2451 Google Leverages AI to Enhance Accessibility (Dec. 18, 2024) Show Notes Android is now more accessible with enhanced tools for the visually impaired, including updates to TalkBack, the Magnifier app, Lookout and Selfie Illumination. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Lisie Lillianfeld and Sejal D’Souza, product managers at Google, about th…

2450 Hilton and Be My Eyes Join Forces (Dec. 11, 2024) Show Notes Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Nicole Bergstrom, Hilton’s Sr. Director of Digital Accessibility, about Hilton’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. Learn about their partnership with Be My Eyes, using Hilton staff or AI to assist visually impaired individuals and dis…

2449 Accessible Materials for a Spiritual Life (Dec. 4, 2024) Show Notes Accessible religious materials enable people to fully engage with their communities. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Livia Thompson from JBI and Malachy Fallon from Xavier Society for the Blind about how each organization produces materials in braille, audio, and large …

2448 Guide to iOS 18 Enhancements for Accessibility (Nov. 27, 2024) Show Notes Shelly Brisbin, a technology journalist and author, discusses the new revision of her book “iOS Access for All – Your comprehensive guide to accessibility for iPhone and iPad”. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Shelly about new features in iOS for blind and low visi…

2447 Unseen – Life as a Blind Immigrant (Nov. 20, 2024) Show Notes Pedro, a blind immigrant, recounts his journey toward education and a career in social work. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Pedro and Set Hernandez, director of the documentary “Unseen: Life as a Blind Immigrant,” which describes Pedro’s journey. They delve into the obstacle…

2446 Encore of 1913 Two Blind Brothers Clothing Line (Nov. 13, 2024) Show Notes Two Blind Brothers makes ultra-soft clothing from natural fibers for the sole purpose of funding blindness research and being part of finding a cure. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with brothers and founders Bryan and Bradford Manning, who are both blind, about how t…

2445 Shopping Made Simple with Innosearch AI (Nov. 6, 2024) Show Notes Discover how Innosearch AI is revolutionizing online shopping for the visually impaired. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Patrick Long and Bryan Vuong, co-founders of Innosearch AI, about their AI-powered platform designed to make shopping easier and more accessible with a…

2444 Encore of 1739 Running with a Remote Aira Guide (Oct. 30, 2024) Show Notes Aira is a service developed to give the blind instant access to information using a smart phone, a video camera, and a remote sighted agent. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Erich Manser, a blind distance runner and triathlete, and Jess Jakeway, a sighted distance…

2443 Aira Anytime Anywhere (Oct. 23, 2024) Show Notes Learn how Aira is revolutionizing accessibility for the visually impaired with its blend of human interpreters and AI. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Everette Bacon, Chief of Blindness Initiatives, about Aira’s partnerships offering free services in many locations. Find out how Aira prov…

2442 NotebookLM from Google (Oct. 16, 2024) Show Notes NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool being developed by Google. Working with NotebookLM, users can summarize complex information, create study guides, and generate dynamic discussions based on their own documents. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey also demonstrate how NotebookLM can be used to generate …

2441 Finding Your Path to Financial Freedom (Oct. 9, 2024) Show Notes Reaching your financial goals isn’t always easy and may be even more difficult if you have a disability. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Rachel Christian, the visually impaired founder of Unseen Wealth, about how she helps and coaches families with unique needs get control…

2440 Revolutionizing JAWS with AI (Oct. 2, 2024) Show Notes Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ryan Jones, Vice President of Software Product Management at Vispero, about the latest updates in the JAWS screen reader. Learn how JAWS is incorporating AI with new features like PictureSmart AI for image descriptions and the AI-powered FS Companion …

2439 From Pups to Partners – Raising Guide Dogs (Sep. 25, 2024) Show Notes Learn what it is like to raise a guide dog. Hosts Nancy and Peter talk with Lauren Grimditch, Puppy Raising Field Manager for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Jenny Truax, a dedicated volunteer. They discuss the journey of raising guide dogs, the responsibilities involved, and …

2438 Leashed and Left Behind – Ending Rideshare Discrimination (Sep. 18, 2024) Show Notes Rideshare drivers often deny service to passengers with guide dogs despite company policies and laws protecting them. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Amy Salger, Alumni Engagement Manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind, and board member Melba Velez Ortiz a…

2437 For All Your Access Technology News (Sep. 11, 2024) Show Notes If you’re not familiar with Top Tech Tidbits or Access Information News, you might want to learn more about these informative newsletters and websites. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Aaron Di Blasi, Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, about how …

2436 Glide to Independence (Sep. 4, 2024) Show Notes Glide is an innovative self-driven, AI-powered mobility device for those who are visually impaired. Using advanced sensors and real-time data, Glide navigates the user around obstacles and guides them to their destination. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Amos Miller, founder and CEO of Gli…

2435 AI Video Descriptions with PiccyBot (Aug. 28, 2024) Show Notes There are several AI tools that vision impaired people can use for describing scenes and photos to assist in their daily lives. PiccyBot is unique, however, in that it also has the ability to describe video content. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Martijn van der Spek, devel…

2434 Biking Beyond the Breaking Point (Aug. 21, 2024) Show Notes Hard as one might try, success in achieving one’s goal isn’t always guaranteed. When one misses the goal, however, the question is how one reacts to failure and what one learns from it. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Dave Wilkinson about these issues as they relate to his unsu…

2433 The Evolution of Benetech and Bookshare (Aug. 14, 2024) Show Notes Benetech has made it possible for people around the world who are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled to access printed books and educational materials. Hosts Nancy and Peter talk with CEO Ayan Kishore about the evolution of Benetech and Bookshare, and how they are usin…

2432 Strike Up Some Fun By Bowling (Aug. 7, 2024) Show Notes Participating in a sport can get you out meeting people, making friends, and staying healthy by being active. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Robert “Doc” Wright who has been a blind bowler for many years. He tells how the sport works for someone with vision loss and how you can fi…

2431 All Ears on Deck with Storymore Audio Dramas (Jul. 31, 2024) Show Notes If you like listening to audio dramas then you’ll like Storymore. If you are a visually impaired creator you might even like being a contributor to help create a radio drama with others around the world. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with CEO Micah Thomas and SVP Tanja…

2430 Getting the Feel of the Game (Jul. 24, 2024) Show Notes If you can’t see what is happening on the field, it is difficult to fully enjoy live sports even if it is being announced. But there might be another way. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jerred Mace, CEO and co-founder of OneCourt, about how their unique technology enables blind us…

2429 Your Meds Made Clear (Jul. 17, 2024) Show Notes Do you struggle to read prescription labels? If so, you should know that En-Vision America partners with many pharmacies to provide talking prescription labels as well as labels in braille or large print at no additional cost to you. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jenna Reed, marketing di…

2428 A Symphony of Success (Jul. 10, 2024) Show Notes Julia LaGrand is a blind violinist and disability advocate who is currently studying at the New England Conservatory. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Julia about her unique approach to learning music, her experiences as a blind musician, her journey towards a successful career in musical …

2427 Blind Not Broken – A Journey from Darkness to Determination (Jul. 3, 2024) Show Notes Lucy Edwards is an English influencer, disability activist, and journalist. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Lucy about her new book “Blind Not Broken” in which she shares her inspiring journey of adapting to vision loss during her teenage years, her st…

2426 Behind the Scenes – The Art of Audio Description (Jun. 26, 2024) Show Notes Dive into the world of live performance through the eyes of an audio describer. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Amy Ogden, an audio describer for live theater and ballet. Amy shares insights from her training and highlights the importance of precise descriptions…

2425 Bringing a New Dimension to Audio Description (Jun. 19, 2024) Show Notes The Miners Alley Performing Arts Center offers audio described performances with a twist: a tactile tour backstage before each described show! Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Executive Director Lisa DeCaro and Patron Services Manager Amy Arpan about their audio des…

2424 Guiding Emily – A Story of Loss and Resilience to Rediscovery (Jun. 12, 2024) Show Notes The Guiding Emily series of books tells the story of how a woman who is suddenly blinded adjusts to life coping with divorce, pressures of a professional career, family relations, and more. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with author Barbara Hinske about…

2423 Your Reading, Your Podcast, Your Way (Jun. 5, 2024) Show Notes Listen Later transforms articles, websites, and written content into podcasts that you can listen to in your favorite podcast app. Simply e-mail a link or attachment and hear it read out loud in a natural voice! Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with founder Yalim Gerger to explore…

2422 Low Vision Connections with CCLVI (May 29, 2024) Show Notes The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) is an affiliate program of the American Council of the Blind. Their mission is to connect low vision individuals to share information, experiences, and fun. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey speak with members Christine Chaikin …

2421 Behind the Screen at NV Access (May 22, 2024) Show Notes Development of the free and open source NVDA screen reader from NV Access began in 2006 and has served as a vital tool for blind people around the world. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Mick Curran, creator and co-developer, and Gerald Hartig, the newly announced CTO of NV Access,…

2420 Helping Improve Accessibility with Fable (May 15, 2024) Show Notes Fable was formed to assist large enterprises in improving digital accessibility for people with various disabilities. They do this by hiring disabled community members to test and provide feedback on web sites, applications, and products. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with …

2419 When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Pottery (May 8, 2024) Show Notes With the right attitude, life’s unexpected adversities can sometimes open up new doors and opportunities. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tim Clark who suddenly lost virtually all of his sight in one eye while at work one day. During his recovery, he discovered the joy of…

2418 Get Started On Starting Your Own Business (May 1, 2024) Show Notes The Forsythe Entrepreneurial Center at The Chicago Lighthouse provides business startup educational workshops and certification programs for vision impaired people who want to start or run their own business. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Colleen Wunderlich, Vice Presi…

2417 Vacation Memories with Gemini and Bing (Apr. 24, 2024) Show Notes Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey return home from their trip to San Diego and use AI to review photos they took while there. See how they used both Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Bing image description tools to reminisce about their visits to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, the …

2416 On Vacation with Be My Eyes (Apr. 17, 2024) Show Notes Come on a fun filled vacation with hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey as they tour sites in San Diego using the Be My Eyes app as their AI tour guide. In this episode they visit the Cannibal Museum, the Museum of Us, and the model railroad museum. See how they use Be My Eyes to enhance the exper…

2415 The Envision Glasses and Envision AI App (Apr. 10, 2024) Show Notes The Envision Glasses and app feature real-time text recognition, voice controls, and hands-free video calling for people who are blind or have low vision enabling them to access everyday visual information for themselves. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Karthik Kannan, …

2414 Encore of 1845 Seeing the Stars His Own Way (Apr. 3, 2024) Show Notes Astronomy is often thought of as based on visual observation. As it turns out most raw astronomical observations are not visible and must be transformed to be perceived by humans. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Morgan Rehnberg, a blind astronomer, about these issues …

2413 Music Education for the Visually Impaired (Mar. 27, 2024) Show Notes The Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School (FMDG Music School) is committed to helping visually impaired people pursue their study of music. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Dalia Sakas, Director of Music Studies at the FMDG Music School, about the instructional p…

2412 RightHear Expands to More Venues (Mar. 20, 2024) Show Notes RightHear works with your smart phone to provide talking signage, so everyone can interpret and understand their surroundings in real time. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Idan Meir, co-founder of RightHear, about how this simple to use and easily implemented blue tooth solutio…

2411 Encore of 1244 Hiking the Appalachian Trail Solo (Mar. 13, 2024) Show Notes A long hike can be much more than a walk in the woods. We’ll talk with Karl Ritter, also known as Bats, about long distance hiking including his end-to-end hike on the 2200 mile long Appalachian Trail. Karl has very little vision and did the first 500 miles alone. Lear…

2410 The Hable One Keyboard (Mar. 6, 2024) Show Notes The Hable One is an external keyboard designed to make using a smartphone simpler and more convenient for those with visual impairments. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Freek van Welsenis, co-founder of Hable, about the intuitive design of this pocket-size device and how it can be used to…

2409 A Community of Medical Professionals (Feb. 28, 2024) Show Notes Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Andrea Lendaris, Bo (Kevin) Barley, and Silpa Tadavarthy about their experiences as visually impaired medical professionals and the impact that the Disability in Medical Mutual Mentorship Program (DM3P) has made in their training and careers.…

2408 The Disability in Medicine Mutual Mentorship Program (Feb. 21, 2024) Show Notes The Disability in Medicine Mutual Mentorship Program (DM3P) is a grassroots organization that supports disabled healthcare professionals and trainees as they navigate the field of medicine. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with members Erin Jarrell and Suchita Ras…

2407 Biped – The Smart Mobility Aid (Feb. 14, 2024) Show Notes Now the technology used in self-driving cars comes to a smart harness worn by the blind to warn of obstacles and assist navigating using a combination of GPS and audio feedback. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with co-founder and CEO Maël Fabien about the development of the Biped devi…

2406 From Science to Linguistics to Both (Feb. 7, 2024) Show Notes Sheri Wells-Jensen wanted to be a scientist when she was young. Unfortunately, being blind as well as female she was discouraged from pursuing such a career by those around her. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Sheri, now an Associate Professor of Linguistics, about her journe…

2405 Making Space Exploration Accessible (Jan. 31, 2024) Show Notes Sheri Wells-Jensen is a fully blind Associate Professor of Linguistics at Bowling Green State University who spent six days with four crew members in a hermetically sealed habitat at Biosphere 2, learning about what it would be like living on Mars or the Moon. Hosts Nancy and Peter…

2404 Court Reporter (Jan. 24, 2024) Show Notes Eden Kizer is a blind court reporter. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Eden about how she was drawn to the profession and what makes it a suitable profession for someone who is blind. You’ll learn about how she was trained, the technology that makes this possible, how the job is done, and why Ede…

2403 Echo Heart Rate App for iOS (Jan. 17, 2024) Show Notes Using Voiceover to monitor one’s heart rate while running on a noisy treadmill wearing an Apple Watch and noise cancelling AirPods is difficult. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Alex Weiner, developer at PK Fitness, about how he added Siri commands to provide on demand speech feedbac…

2402 Meet the Host – Nancy Goodman Torpey (Jan. 10, 2024) Show Notes The microphone is turned around on Nancy Torpey this week when she is interviewed by Glen Gordon, Software Fellow at Freedom Scientific and host of the FSCast podcast. In this episode you’ll learn how Nancy became interested in science, how she and Peter met, her education and car…