[Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines

Tim Elder tim at timeldermusic.com
Thu Sep 27 18:06:01 UTC 2012


Hi everyone,

I echo LM's sentiment.  Inaccessible touchscreen interfaces are
exponentially popping up in all areas of public life, whether it is a coke
machine, self-checkout kiosk, doctor's office, college library, taxicab or
airport.  This trend will only increase as human attendants are gradually
replaced with automated interfaces.  

The law requires that blind persons in California enjoy equal access to
independently access the services that are delivered through the touchscreen
interface.  The Redbox case is a great example of the enforcement actions we
need to support in order to motivate service providers to make their
touchscreen interfaces independently accessible to blind persons.  Efforts
are also underway in other parts of the country addressing this same issue
in various contexts.  

I am attending the state convention next month.  I would very much like to
meet with people who have encountered inaccessible touchscreens and hear
more about what services people are having difficulty accessing because of
inaccessible touchscreen technology.  

I believe we have to stand up now to enforce our legal right to access this
technology.  One day soon we are going to walk into a public place,
encounter an inaccessible touchscreen and ask for human assistance.
However, we will be met with silence because the last human customer service
representative was just replaced with a machine.  By then, it will be too
late to do anything about the issue.

Regards,

Tim Elder

From: nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of ckrugman at sbcglobal.net
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 1:34 AM
To: NFB of California List
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines

While I won't be able to attend the convention I can help you with the
resolution if needed. Glad to hear that you are suing Redbox. This is the
only way that comapnies will learn that they need to comply with
accessibility.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisamaria Martinez" <lmartinez217 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of California List" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines


> Wow! I finally got around to reading this thread ... I actually 
> tweeted out a picture about two months ago of an inaccessible soda 
> fountain machine (the one where you have to battle it out with a touch 
> screen to get a soda). This machine was located at my nearby wing Stop 
> and I was very concerned. This was the first I ever saw.
>
> So, although I agree with many on this list, I think the one huge 
> thing we're not saying is that, regardless of what independence means, 
> the idea of touch screen soda fountains are simply a snowball waiting 
> to roll downhill.
>
> It is an accessibility issue we all need to take into stride. If soda 
> fountains are touch screens with a menu structure, what's next?
> Manufactorers of these machines should know better and should know to 
> include accessibility features. Look at ATMs ... look at Redbox. I 
> mention Redbox because I'm an individual plaintiff suing them to make 
> their machines accessible to blind people. Why did I decide to get 
> involved with this suit? not because my job is involved, as some 
> people may think, but because I actually care about the future of 
> technology and accessibility. If Redbox is made to make their machines 
> accessible to the blind then other coorporations are going to have to 
> wake up and pay attention.
>
> If we cannot get our own DVDs or Cokes on our own, then what? Touch 
> screens are becoming so prolific we need to take a stand and make them 
> accessible from the get go. We can't stand by and just let them be 
> inaccessible because we can always ask a sighted person to help us. If 
> we don't demand access from the beginning, if we don't make an example 
> of some giant coorporation, then the fault lies with us.
>
> Someone mentioned a resolution? Has it been written? I have never 
> written a resolution and am quite happy to get one going with the 
> caviot that we actually follow through with this issue and do 
> something about it. Anyone want to help write this beastly resolution?
>
> Shoot me an email, (off list please), at lmartinez217 at gmail.com or 
> call/text me at 510-289-2577.
>
> Let's get this written up and let's do something about it instead of 
> emailing about it on this list. I'm really serious...first soda 
> machines, self-check out stands, etc. What's nexzt? I've heard that 
> there is talk about having medical kiosks that can help people with a 
> variety of minor aches, pains and illnesses. Do we want to be left out 
> of that too?
>
> Lisamaria
>
>
> On 9/26/12, Hoby Wedler <hobywedler at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> What about headphone jacks like the ones on ATM machines?
>> -- Hoby Wedler
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Joy Stigile
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2012 5:16 PM
>> To: NFB of California List
>> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines
>>
>> Hi!
>>
>> Speech seems good to me except, in a busy past food restaurant, mini 
>> market or a busy airport it just work not work!
>>
>> I think we need to put more thought into this idea.
>>
>> Warmly, Joy
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Chela Robles" <cdrobles693 at gmail.com>
>> To: <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2012 9:04 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines
>>
>>
>>> Sounds to me like they need to have speech readout and an 
>>> alternative way
>>>
>>> of going through the screens.
>>>
>>> --
>>> "Passion is a great motivator. Music is a life-long learning 
>>> experience."
>>> --
>>> Chela Robles
>>> Facebook/Linked-In/E-mail/AIM/GoogleTalk: cdrobles693 at gmail.com 
>>> Windows Live Messenger: cdrobles693 at hotmail.com E-Buddy ID/Twitter: 
>>> cdrobles693
>>> Skype: jazzytrumpet
>>> Learning Ally Blog A Lady And Her Trumpet feel free to post comments 
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>>> Need more space, come join dropbox and start with two gigs of free 
>>> space and 500 Megabytes as is this is my referral link to you:
>>> http://db.tt/XpUTe0E
>>> --
>>>
>>> On 9/23/2012 8:21 PM, Melissa Haney wrote:
>>>> Hi Brian
>>>> The coke machine that I was referring to is a free standing coke 
>>>> machine
>>>>
>>>> where you put money in and a bottled soda is dispensed. It goes 
>>>> through multiple screens and therefore is impossible to mark.
>>>> Melissa
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>> On Sep 23, 2012, at 5:05 PM, <pschase at ca.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Brian,
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you so much for the clarification. I was one of those people 
>>>>> who didn't quite understand what you were talking about.
>>>>>
>>>>> I agree with you! We need to be able to do this ourselves. Many 
>>>>> times there is no one around to assist in getting the drink. I 
>>>>> would like the
>>>>>
>>>>> opportunity to choose the level of ice, type of drink and how much 
>>>>> drink
>>>>>
>>>>> that I want. I don't like a lot of ice in my drinks and I want to 
>>>>> decide
>>>>>
>>>>> how much ice and liquid I want in my cup. I want the right to do 
>>>>> it myself! Being independent is worth fighting for!
>>>>>
>>>>> Again thank you for the clarification of this topic.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Pam Chase
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Brian Buhrow
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2012 2:58 PM
>>>>> To: NFB of California List
>>>>> Cc: buhrow at nfbcal.org
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Inaccessible Coke Machines
>>>>>
>>>>> hello.  It occurred to me that some folks on this list might not 
>>>>> realize what we're talking about here, since I've seen a couple 
>>>>> messages that seem a little confused about the discussion.
>>>>> We're not talking about Coke machines where you  put money into 
>>>>> the machine, select a product and get a can or bottle out of the
machine.
>>>>> We're talking about a new kind of soda fountain where, rather than 
>>>>> having an array of 4, 8 12 or 18 spigots which provide an equal 
>>>>> number of different kinds of soda.  Instead, there is one spigot 
>>>>> and a touch screen is used to select what comes out of that 
>>>>> spigot, whether it be water, ice, Coke, Orange soda, etc.  The 
>>>>> idea is that the machine mixes the syrups together to provide a 
>>>>> huge selection of different kinds of sodas.
>>>>> While I agree with Jim that we can get assistance in getting a 
>>>>> soda in a restaurant, it is not something we have always had to 
>>>>> get help doing,
>>>>>
>>>>> and
>>>>> the help we needed was simply to be told which spigot to use.  
>>>>> Now, we mus relinquish control entirely and ask someone to fill 
>>>>> our cup, letting them determine how much ice versus soda we want.  
>>>>> This means we need more of someone's time to get a soda, and we 
>>>>> cannot really independently perform the task after having gotten 
>>>>> assistance learning how to use the device.
>>>>> That's a step backward in my opinion, even if just a small one.
>>>>> I'm told that Burger King has adopted these new machines in a big 
>>>>> way, which means this issue will probably come up again and again.
>>>>> Should
>>>>>
>>>>> we
>>>>> prepare to picket Burger King?  If so, it's important to bring 
>>>>> your own lunch with you!  LoL.
>>>>>
>>>>> -Brian
>>>>> lunch
>>>>>
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