1. A2A to deliver speech recognition technology to people with physical disabilities for educational and employment purposes
Provide Accessibility, through speech recognition technology, for a range of physically impaired children, young people and adults with — paralysis, quadriple¬gia, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, apraxia, visual impairments, repetitive stress injuries etc.
A2A can help by adding speech recognition capabilities to the PC enabling the participants to work virtually hands free when creating documents, accessing data, or navigating their desktop. The tools can provide a more efficient means of controlling a computer that is less physically and cognitively taxing.
A2A can use the speech recognition by taking away the mechanical aspects of typing or handwriting and therefore removing many of the challenges many people face when trying to intelligently express their thoughts in writing. In addition, it can with articulation and pronunciation.
2. Offer assistive technology for people with visual impairments for use at home and at work
A2A would offer speech output capabilities so that children, young people and adults with visual impairments can have text read aloud to them. The computer installed speech recognition to be used at home as well as in multiple locations such as schools, colleges, universities and employment situations.
With speech recognition, physically challenged people are not con¬fined to a single workspace. They can dictate into a handheld device for automatic transcription when syncing with their PC — a capability that is particularly helpful for note taking and research. In addition, they can use a wireless (including Bluetooth) headset to experience the same highly accurate recognition results without being hampered by Wi -Fi.
3. Provide assistive technology for people with visual impairments for use at home and work
Research studies and practical experience continue to show that speech recognition can be used with those children young people and adults with learning disabilities — dyslexia, dysgraphia, working memory issues and other cognitive challenges — that interfere with their ability to read, write and spell.
Speech recognition tools can generate a new excitement for writing and learning among students who were previously unable to write or produce written work due to learning disabilities. The technology accomplishes this feat by:
Enabling them to more easily transfer their ideas into print
Circumventing the most frustrating aspects of text generation, including
brainstorming, outlining, and spelling
Providing remedial reading assistance for both decoding and comprehension
4. Explore the use of drones for people with a variety of disabilities
A2A and Airnecessity(http://www.airnecessity.com/ ) wish to work on partnership projects which will help children, young people and adults with a variety of physical disabilities understand what Drones can accomplish.
Address some of the following:
- Aerial photography and filming for educational purposes, property owners, estate agents and surveyors – not just for educational purposes
- GIS mapping for agricultural, archaeological and environmental applications
- Ground and aerial work for Corporate Film, Special Events and Social Content with full editing capabilities.
5. Accessibility and public transport
A2A to undertake a research project with the aim of launching a new accessibility campaign to encourage people with Physical Disabilities to make more journeys on public transport.
The campaign would feature a series of personal accessible travel stories from people with physical disabilities sharing their experiences on how improvements could be made easier for them to travel around various cities in England.
A2A website would offer a wealth of information on accessible travelling.
6. Accessibility into selective creative arts venues in London and other major cities in the UK
There is some adverse publicity about certain venues in London being inaccessible for people with physical disabilities.
A2A to undertake and pilot an investigation by selecting a range of venues concerned with sport, theatre, music, art etc.
7. Access to beaches and the seaside for people with mobility challenges
Campaign for Blue Riband criteria for beaches to include provision of Sand Chairs for hire
Campaign
Become a grant awarding body for provision of sand chairs
Campaign for Blue Riband beaches that offer recreation facilities to make them accessible – eg. sand surfing, supported swimming etc
Possible link to Matt to provide drone films of access arrangements for beaches for seaside towns to publish on their websites
8. Access to public buildings
When is a ramp not a ramp – review of ramps and slopes and impact on both wheelchair and stick users
Forewarned is fore-armed – drone filmed tours of stately homes inside and out, gardens open to the public, art galleries and museums, shopping malls (e.g. Westfield) for owners to publish on websites so potential visitors can fly round the place before they go and help to plan their visit
Listed buildings – review of legislation that limits ramps, handrails, lifts, etc. in listed buildings
Accessibility of festivals (e.g. Glastonbury/ Reading WOMAD) – write guidelines for site facilities, training for festival staff
Review planning rules for public toilets in motorway services stations – survey and publish star rating for wheelchair access and stick access
9. Communication
Develop an new icon for stick access facilities ( to add to wheelchair icon) for broader range of access
Develop star rating for different kinds of access faculties/support or use in all blic buildings and also hotels etc.
10. Collaboration Projects
Work with other charities eg. Age UK, Scope etc. and cross link websitWork with structural engineers on BIM technology
Work with RIBA, Design Council, Purple Space, Innovate UK
Work with maker operations on bespoke devices to support physical access (eg. ‘The Big Life Hack’ and support these operations to transform bespoke devices to mass manufacture
Work with office furniture manufacturers to develop universal seating etc. that works for both mobility challenged and non-mobility challenges people for both desk furniture, lobby seating, cafeteria service trolleys for food and drink
11. Access to the outdoors
Work with innovative mobility device developers for devises that will facilitate access to walks etc.
12. Planning Regulations
Revise planning rules on steps and staircases – risers and going, plus surfaces
Campaign for no- slip surfaces for floors in buildings -ban marble tiles or glass tiles on floors in lobbies etc.
