Xbox: Accessible games can “mean the difference between existing and living” for disabled people

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Microsoft continues to position itself as a paragon for inclusivity - but it's also keen to get more developers, publishers and platform holders involved in the conversation.

The firm gained a great deal of attention earlier this summer when it announced the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a device that enabled disabled gamers to adapt standard control schemes with a variety of custom inputs suited to their unique circumstances.

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Firefox makers working on voice-controlled web browser called Scout

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Mozilla, the organization behind Firefox, is exploring a very different web browser called Scout that's operated by voice rather than keyboard, mouse or touch-screen taps.

The nonprofit revealed the Scout project in an agenda item for an all-hands meeting taking place this week in San Francisco. "With the Scout app, we start to explore browsing and consuming content with voice,"

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Home, smart home: Internet of Things and AI will make where we live more accessible

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Independence. For people with disabilities and the aging population, it’s more than a word—it’s a catalyst for fulfillment and dignity. Home is where that independence and quality of life can be realized. The aging population wants to safely live in their own homes as long as possible. People with disabilities want a home designed for their specific needs. Ultimately, a more accessible home will help people feel connected and valued, and reduce loneliness.

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Apple finally moves beyond the shadow of Steve Jobs with a truly life-changing product

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Some industry watchers believed that Apple couldn't move out of the shadow of Steve Jobs and carve out for itself a new and different direction. Yesterday, under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple proved them wrong.

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Apple, Microsoft and Google join forces to create a universal standard for braille displays→

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A substantial move for technology accessibility was made today as the non-profit USB Implementer Forum (USB-IF) announced a new standard for braille displays – underpinned by an agreement between major tech companies including Apple, Google and Microsoft. The standard will make it much easier to use braille displays across different devices

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Group warns against using consumer devices to diagnose, treat sleep disorders

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Consumer sleep technologies, such as wearables and mobile apps, must be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and rigorously tested if they are going to be used to diagnose or treat sleep disorders, contends the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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High User 'Star Ratings' Doesn't Mean Mobile Medical App Works

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By screening nearly 300 user reviews and comments for a once popular App claiming to effectively monitor blood pressure, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a high "star rating" doesn't necessarily reflect medical accuracy or value.

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Apple drew up a patent for a new kind of blood pressure monitor

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Two years ago, a handful of Apple employees dreamed up a device that would take the company beyond the world of healthcare apps, and into healthcare products. That device isn’t the Apple Watch, at least not yet. Instead, it seems to be a device whose function could very well be rolled into future Apple Watch devices down the line. Apple applied for a patent for said device in a listing that became public today, and it looks... underwhelming.

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Sweden’s KRY raises $66 million to bring its digital health service to France and the U.K.

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Swedish company KRY today announced that it has raised $66 million to expand its digital health care service across Europe. The round was led by Index Ventures, with participation from Accel, Creandum, Project A, and others. The company offers a digital platform that connects patients with doctors remotely. Using a mobile app, a patient can consult a KRY-employed health care professional and can also submit symptoms and share photos.

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ALS Association initiates Project Revoice to enable voice cloning for ALS patients losing voices

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At the start of 2018, Project Revoice, a voice cloning technology initiative was launched. The mission of Project Revoice states, “ALS is also known as Motor Neuron Disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that, amongst other symptoms, often takes away a person’s ability to speak. Project Revoice is a non-profit initiative with the ultimate goal to ensure that no one living with ALS will ever have to suffer being robbed of their voice”.

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How the Xbox Adaptive Controller will change the lives of millions of players with disabilities on PC

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Microsoft has done a great service to disabled gamers in creating the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC). It's a new gamepad that features 19 3.5mm input jacks which you can plug all sorts of add-ons into. They're industry standard, so players will be able to purchase a variety of switches to fit their needs.

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