Talking Tech by Vision Australia Radio

In this podcast, Toby Walsh is joined by Vision Australia assistive technology guru and 'Talking Tech' presenter David Woodbridge to chat all things Artificial Intelligence. Toby Walsh is Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales, research group leader at Data61, adjunct professor at...

Quick list of links for this weeks show.   OPen AI 4o Online Presentation   https://www.engadget.com/openai-claims-that-its-free-gpt-4o-model-can-talk-laugh-sing-and-see-like-a-human-184249780.html?src=rss&guccounter=1   The Chat GPT Mac Desktop app (for Chat GPT Plus Subscribers)   https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-chatgpt-desktop-app-is-more-helpful-than-i-expected-heres-why-and-how-to-try-i...

Product Minute: Mountbatten Tutor.   Happy to say the Mountbatten Tutor is available from both Vision Australia and Quantum RLV. Great for pre-Braille training in to primary. Could be used by adults as well, but not primary focus. Braille, emboss, type in via QWERTY keyboard, see what is happening on the inbuilt screen, and link it up to a smart phone or tablet.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/...

In this weeks Talking Tech, Stephen gives a warning about the potential of the Sonos app update May 7 in the US not being accessible with VoiceOver.   Stephen catch’s up with Sam Taylor (ATC) from the Va Brisbane office on a general discussion about assistive and main stream tech. Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.4...

This week Stephen revisits a program from late last year in conversation with David on the technology advances in 2024.   Notes from 26th December 2023: What is Computer Artificial Intelligence (AI)   In simple terms, it is making computers think like Humans. Eg recognising speech, making decision, and recognising patterns etc.   General examples of Computer AI   Advanced Web Search Engines. Recom...

Product Minute: Envoy Connect Audio Player for the Vision Australia Library   Straightforward and easy to use with the Windows Kiosk application to access books and download to the plugged in player. Then unplug, and enjoy your audio book. Remember, the Vision Australia Library is open to anyone with a print disability, and the Vision Store is available to anyone interested in vision related produ...

Product Minute:: Mini Guide Cane Holder     As the name suggests, it is a holder that you slide your Mini Guide in to which is attached to your cane.   I only purchased mine this week and it is one of those items which I should have purchased when it first came out, it is so handy smile.   Several links below   Two links firstly to the Va Store shop page for the Mini guide Holder, and then the lin...

Talking Tech for April 9 2024 Product Minute: Shokz Open Move Bone Conduction Head Phones   Two reasons why I always go back to these head phones. Firstly of course, they are bone conduction head phones leaving my ears free to listen to what is around me. Secondly, they use a standard USBC port which means for my ever growing collection of USBC devices plus their cables, they still fit wright in....

Product Minute: 10 inch Digital Clock with 30 Alarm Reminders   Excellent bed side or wall mounted large print clock. One thing that my wife holds on to, is our clock on the wall at home so she can just glance at the time when she needs to.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/10-inch-digital-clock-with-30-alarm-reminders.html   Another Update from CSUN Conference 2024, Sony   A lot more than just t...

Product Minute: Zoomax Snow 12 Inch video magnifier with Speech (more than half price)   Very handy portable tablet sized video magnifier and OCR print reading device.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/zoomax-snow-12-with-speech-magnifier.html   A Chat About the new BT Speak and bt Speak Pro   Note taker or note taker and full desktop.   My Demo:   https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/2d3u25/BTSpeak_P...

Talking Tech show notes for March 19 2024 Product minute: Manual Braille Labeller.   Nice to have around to simply label stuff in Braille.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/reizen-rl-350-braille-labeller.html   My Concerns of Using Hable One with Android   Some of the Hable One commands simply do not  work on my Samsung Z Flip 3. Folks on the web have said it does work, and it doesn’t work on the...

Talking Tech for March 12 2024 Product Minute from the Vision Store   Code Jumper - a great way to teach students coding through physical play.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/code-jumper.html   A Reminder for CSUN 2024 Number 39 March 18 to 24 2024   I’m really looking forward to this years 39TH conference, especially in the realm of AI.   https://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/sessions/index.php...

My First Colouring Book    Yes I no not Tech related grin. I’m really looking forward to trying this out with my Grandson.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/my-first-colouring-book-animals.html   Loop Ear Buds   Various ear buds for different  Environments simply using acoustic filters.   https://www.amazon.com.au/s?me=A1CVBR8PLBYTJC&marketplaceID=A39IBJ37TRP1C6   Amazon Echo Pop, new Echo  ...

Hable one   Yes it is in the web shop now.   Here are some notes I wrote about the Hable one, then you’ll find the link to the shop page. Product description:   Hable One is an external braille keyboard designed for people who are blind or have low vision to use and navigate their smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android)with ease. No installation is needed – just pair it to your smart device via Blue...

News From the Vision Store: Vision Store Parramatta Closed Feb 21 to April 22 Due to Building Renovations.   As of February 29, Vision Store no longer selling Apple products.   Product Spot Light: Mini Guide.   One of my most longest used sonar type devices for obstacle detection.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/miniguide-ultrasonic-echo-location-detector.html   Products that I will be investig...

60 seconds Product spot:   All Terrain Cane.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/all-terrain-cane.html   With all the hype around AI/AR/VR etc, I thought it would be good to take a pause and look at the other tech trends that are important to us now and moving forward:                   5G Expansion and Adoption: 5G networks will become more widespread, offering faster and more reliable connectivit...

Talking Tech for Feb 6 2024   Product Minute - SensePlayer OCR   60 seconds for me to talk about some great VA Store stuff that I personally use.   First cab off the rank is the SensePlayer OcR.   Why I love it: FM Radio, Smart Keyboard to iPhone, Ability to Run Android Apps, and further development easily achievable.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/sense-player-ocr-et.html   New Spot Where You...

Tech that I use Myself   Last week I talked about tech from the VA Store, this week this is a list of the tech I use for various reasons.   Before I do that, an updated price for the BTSpeak and BTSpeak Pro: $795 and $1195 US respectively.   Now to the tech list which I explain fully in the show.   Tile Tag.   AirTag.   Steel Series 5 Gaming Head Set.   Bluetooth transmitter.   External USB Sound...

Talking Tech for Jan 23 2024 A reminder about the Web Aim Screen Reader Survey Closing 31 January 2024   https://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey10/   VAR Studio One Interview   My Interview On VA Radio Studio One About Tech that blind or low vision folks use.   https://omny.fm/shows/studio1/technology-and-us   Apple Vision Report Card for 2023 from AppleVis   https://applevis.com/blog/apple...

Talking Tech for Jan 16 2024 Vision Pro Availability Announced by Apple   In the US only, pre-order Jan 19, and available Feb 2024.   Promo Video for the Vision Pro   https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/01/09/apple-released-a-short-video-teasing-apple-vision-pro?utm_medium=rss   Apple Quietly increased the Find My Limit from 16 to 32 as of iOS 16   https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/01/12/apple...

Celebrating World Braille Day for 2024, Vision Australia   https://www.visionaustralia.org/community/news/2024-01-04-world-braille-day   Webaim Screen Reader Survey number 10 - closing Jan 31 2024   https://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey10/   Ban on Apple Watch series 9 and Apple Watch ultra two as of December 26, 2023 currently under appeal by Apple.   Consumer electronics show CES Jan 9...

Things that caught my Attention in 2023 and looking Ahead in to 2024   2023   DotPad.   Monarch (preview).   Sinceplayer OCR ET.   Brailliant BIX 20 or 40 software update that includes speech output with Daisy book reading.   Victor Reader stream 3.   iPhone 15 Pro (Actions button).   Things to look forward to in 2024   Finally release hopefully of the Mountbatten Tutor from Quantum.: a couple of...

What is Computer Artificial Intelligence (AI)   In simple terms, it is making computers think like Humans. Eg recognising speech, making decision, and recognising patterns etc.   General examples of Computer AI   Advanced Web Search Engines. Recommendation systems. Virtual assistance. Speech recognition. Automatic translation. Automatic audio translation. Automated speech synthesis. Smart home. Pr...

New Telescopic Cane is Now Available from the Vision Store   Ok, so not tech exactly, but this telescopic cane is excellent, light weight, easy to extend/retract, and just feels really really nice in the hand.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/kwf-54inch-138cm-telescopic-cane-button-style.html   Sight Tech Global 2023   Held on Dec 6-7, an online 2 day conference about the trends in tech for blin...

3 Interesting O&M apps to test your listening and navigation Skills   On the App Store, search for EchoVis, and you’ll find 3 games: EchoVis Quest, EchoVis Game, and EchoVis Street.   Seeing AI now Available on Android   Be-My-Eyes Virtual AI Assistant beta rEquest Now Available on Android   Audible and Kindle on the Mac   Two surprises today The Audible.com iOS app works on my Apple Silicon ...