Google glass update

Increasing Independence with Google Glass Smart phones are great, but if Google has their way, everyone will be wearing their mobile technology. Last year they unveiled Google Glass, and now thousands of developers and people who have signed up to be explorers are testing out the new device. Some developers are working on making the technology useable for the blind, and for one explorer, Google Glass has become a path back to independence. Tammie Van Sant was driving home from a camping trip when she was hit by another vehicle. She survived the crash, but was left paralyzed from the chest down. Since the accident, she has found it very challenging to do many things on her own. When she found out that Google was looking for people to test out Google Glass, she decided to apply to be an explorer. Since many of the features of Google Glass can be activated by voice command and head movement, it is a great option for people who have mobility challenges. Now for the first time since her accident, Tammie can answer the phone, read and respond to texts, and navigate around town independently. Her story is not the only way that Google Glass is impacting the lives of people with disabilities. A team of researchers is also exploring ways to make the device usable by the blind. The two apps that are being developed would provide object recognition and verbal descriptions of the user's surroundings. To read Tammie's story and watch a video of her using Google Glass visit this link: http://mashable.com/2013/08/07/google-glass-disabled