Using technology to care for people.

Technology is changing the way we care for others. Nearly gone are the days of feeling overwhelmed or overburdened by this important task. How has technology helped, and what problems can we ask it to solve or make easier? Let’s get ideas and inspiration to make a better future for those in need.

With hardware becoming significantly cheaper over the years, and software advancing quickly as bandwidth and processing power massively grow, along with the new potentials in AI (some of which we’re already seeing), caring for our families and friends is far easier than before. What’s even better is how this technology gives more freedom and even saves lives. Here’s a look at technology I’ve personally used, helped others use, and advocated for its release. From tracking those with special needs, to giving them freedom without worry, technology is making life more enjoyable for those in need of help. I’ve advocated for advancements that are coming, helped protect the use of technology required for some people to learn, taught techniques I use, and made people more aware of the importance of accessibility tech to bring in a largely untapped user base. But it doesn’t stop there. We still have a lot more to develop further and more problems to solve. What other ideas can we come up with to help people in the future? What needs and desired benefits should developers keep in mind? My discussion looks to open minds to new ideas and inspire others to create the next big help for many, as well as to remind people that anyone can bring about positive changes.

I really enjoyed being here last year, and hope for this to be my third event talk. I have spent my life advocating for technology that helps people. Through my own personal experiences, plus witness and support of those in need, “technology as accessibility support” has been a key part of my life. After working as well as I could for almost 20 years, I eventually had to go on permanent disability. But that was only a change in career. As a teen, I was shown that “disability doesn’t have to mean dependency and inactivity”. That’s when I knew that once I eventually couldn’t continue a traditional job, I too could use my knowledge and skill to help improve the lives of others. I’m enjoying my new “disability career” as I’ve become more involved, more outgoing, and always hoping to be more inspirational to both those in need and those who can make positive changes for them.