Assembling Accessibility: Using Open-Source Hardware and Software to improve the lives of people with disabilities One of the significant challenges facing the open-source community - as well as Kansas City itself - is accessibility. This presentation will explore the usage of open-source hardware and software to provide better accessibility and decreased cost of assistive technology for people with disabilities.

1. Assembling Accessibility
Using Open-Source Hardware and Software
to improve the lives of people with disabilities

2. What IS Assistive &
Accessible Technology?
● Assistive Technology: umbrella term
covering assistive, adaptive, and
rehabilitative devices for people with
disabilities
● Hardware examples: refreshable braille
displays, magnifiers, alternate mice and
keyboards, etc.
● Software examples: screen readers,
text-to-speech programs, speech-to-text
programs, screen magnifiers, etc.

3. Why Accessibility is Important
Larger, more diversified userbase; more
complete development/beta testing
Usability & interface evolution
Compatibility and usability for ourselves and
others, regardless of ability

5. Confinement Cycle
● Locating funding for
proprietary AT is itself a
barrier to accessibility
● Linux + Internet of Things
= true independence
● Use single-board
computers (SBC) to
automate a person’s living
space

6. Creating accessible devices
and living spaces using OSH
● Automate simple tasks
● Leverage existing tech
● Open Prosthetics

7. Further Information
Raspberry Pi GPIO home
automation:
http://www.instructables.
com/id/Raspberry-Pi-GPIO-home-
automation/
Homwire (Modular open home-automation
platform):
http://homwire.com/
Allseen Alliance:
https://allseenalliance.org/
Open Prosthetics Project:
http://openprosthetics.org/

8. Universal Tux on Google+
http://preview.tinyurl.com/universaltux
a
Spencer Hunley
about.me/spencerhunley
slideshare.net/SpencerHunley/
assembling-accessibility
spencer.hunley@gmail.com