By Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, a Special Educator and Rehabilitation Specialist
Vaccess, a two day Expo, represents Vidya Sagar, a Chennai centre for the disabled, and its constant and persistent efforts towards Accessibility for people with disabilities. As the founder Poonam Natarajan put it so crisply, “In the past, this was understood only as the need for physical access. It meant building ramps, railings and pathways for people with visual impairments, special features in toilets, broader doors and switches at wheelchair heights. However, now, Accessibility is a norm for all domains of life….”
The Expo addressed a wide range of needs for people with disabilities by showcasing some innovative solutions for the same. Callidai Motors, which manufactures powered and special wheel chairs, exhibited their products, including a new foldable, battery chargeable three-wheeled ‘scooter’. those who need to use them. The scooter looks good, but needs a bit of tweaking since the seat and handlebars are not height-adjustable and there are no side supports. Their powered, customised wheelchairs, on the other hand, are being used by a number of people.
The exhibition also showcased ramps and hydraulic lifts which could be customised to be fitted to vehicles as well as to buildings.
IIT Chennai’s project, Enability Foundation For Rehabilitation, displayed a Tactograph which enables schools to print tactile books and worksheets at an affordable price. Besides being a great boon to the visually impaired, it also promises to help in mainstream schools to make learning easier and more interesting. This project has also successfully used technology to make accessible switches and communication systems like iGest, KAVI, MOZHI, HOPE. To know more about these products, please click on http://enability.in/projects/
I Tag is an electronic wheelchair for young children with very low physical abilities, which moves by sensing the head movement of the child. This was designed by IIT Chennai.
There were many essential gadgets for the Visually impaired, like a Smart Cane, Calculator and watch with audio outputs, a liquid level indicator, adapted chess and an electronic text reader.
A company from Bangalore displayed wearable safety devices and alarms with Geo Trackers. These were in the shape of wrist watches and lockets and could be used for little children as well as for the elderly. They even had canes fitted to their devices. For more information, please go to https://www.closeconnexions.com/
Worth Industries had showcased their walking aids, wheelchairs and products for the Visually Impaired.
Ramakrishna Mission had adapted games for the disabled.
There was a display of Wheelchair gardening, with adapted easy-to-use gardening equipment.
Karna Vidya Training Centre had a stall. It is a Training cum Placement Center for the Visually Impaired.http://karnavidyafoundation.
There was a Matrimonial portal, INCLOV. Inclov is the world's first matchmaking app focusing on people with disabilities and health disorders through accessible technology. http://www.inclov.com/
Vidya Sagar had displayed a lot of teaching aids and communication aids, both low cost and High tech.
There were also adapted clothes and Living aids for daily use.
The Disability and Law unit at the Expo shared a lot of information on the upcoming (as it was then) elections as well as on accessible polling booths. A mobile application has been developed to enable volunteers to perform ‘access audits’ of polling booths across the state to determine whether they are user-friendly for people with disabilities.
The application features a checklist in the form of objective-type questions, that will determine the ‘access features’, e.g., the approach to polling stations, signage for parking areas, physical access to the booth and other amenities like toilets, drinking water and resting and seating areas, first-aid and disaster preparedness. Anyone, including NGOs, activists for people with disabilities and college students can audit the polling booths using the app
The young ex-students of Vidya Sagar also participated at the Expo in their individual capacities:
- Anjana has written a book of short stories illustrated by Teja. The book was launched during the Expo. (http://www.amazon.in/Evolving-Angel-collection-stories-disability-ebook/dp/B01DLOZRBI)
- Harishangar had put up a Biryani stall.
- Rakesh was working with eco-friendly products.
- Bhavna has brought out her own magazine ‘Connect Special’. Go to www.connectspecial.com to subscribe to the magazine.
The Expo had a lot to offer by way of variety and information. A great initiative by Vidya Sagar indeed!
Coverage of the event provided by Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, a rehabilitation specialist so that these innovations can be shared by all our readers.
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