AT Banter Podcast

This week the gang sits down with guests Diane Dubrovner and Stacy Cervenka, co-authors of the new middle-grade novel Roxie in Color. The book follows Roxie, a shy 12-year-old starting at a new school who’s trying to keep one big secret under wraps: both of her parents are blind. The story explores real issues faced by the blind community, all told through the lens of Stacy’s real-life lived exper...

This week Rob, Ryan, and Lis kick things off with failed catchphrases, and Lis’ mysterious “voodoo diet” before welcoming guest Shanell Matos, community manager at Right Hear. Shanell explains why Right Hear is an orientation app rather than a navigation app, how Bluetooth beacons and powerful markers give blind and low-vision users rich information about their surroundings without bossy turn-by-t...

This week, the AT Banter crew is very much in the house – basement, man cave, and all – as we welcome Matthew Reeves, a legally blind psychotherapist, rehab counselor, and host of the Insight Out podcast. Diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease at 12, Matthew is a a therapist focused on helping people live well with vision loss, disability, chronic illness, and chronic pain. Now he’s using both his tra...

In this “Generations Part Two” episode of AT Banter, Rob and Ryan welcome back Clement Chou, Albert Ruel, Betty Nobel, and Russell Leung for a lively, thoughtful – and often very funny – conversation about the generation gap in the blindness community. Together they tackle big questions like what can older and younger blind people genuinely learn from each other, and how do we move from talking ab...

In this episode of AT Banter, Rob, Ryan, and Steve shake off an early-morning, post–long weekend haze (fueled by espresso) to welcome Simon Kitchen, Chief Commercial Officer at Dolphin Computer Access. Dolphin is celebrating 40 years in assistive technology, and Simon joins the crew to dig into how the company has evolved from hardware speech synthesizers in the pre-Windows days to today’s powerfu...

In this episode of AT Banter, the gang welcomes Lynn Jensen, Registered Nurse, longtime Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, and author of ‘Best Kept Secrets for Travelers With Sight Loss’. If you’ve ever thought, “Travel is stressful and airports are chaos”—and that’s before adding sight loss into the mix—this episode is packed with concrete tips, great stories, lots of laughs, not to menti...

This week Rob, Ryan, and Lis dive into the fast-evolving world of AI and accessibility as they are joined by Andrew Gillies, founder and CEO of Guide, an AI-powered assistant for Windows that helps blind and low-vision users navigate inaccessible apps and interfaces. Instead of replacing screen readers, Guide works alongside them, stepping in when buttons aren’t labeled, controls can’t be reached,...

In this episode of AT Banter, Rob, Lis, and Steve welcomes back best‑selling author and Meningitis advocate John B. Grimes, whose new memoir Destiny Is Debatable: A Memoir of Meningitis, Losing Sight, and the Love I Didn’t See Coming dives deep into survival, disability, and the messy, beautiful business of building a life afterward. John shares how bacterial meningitis took his sight and nearly h...

This week Rob and Ryan dive into one of the lesser talked about challenges in the blindness and advocacy communities: the growing gap between generations. With guests Betty Nobel, Albert Ruel, Clement Chou, and Russell Leung, they explore how technology can both connect and isolate, why younger blind folks may resist joining organizations or volunteering, and how “back in my day” clashes with “you...

It's White Cane Week and Rob, Ryan, and Steve kick things off with some classic AT Banter chaos before welcoming Mellyssa Lyght, Senior Customer Service Rep and buyer at Ambutech, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of canes for blind and low vision users. Mellyssa takes us behind the scenes of a small but mighty Canadian company that ships canes to about 80 countries, offers millions of poss...

We’re kicking off 2026 with a full house – Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis – diving into the weird, wonderful, and sometimes what-were-they-thinking world of CES 2026 and assistive tech trends for the year ahead. Along the way we rant about tech fatigue, too many apps, smart homes that are too smart, student‑driver self‑driving cars, and even airbag pants for seniors.   Show Transcript https://atbanter....

In this special crossover episode, Rob flies solo without Ryan but drafts in guest host Shawn Marsolais from Blind Beginnings and the Limitless Podcast to help explore the fast, loud, and gloriously chaotic world of blind soccer. They’re joined by Jillian Sloane, Ramya Amuthan, and coach Matt Greenwood from Canada’s Women’s National Blind Soccer Team, who share how a random Facebook post, zero org...

Join Rob and Steve for a World Braille Day special where “bumpy paper” takes the spotlight. They’re joined by Braille champions Shawn Marsolais, Jen Jesso, and Riane LaPaire to celebrate why Braille is literacy and to ask why, in 2026, access to it is still uneven. The panel shares real‑world stories of how Braille powers education, work, and independence, and digs into both the wins and the roadb...

For the last AT Banter episode of the year, Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis reunite and compare holiday plans before being joined by Dhaval Patel of Lotus Labs, creator of the Lotus Ring—a point‑and‑click wearable that controls your home without apps, rewiring, or Wi‑Fi. Dhaval shares how a late‑night struggle to turn off a light sparked the idea, why renters, pregnant parents, people with disabilities,...

This week Rob and Ryan are excited to be joined by returning friends Kerry and Brian Kijewski from Outlook on Radio Western, along with their “BF” – Barry Toner – for a wide‑ranging, funny, and thoughtful conversation about intersectionality, the damage of pity‑based charity marketing, “hero vs. helpless” narratives, and why most people actually live somewhere in the messy middle. It’s a great hou...

This week Rob and Ryan welcome Dr. Nordine Sebkhi and Arpan Bhavsar from Kinemo, a company shaking up the world of wearable assistive tech. Discover how their tiny, customizable sensors are giving independence a high-tech makeover, letting users control everything from power wheelchairs to computers using whatever body part moves best (eyebrows included!). Tune in for stories of epic innovation, e...

Curious how music, technology, and accessibility can blend together?  Lis joins Rob and Ryan this week as they welcome special guest Marshall Walters, the brains (and ears!) behind SonifEye, an innovative app that lets you actually hear the colors around you. It’s a conversation about the concept of sensory substitution and its accessibility implications along with enough jokes about wardrobe choi...

Ready to get your hands on some art? In this episode of AT Banter, we’re joined by tactile graphics gurus Chancey Fleet and Marco Salsiccia, who are on a mission to prove that “drawing in the dark” is not only possible but  downright fun! Discover how blind and low vision creators are hacking the world of SVG coding, conquering “image poverty,” and using everything from 3D printers to… silicone pl...

This week Lis, Rob, and Ryan welcome Brett "The Blind Kid" Devloo to the show, a skateboarder who navigates life with raw authenticity and zero apologies. When vision loss hit at 16, Brett didn't just adapt - he redefined what's possible on a skateboard. Join us as we peel back the layers of Brett's experience, exploring how he transformed a challenging diagnosis into a dynamic personal brand and...

Buckle up for a wild ride with long time friend of the show Mike Calvo! He’s a tech entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and self-proclaimed 'blind visionary' who's lived a life that's part Miami Vice, part Silicon Valley! From hustling in the music scene to revolutionizing assistive technology, Mike drops truth bombs about disability, innovation, and breaking through societal barriers. Hear jaw-dr...

Join us for an epic crossover episode where AT Banter and Limitless podcasts collide to explore the Glide - a groundbreaking AI-powered navigation device that could be poised to change how blind individuals move through the world! Our panel (that includes Limitless Podcast host and friend of the show Shawn Marsolais along with Albert Ruel and first-time guest Alethea) dive deep into their experien...

Dive into the world of disability representation in Canadian film as Rob, Ryan and Steve sit down with Alethea Bakogeorge, Director of Programs & Development from the Disability Screen Office (DSO). From her personal journey as a disabled actor to leading a groundbreaking national organization, Alethea shares insights about disability in the screen industry, powerful advocacy, and the exciting...

Buckle up and get ready to ride as Rob, Steve and Ryan welcome back Amos Miller with the latest scoop on Glide, the revolutionary mobility device making waves in the blindness community. As CEO of Glidance, Amos shares exciting updates on how Glide’s autonomous navigation system is reshaping the way blind travelers experience the world. We’ll explore how this cutting-edge device tackles real-world...

Get ready to navigate the world like never before! This week Ryan and Rob sit down with Christopher Toth from XR Navigation, the company behind Audiom, the first accessible digital map that turns boring, inaccessible geography into an audio adventures. Christopher breaks down how his team is revolutionizing mapping technology, making the world more accessible one 3D audio soundscape at a time. Fro...

Get ready for a double dose of laughs and insight as the Limitless Podcast and AT Banter join forces for the inaugural episode of Limitless Banter! Guest host Shawn Marsolais (Blind Beginnings, Limitless Podcast) teams up with Ryan Fleury and Steve Barclay for a lively podcast crossover featuring the one and only Jennie Bovard, star of AMI’s comedy series, Pretty Blind. Dive behind the scenes as J...