DeafBlind Association NSW | Community organisation

DeafBlind Association NSW

Phone: +61 2 9744 5712

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25.01.2022 Deafblind walker enters Blackmores 10 km run 2018. Cathy Egan aged 55, previous a nurse assistant, is taking on the challenge of walking the 10 km Blackmore run... with the help and guidance of her fantastic volunteer team. Cathy has been diagnosed recently with Deafblindness. Although she has had many years adjusting to being blind, hearing loss adds a new dimension to her challenges. Rather, than seeing this in a negative light, in typical Cathy fashion she has taken on this new development of her disability as an opportunity to show people of her capabilities and the capabilities of anyone with Deafblindness. You can achieve a normal life with the help of appropriate, positive, supports she says. Whilst Cathy enjoys improving her health and well-being she also enjoys being a contributing member of her community. With this in mind Cathy is asking anyone who would like to be part of this project to please sponsor her and all proceeds will go to our organisation, DeafBlind Association (NSW) Inc. Cathy says of DBA(NSW) Inc, I seriously don’t know where I would have been had I not come across your magical organisation. I can’t believe the friendship, kindness and caring and, most of all, the understanding, education and gentle advocacy that I have received, it has been absolutely awesome. One of the hardest things that I have experienced has been isolation and you guys have opened a whole new world for me and I can’t emphasise that enough! So that’s why I believe it’s my turn to give back to the Association, to help you to continue with your fantastic work and with hopefully the help of the general public! As it is my belief, that the general public really do want to help out, with a good solid project such as this. If any of you reading this feel inclined to support this project please feel free to donate below. Remember all proceeds over two dollars are tax-deductible. Deafblind Association NSW 062-255, 10006178. I would like to thank each and every person that is involved in this project, all those behind the scenes and every person that wishes to partake in this project in any way, shape or form including sponsorship. Thank you everyone for your time and understanding, your forever grateful Cathy

21.01.2022 Please support Felicity Woodard, she is an excellent Dressage Rider but to achieve her goal she needs to establish her own Circuit to give her the practice she needs to compete. She lives on a property where she can achieve this but with no hearing and her sight diminishing, she needs funds to provide the necessary equipment for this.

20.01.2022 It is IDPwD today, it is time to recognise the uniqueness and isolation of deafblindness and to to celebrate this disability and the need for advocacy. So please 'Stand by Me' for all Deafblind people and ensure Advocacy into the future.

19.01.2022 Journal of Deafblind Studies on Communication https://jdbsc.rug.nl/

19.01.2022 The internet does help reduce social isolation. I've connected with a 90+ woman with vision and hearing loss through this page. The internet does help reduce social isolation. I've connected with a 90+ woman with vision and hearing loss through this page.

18.01.2022 Anyone interested in putting themselves forward for this Steve Ripley, Sharon Dennis, Carleeta L. Manser,

15.01.2022 https://youtu.be/WgYht3xe-Lc The other video

14.01.2022 From Monday 20 August we will be located at 29 Burwood Rd, Concord.

14.01.2022 We are having a busy but joyful day at DBA office today. Monthly technology and communication group in the morning, plus art & craft in the afternoon. Use iPhone to play YouTube videos, take photos and selfies, read calendars, find out the weather forecast. There are always joys as well as challenges in learning, but we enjoy the learning experience. Thanks a lot for everyone who is learning or supporting.

09.01.2022 It's Technology and Craft day at the DBA NSW last Friday, and our members enjoyed the first activity together physically in 2021! We have in the photos Brett, Irene and Joe. Irene and Joe did the rainbow with hanging hearts, while Brett and Leanne worked on colourful letters for the word 'Dream'. Our next event will be held at the DBA NSW, Concord on the third Friday of March. Our lovely Dale Lowe will be there to help! For members who would like to join for some fun, please contact our office at (02) 9744 5712

07.01.2022 Tell the world about your human rights This year Australia will be reporting to the United Nations about the rights of people with disability in Australia. Australia has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD). This is an international law that protects and promotes the rights of people with disability. Thanks to the CPRD, we have a chance to tell the world how well disability rights are protected and promoted in Australia. CID will be helping record people’s ideas. So if you would like to have a say about your rights, follow us on Facebook so we can tell you how to get involved.

07.01.2022 DBANSW cannot currently send emails. We apologise if this means you have not had information you are waiting for.DBANSW cannot currently send emails. We apologise if this means you have not had information you are waiting for.

06.01.2022 We have moved into our new office at 29 Burwood Rd Concord Our new phone number is 9744-5712We have moved into our new office at 29 Burwood Rd Concord Our new phone number is 9744-5712

05.01.2022 UNHEARD VOICES THEATRE PROJECT - next development workshop Monday August 27 10:30 am to 1:00pmUNHEARD VOICES THEATRE PROJECT - next development workshop Monday August 27 10:30 am to 1:00pm

05.01.2022 https://youtu.be/vGqm5ciIe30 Hunter Deafblind Group launched two new videos on Thursday August 9, 2018. Congratulations to the group and thank you for allowing us to share them.

04.01.2022 Everybody had a great day at Manly - beautiful weather and yummy fish and chips beside the ocean.

04.01.2022 Hope you are all enjoying a lovely long weekend

03.01.2022 NOTICE: WE ARE HAVING AN OUTING TO MANLY SATURDAY 24TH APRIL 2021 Finally, after such a long wait we are back to our Outings, so our first one will be Manly, for Fish and Chips on the waterfront tables. This has been long awaited by our members. We will start our trip from Rydalmere Wharf, John St, and enjoy this lovely river trip, but can also meet some at Circular Quay if wished, to catch the ferry to Manly. MEET RYDALMERE WHARF: 10.30am... LEAVE CIRCULAR QUAY: 11.30AM COST: $25 It is important to advise Janne early that you are attending, and how you will be travelling, by phone/message 0432 570 210 or [email protected] We are intending to return to Rydalmere Wharf about 4.40pm.

03.01.2022 Counting 8 days to our move to ConcordCounting 8 days to our move to Concord

02.01.2022 Sydney Ideas Panel Session Inclusion by Design: Creating an Inclusive & Accessible Environment will be held on Wednesday 5 September from 6 8pm at the University of Sydney Law School Foyer, Level 2, Sydney Law School (F10), Eastern Avenue. ... How can we develop a view of people and place that is inclusive, universally designed and that gives people with disability access, and importantly, how this can be done seamlessly with equity and dignity? Panel discussion and Q&A followed by networking over drinks and canapes. Speakers: - Sandi Lightfoot, Discipline Specialist, Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney - Andrew Hartwell, Chair, Disability at Work Network, The University of Sydney - Jason Barker, Principal, Design for Dignity Pty Ltd - Nas Campanella (moderator), journalist and newsreader at ABC and triple j

02.01.2022 Gary Blaschke accepting his Deafblind Positive Award 2018 at lunch in Parramatta on June 24. Gary was the winner of the inaugural Deafblind Positive Awards.

01.01.2022 WHAT IS HAPTICOMM? A non-technical explanation of the HaptiComm system. by Sven Topp (Revision 1, 4th August, 2018)... The HaptiComm Haptic Communicator was introduced to the Haptics, Deafblind and general industry communities quite recently. Having won the best Hands-on demonstration category at EuroHaptics 2018 (Pisa, Italy), been demonstrated during the Helen Keller International Conference (Beni dorm, Spain) and winning the Research Applications category in the University of Sydney Student Innovation Awards (Sydney, Australia) a key question that is commonly asked is What is HaptiComm? Before proceeding with a more direct response in relation to the HaptiComm device it’s important to first introduce the concept that drives HaptiComm. We use a key phrase HaptiComm embodies a paradigm shift in accessibility, adaptive technology and disability-centric design principles. The paradigm shift occurs in the recognition of the amount of personal preference that is present in the Deafblind sector for communication techniques and the kind of tactile sensations each person utilises within these methods. In so doing, the overall approach to HaptiComm development is to design a platform that is as flexible as feasibly possible (within the tactile constraints). For this reason What is HaptiComm? is perhaps not the right question to ask but rather What do I want HaptiComm to be? is the question you should be posing to yourself. The HaptiComm prototype that is currently being demonstrated represents an application of a much broader system and capabilities. In its current form the device has an array of 24 electro-magnetic actuators which each have the capacity to generate a tap sensation as well as vibration to the skin surface on both the palm and fingers. Each actuator can be controlled individually, simultaneously with all other actuators (with the same tactile sensation being used), simultaneously but instinctive (same time but different sensation) or as part of a distinctive tactile pattern of playback through the array. Each device is individually 3D printed for height, shape and actuator layout preferences. A hand moulds. A laser scan is taken to generate a 3D model of the surface of the hand and fingers. From there, the outer shell is printed on which the user rests their hand. The actuators are mounted vertically below the user’s hand (not in direct continual contact with the individual who has their hand on the device. Actuators then rise and/or vibrate to reproduce a tactile sensation that represents a letter, word or concept (at present it only generates letters). The HaptiComm is Live and does the translation in real-time. At its very core, this makes HaptiComm a character tactile sensation converter. So what can you change in HaptiComm? Almost all aspects of the design can be modified if we can 3D print it at this point in time and it’s within tactile perception constraints (the skin has certain limits to what it can and cannot perceive very well). What you can change from the physical device itself: - Size and overall shape of the device - Size and shape of the actuator tip (that meets the skin) - Materials so long as it can be 3D printed. Predominantly this is various types of plastic and silicone at present but will vary as advances in 3D printing progress. - Layout, density and overall number of actuators in the device (current maximum of 31). From the perspective of reprogramming the device you can change: - The audio waveform patterns that drive the actuators (you can use any audio file so long as it’s a wav format). - The patterns associated with each letter, word or concept. - Duration of playback on each actuator - Timing between each playback within a pattern and between patters. - Overall timing (egg the rhythm of the sentence) - Intensity of a vibration - Intensity of a tap sensation up to 1 Newton of force (approximately) What this means is that HaptiComm provides us with a lot of flexibility to personalise the device to anyone’s preferences for type of sensation, shape, size, layout, materials, language or communication technique. We can also add elements like emotional content through the natural form of communication (e.g. smileys are not required or specific emotional signals). Applications of HaptiComm are not particularly limited. Some of the possibilities are: - Speech to Tactile communication method (already available) - Receiving a phone call from a hearing person and receiving it in your chosen format - Reading a book or article through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) - Linking with your screen reader/magnifier and acting both as a visual cue (for pointer positioning) and reading what’s on your screen - Receiving input from a braille keyboard - Real time voice activated captioning - Tactile music playback and/or musical instrument emulator - And essentially any other possible application so long as you can send a character to HaptiComm For further information or questions please contact HaptiComm: [email protected] Or Sven Topp directly: [email protected]