understand how blind people communicate when navigating and about 3D printers.

1445 Fitness, Massage and the Blind Café (Nov. 5, 2014)


1445 Fitness, Massage and the Blind Café (Nov. 5, 2014)


Show Notes

Bill Kociaba owned and operated a fitness center for nearly 20 years. Now he works as a massage therapist and runs exercise classes over the internet on The Blind Café. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Bill about his experiences as a blind businessman, the importance of exercise, as well as about other resources one can find on The Blind Café web site.

1444 KNFB Reader App for iOS devices (Oct. 29, 2014)


1444 KNFB Reader App for iOS devices (Oct. 29, 2014)


Show Notes

Devices for performing optical character recognition (OCR) have become much less expensive and technically advanced. Now you can have the power of a state-of-the-art OCR engine on your iPhone with the new KNFB Reader. Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with James Gashel, VP of KNFB’s Business Development, about the app and the history of OCR technology.

1443 Partner of One Losing Vision Early in the Relationship (Oct. 22, 2014)


1443 Partner of One Losing Vision Early in the Relationship (Oct. 22, 2014)


Show Notes

In episode #1437 we talked with Amy Bower, a blind oceanographer. This week, hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with her husband, David Fisichella, about how they met and developed their relationship as Amy’s sight deteriorated. We’ll also discuss a book he wrote about their life and work together, “Seven-Tenths: Love, Piracy, and Science at Sea”.

1442 Long-time Partner of One who Loses Vision (Oct. 15, 2014)


1442 Long-time Partner of One who Loses Vision (Oct. 15, 2014)


Show Notes

What is it like when one’s partner begins to lose their vision? Hosts Peter and Nancy Torpey talk with Chris Roberts about how she and her husband Dan navigated the challenges of family and career during Dan’s transition to vision loss after decades of marriage. Their story shows the power of a committed partnership, good communication, and drive to succeed.

1441 Victor Reader Stream (Oct. 8, 2014)


1441 Victor Reader Stream (Oct. 8, 2014)


Show Notes

Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with Matthew Janusauskas, Product Manager at HumanWare for the Victor Reader family of accessible media players, about some of the new and exciting features in the new firmware update for the Victor Reader Stream that are enabled by the built-in wifi. We’ll also talk about the Victor Reader Stratus desktop version.

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1440 Raising a Blind Child (Oct. 1, 2014)


1440 Raising a Blind Child (Oct. 1, 2014)


Show Notes

Rebecca, a blind youth, has appeared on several prior episodes of Eyes On Success. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with her parents, Steve and Marjorie, about their experiences raising her, navigating the school system and the rest of the world, and teaching her to be an independent young adult. We also share some useful resources for parents of blind children.

1439 AFB Career Connect (Sep. 24, 2014)


1439 AFB Career Connect (Sep. 24, 2014)


Show Notes

Unemployment among the visually impaired is very high. Career Connect is an employment information resource developed for people with vision loss. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Joe Strechay, program manager of Career Connect, about their services and tools for seeking employment, providing mentors, and many other topics related to a successful job search.

1438 Developing DAISY Standards and Players (Sep. 17, 2014)


1438 Developing DAISY Standards and Players (Sep. 17, 2014)


Show Notes

After going blind over the course of his career as an entrepreneur, consultant, and software developer, Gerry Chevalier was a key contributor to the development of the DAISY standard and of the NLS and Victor Reader digital reading devices. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about his commitment to accessibility and his work in that field.

1437 Working As a Research Oceanographer (Sep. 10, 2014)


1437 Working As a Research Oceanographer (Sep. 10, 2014)


Show Notes

Amy Bower gradually lost most of her vision as she pursued a Ph.D. in Oceanography and continued her career as a research scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with her about her experience leading research cruises, working with colleagues, and being attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

1436 Fleksy Typing App for iOS and Android (Sep. 3, 2014)


1436 Fleksy Typing App for iOS and Android (Sep. 3, 2014)


Show Notes

Inputting text accurately on a touch screen keyboard can be challenging, especially if one is blind. Using predictive algorithms and auto-correction the Fleksy app makes typing easier and more reliable. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ioannis Verdalis, co-founder and COO of Fleksy, about the history of the app, the technology behind it, and upcoming improvements.