I have been using Assistive Technology for my entire life. Many people know that I use an iPhone Pro Max with my big toe with assistive touch. My phone is attached to my power wheelchair with a Rehadapt mount. This mount lets me take on and off my iPhone completely independently with my feet. Since I am unable to use a phone charger by myself, I use a magnetic phone charger. I make phone calls with the new Apple feature Text To Speak, which allows me to make actual phone calls to individuals. This feature helps me call businesses such as restaurants and make to-go orders.
As many of you know I also use an eye-gaze device that is named the TD Pilot which is a regular iPad Pro with an eye-gaze case on it. I have to calibrate my eyes to the iPad and this way I can control everything on the iPad with my eyes. This device has communication software so that I can carry on a conversation with any of my friends and they can actually understand me. I can mount this device on my power wheelchair by using the connectIT mount.
I get around by using a Permobil Power Wheelchair which allows me to get around wherever I need to go. It has a seat elevator that allows me to raise my seat up in able to reach stuff that is on shelves that are high up. The seat elevator allows be to be eye level with people, and as an added bonus, it makes it possible for me to sit at high top tables in restaurants. I can also recline my seat back at the dentist to help them look around my mouth, or take naps when needed!
I have a Giraffe water bottle that is on my wheelchairr that has a long straw that wraps around my wheelchair and allows me to drink water whenever I want. I also have an Obi Robot Feeder that I can feed myself independently. It has four different bowls that I can put different types of food that I want to eat. I control it by using switches with my foot on my footplate.
Sometimes, I have to go to my friends’ houses that are not wheelchair accessible. These ramps allow me to go over to my friends’ houses, set up the wheelchair ramps, and drive into their houses using them. We have also used these while on vacations where the property has a few stairs. I have an app on my iPhone that allows me to open and close my garage door at my house to allow me to come in and out whenever I please.
I also have an automatic door lock on my house door that let’s me unlock and lock on an app on my iPhone. This allows me to come and leave my house and make sure that the house is locked up.
Today’s technology has really empowered me in my daily life, and it’s crazy how life-changing it can be for an individual with a physical disability.
