[Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions

Wed Jun 26 19:59:00 UTC 2019

It isn’t just on Veronica to “make noise.” That is on all of us.

Cindy Lou Ray
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 26, 2019, at 2:46 PM, Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Gary, how many times do I have to tell all of you that I am making noise and
> I am continuing to try. I had a meeting scheduled with someone last year and
> he died. Okay? I'm trying to find another contact. 
> Veronica
> 
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on
> iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                 Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> gary-melconian via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 8:55 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: gary-melconian
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> Veronica, you are in the google neck of the woods.why don’t you make some
> noise about it if there are lots of  these health products that will begin
> to use google products in the future.just saying.  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Veronica
> Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 7:53 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> I'm not sure what he's up to these days, but the NFB sure wasn't willing to
> name him or use him. I wondered if he was retired by now. But I as an
> individual sure don't have his ear. <grin> However, I know what bus and
> train people take to get to their campus. Heh heh heh heh heh! Don't think I
> won't. <grin> Veronica
> 
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on
> iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                 Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 7:38 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> Voiceover, yes, is what Apple calls its screenreading program. But voiceover
> is also a generic term given to any text-to-speech program. But perhaps
> text-to-speech works best.
> 
> Uh, yeah NFB has connections at Google. Dr. Kurzweile is creative director,
> last I checked. Don't tell me contacting him is the "wrong" department. Like
> he doesn't know who to contact or what to say to get the ball rolling.
> 
> I love the mob idea. Tell me when and wear, and I'm there! LOL!
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Veronica
> Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:25 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> Bridgit, I did make a very valid proposal last year which I have mentioned
> here.
> Many devices are now coming out based on an Android phone, taking out the
> phone part. I wanted to establish a connection with Google's health division
> so that someone could be in a good position to mandate installation of
> TalkBack into every medical system so that the pump programmers could make
> use of it. But personally, I haven't landed on the right contacts yet. 
> Anil Lewis bragged, oh we know people at Google, but it wasn't the right
> division and of course, he never followed up and won't. 
> But you need to be careful about saying installing VoiceOver on pumps.
> VoiceOver is a specific Apple product and unless someone leases it from
> Apple, someone else would have to write the entire speech and gesture
> program from scratch. Even if the basic TalkBack module were installed in
> the pumps, someone would have to program the gestures to match the specific
> functions we need from the pump, all of them. That's not a teeny itty bitty
> task. Someone would have to make sure that it stayed updated as they changed
> the pump, which is proving challenging at times, even with Apple. I'm not
> saying don't do any of these things. I just find it helpful to think about
> the possible gotchyas ahead of time, insuring that the final product would
> work as well as possible. That's why I listed my points to consider with
> Aira.  He would know exactly whom to contact and what to say to get the ball
> rolling on something.
> 
> 
> But honestly, sometimes I fantasize about organizing a flash mob at some of
> these companies or something wild. But partly for my own selfish reasons,
> I'm certainly not giving up on getting access to the information and
> features of the latest diabetes management technology, however it happens. I
> think it's imperative that we have interim solutions while we're working on
> the ultimate goal. We just have to help these companies distinguish between
> interim and final solutions. <grin> Veronica
> 
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on
> iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                 Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 6:26 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> Joyce,
> 
> AIRA is a 24/7 service, grin.
> 
> I'm not saying AIRA doesn't have its uses and should not exist at all. And
> of course, since companies do refuse largely to make products accessible, a
> service like AIRA works for a lot of people.
> 
> My point is that we can't become complacent because of AIRA and Be My Eyes.
> We need to push for true accessibility more than ever before. Both can
> coexist, but we need to ensure us and companies arent' content to just rely
> on AIRA, which does have its limitations. Why have to call AIRA every time I
> need to do something with my pump if I could just do it myself with
> voiceover? Yes, for now, AIRA is here for us, but we need to fight to have
> accessibility with our devices too.
> 
> Computer programmer after computer programmer has said that placing a
> voiceover on insulin pumps wouldn't be difficult at all, and it wouldn't be
> as costly as companies want to complain about. The point is that companies
> will find any excuse to avoid accessibility. Artificial pancreases are
> supposed to be a game changer for diabetics, more so than pumps, but as you
> state, blind diabetics are completely excluded from this device. I think the
> NFB should consider legal action specifically for artificial pancreases,
> just as we have done with kiosks, online banking, BAR exams and a hundred
> other things. Why should our health suffer because we can't access the most
> current technology that will change diabetes?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of
> blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 6:15 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: blindhands at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> As far as I know AIRA is not available 24 hours a day.  I basically live
> alone.  So a good portion of the day I have no sighted help. My son drops in
> at Supper time and he is available for 30 - 45 minutes a day.  I don't feel
> dependent on using AIRA, but it is great to know it is there if I need it.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> I have been using a pump only the last 2 years and the Dexcom for the last
> year.  It is the Medtronics pump, but I can tell you it took getting both of
> these devices working together for me to feel at ease.  Now as what was said
> on this list after juggling insulin for 60 years my Hemoglobine AC1 finally
> are at numbers that my Endourologist  and I are happy with.    Since I am a
> brittle Diabetic there is always room for improvement, but I had never been
> down in the 7 or as low as 7.6  in the past.
> 
> With as far as this division has gone and accessibility  isn't happening
> with the pump manufacturers where does that leave us blind pump users.  
> 
> I have heard about some day the artificial pancreas will be available from
> my doctors  in Yale New Haven for the last 50 years.  Well now that it is
> here and only to find out it isn't accessible to a blind Diabetic, I am not
> going to take this sitting down.    I really don't care how it becomes
> accessible, I will take the accessibility  any way I can get it.  Technology
> has jumped insulin pumps ahead and left us blind people behind.  The DAN
> Board has been trying to convince the pump companies to make their machines
> accessible for more than 15 years and it has fallen on deaf ears.
> 
> One way or the other we need to demand that we have accessibility as the
> sighted world.  After all don't we have the right to  reach for keeping
> ourselves as healthy as we  can be since Diabetes is the cause of  so much
> more effecting other parts of the body.  
> 
> Joyce Kane
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Bridgit
> Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2019 9:31 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter <bkpollpeter at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> AIRA isn't the best way to make us independent. It's 24/7 help, but it's
> still sighted help for things that mostly could be made accessible in a way
> that blind people could do it without any sighted help. Forms can be
> formatted for online use; websites can be made accessible; devices can be
> accessible, etc. Sure, until companies get a fire lit under them, AIRA is
> here, but what's the incentive for companies to work on accessibility when
> services like AIRA exist? It's a catch 22. We need accessibility now, but
> now that we have AIRA, companies no longer think they need to think about
> accessibility.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of d m gina
> via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2019 8:05 PM
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: d m gina <dmgina at mysero.net>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] AIRA & pump questions
> 
> Joyce,
> I won't be at convention,
> Mike Henson wrote to me on ira list sharing that what we can't read, ira is
> there for us, and does help us stay mobile in anything we want to do.
> At no time does it make us less independent, if anything it makes us more.
> I do hope and know we will do our best to try to et companies to put in a
> chip for talking meeters.
> If they can do it for devices then what is one more device.
> Do let us know how the conversation works out.
> Thanks again,
> 
> Original message:
>> When this topic came up there seemed to be some chatter along with
> 
> So... In my opinion, it's not the best tool to give us independence. True
> independence would be possible if companies gave a shit (excuse 
> 
> BTW, this is not a negative comment on AIRA but on society in general.
> 
> Bridgitmy French) and worked to make products and devices accessible. And
> now with AIRA, it's not as likely they will.
>> opinions regarding the use of AIRA with a pump.  I said I would make 
>> contact with AIRA and I did.
> 
> 
> 
>> I contacted Glenn Takemoto, , Account Executive andhe told me that 
>> there has been some mention of insulin pumps.  He told me he would be 
>> at Convention in Vegas and he would be interested in speaking to some 
>> of the people who have been working for us blind Diabetic pump users 
>> to get insulin pumps accessible.
> 
> 
> 
>> If anyone is interested in making contact while at Convention, please 
>> send me a note off list and I will send you my conversation with him.
> 
> 
> 
>> Joyce
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> --
> --Dar
> skype: dmgina23
>  FB: dmgina
> www.twitter.com/dmgina
> every saint has a past
> every sinner has a future
> 
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