Thursday, August 30, 2018

Good news: Paralympic Medals Rattle So Visually Impaired Athletes Can Identify Them

Paralympic Medals Rattle So Visually Impaired Athletes Can Identify Them

“We call it, ‘The sound of victory.’”

from huffingtonpost.com 

Paralympic medal winners now look and sound like champions.
That’s because when the gold, silver and bronze medals for the 2016 games in Rio are shaken, they each make a different noise. The new feature gives visually impaired athletes another way to identify which medal they’ve won.
Victor Hugo Berbert, the manager in charge of the new sound element, told the International Business Times that he hopes the addition leads to more design elements that promote inclusivity.
“That the next games bring other sensory elements for the athletes and that this might carry on,” he told the outlet.

Each of the 2,642 medals made for the Paralympic games has a device inside with a different number of steel balls, giving each color a different tone, according to the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ site.

The bronze medals, for instance, have 16 steel balls, producing the lowest noise. Silver medals have 20 balls, creating a slightly higher rattle and the gold medals have 28, generating the loudest tone.  

All of the medals also have “Rio 2016 Paralympic Games” written on them in braille. 
The aim was to give athletes who are visually impaired a more personalized commemoration.

“To not just be able to show the medal, but for those who have a visual or sensory impairment to be able to feel it not just by touching it, not just with the Braille that is on it, but with its sound,” Berbert, told IBT.

The idea for the addition occurred when designer Claudia Gamboa had an “ah-ha” moment one day while a team was thinking of ways to improve the medals, Dalcacio Reis, the Olympics’ design manager, told Public Radio International.
“We just said, ‘Oh my God! Let’s try to do it,’” Reis told the outlet.

It took the team a few months to add the new design element, but once they were done, they were pleased with the results. Tânia Martins, brand manager for the 2016 Summer Games told PRI:
“We call it, ‘The sound of victory.’’”

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

OIB Gathering


            OIB Gathering

            Thursday, August 30, 2018

            Time:  12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

            Location:  WS Blind Auditorium

            Lunch will be served



Please call Rosalyn if you are needing transportation to pick you up and take you home at (501) 664-7100 Ext. 233.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Dollar General Circular August 26-September 1

Dollar General Circular August 26-September 1

BOGO free Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce 18 ounces

$1 Armour hot dogs 12 count or Clover Valley hot dog or hamburger buns 8 count

3/$10 Pepsi 12 pack 12 ounce cans variety

$5.95 Maxwell House coffee 24.5 ounces

$3.95 Dasani water 24 pack 16.9 ounces

2/$4 Lay's chips variety 10 ounces

$1.50 Hefty plates 18-45 count

$4.25 DG Home trash bags

Saturday, August 25, 2018

OIB Gathering August 30th


            OIB Gathering
            Thursday, August 30, 2018
            Time:  12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
            Location:  WS Blind Auditorium
            Lunch will be served

Please call Rosalyn if you are needing transportation to pick you up and take you home at (501) 664-7100 Ext. 233.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Thursday, August 30

Hi all,
We will meet for lunch and fun on Thursday, August 30 at noon. Lese has a great lunch planned!
Call Ros if you need transportation!

Is it fall yet?: Pumpkin-Popcorn Soup

Pumpkin-Popcorn Soup

from foodnetwork.com 

Ingredients

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add 2 cups of the popcorn and toss to coat in the butter. 

Add the stock, pumpkin and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the leeks are very tender, the popcorn has dissolved away from the kernels and the kernels are softened, about 15 minutes. 

Puree the soup with a hand blender or in batches in a countertop blender. Stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if necessary. Thin with up to 1/2 cup water, if desired. Serve in individual bowls with the remaining popcorn as a garnish.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Visually impaired use AI technology to capture photographs

Visually impaired use AI technology to capture photographs 

from thestar.com 

A photo of the sunrise overlooking Masjid As-Salam, located in Puchong Perdana, was taken by the visually impaired Jamaliah Mohd Yasin. — Huawei 

A photo of the sunrise overlooking Masjid As-Salam, located in Puchong Perdana, was taken by the visually impaired Jamaliah Mohd Yasin. — Huawei

Huawei is setting out to prove that visual impairment is no deterrent to being able to take good photos. 

In a collaboration with the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) and arts NGO Plus Community (+Community), Huawei launched a three-month “Sensory Photography” series of classes for a group of visually impaired individuals and MAB students, where they were encouraged to use photography as a medium to express themselves as well as envision their surroundings.

The 10 classes were part of Huawei's "AI As The Eyes" campaign that aims to provide photography skills to the visually impaired using Huawei P20 Pro’s artificial intelligence technology.
Using the smart voice guide, as well as the phone’s AI-powered camera that intelligently assists users, participants were able to take photographs.The classes were conducted by Malaysian photographer David Lok, founder of DL Studios, who taught the participants the basics of light, shadows, forms and textures, and how to tell better stories using the P20 Pro’s camera.

“At Huawei Technologies, we believe that the visually impaired should not be left behind. They should also be able to ride the wave of technology together with us. Which is why our innovative technologies are meant to be shared among all members of the community. This initiative marks our long-standing efforts in providing the skills, products and services that expand connectivity and connect people to important technologies and opportunities,” said Huawei Consumer Business Group country director Bill Liu in a statement.  
 
“It is amazing to see participants so eager to learn and to observe the creative expressions portrayed in each photograph. This drives us further to do what we do on a daily basis, to play a part in giving back to members of the community and operate in a socially responsible manner because this is the core of our business,” he added. 

Jamaliah Mohd Yasin, a mother of two and grandmother of three whose condition is classified as B1 – total visual impairment – is one of the participants whose photographs have been submitted for Huawei’s Next-Image Photography Awards 2018. The award offers a grand prize of US$20,000 (RM82,100) as well as the opportunity for winners to showcase their best work to a global audience.

To learn more about the Next-Image Awards or submit your photographs visit gallery.consumer.huawei.com.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/08/23/visually-impaired-use-ai-technology-to-capture-photographs/#Ysj5SpxE4uXt3KlS.99

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Upcoming OIB Workshops


OIB
September 12, 2018
Pine Valley
100 Meadowbrook Lane
Magnolia, AR
1:30 p.m.

OIB
September 27, 2018
Butterfield Place
Butterfield Place
8420 Phoenix Avenue
Fort Smith, AR
La Rhesa- (479) 306-6151
3:00 p.m.

OIB
October 3, 2018
Fountain Place
2 Chickasha Drive
Cherokee Village
(501) 257-5000
1:30 p.m.

for more information, contact Rosalyn Summerville rsummerville@wsblind.org