Friday 28 March 2008

The Ideas I come up with that I never write down...

So today, I was having a nice chat with my "blindy" friend, Darragh, when we were talking about Self Service food where he works. He said he hates it when all these people come up to him trying to help him out, 'pointing' and shouting out where different types of food are. Then, being dragged to a table you didnt really want to sit at, because they pushed you to it.. And after all that, you could forget something, and be too embarrassed to get up again...

So, I suggested if and when blind people are working in a building with Self Service, there should be a metal or plastic overhanging board, with Braille printed on it, stating the different food there should be under the board. And, if any food's not on display, to cover it up.



He said, I should really look into that, but you know, me and ideas, they always go in and out of my head, and I never wrote them down. Its really simple stuff for blind people, and its not fair that these services are still not available or thought up for them. Especially liked the ideas I had for blind people and people in hospitals.

For example, there's one idea where if someone were in an ITU (Intensive Trauma Unit), and noone there to communicate with that they know, especially a young life, that if there was any way of sending a message without disruptting the equipment around the room. Basically, your brain energy gets less and less as your going because noone's talking to you to keep you alive. Its not the same when a nurse or doctor is trying to talk to you, cos its their job. They care, but to an extent.

If there was anyway to make a device that can send and receive SMS messages or even phone calls without bothering the ITU machines, that was be an accomplishment.

Another thing D brought to my attention, is that he's very impressed by the way I was "the first person ever to find a way of texting to a blind person so they could read it with any sighted assistance". Pretty big achievement. See, I found a way of texting to an email address when I was going thru school, being bored, and Darragh was usually 'studying'... Ha.

Anywho, think it was with Vodafone at the time. Thanks Voda! They helped a bit.

1 comment:

Darragh Ó Héiligh said...

Máire, fair play to you for thinking of these things. most people don't bother.

I remember when I knew you years and years ago, I still didn't have an accessible phone that spoke the text on the screen. TO get around it, you found a way of sending a text message via Email! So, I could read your messages without anyone reading them for me! Excelent stuff.