[NFBMT] Missoulian Article on George Kerscher and Technology

Wed Aug 30 00:24:40 UTC 2017

You and all the rest of us.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Edward Robbins via 
NFBMT
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2017 1:06 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Edward Robbins <ecrobbins517 at gmail.com>; 'marjorie' <dmgregg at 3rivers.net>; 
'violet' <violetsunchild at gmail.com>; kerscher at montana.net
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Missoulian Article on George Kerscher and Technology

It mentions in the article about him running the mini marathon.  I visited with 
a school mate of mine a couple of weeks ago who ran this race at the same time. 
(a 75 year old lady, about the size of a 12 year old).  If only I could.  Maybe 
if I quit setting around and got back in condition.
Ted

EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS, E-MAIL:  ecrobbins517 at gmail.com CEO MBEI & Treasurer 
NFB of Montana PHONE & FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS  MT   59404

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Marks via NFBMT
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2017 9:24 AM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Cc: Jim Marks; 'violet'; 'marjorie'; kerscher at montana.net
Subject: [NFBMT] Missoulian Article on George Kerscher and Technology

Here is a link to a Missoulian article published yesterday about George 
Kerscher and his use of emerging smart phone technology:

http://missoulian.com/news/local/monday-s-montanan-blind-missoula-man-develops-tech-for-those/article_bb4d4fc0-f097-53f8-b7ba-3aa56117ae5c.html

Monday's Montanan: Blind Missoula man develops tech for those with disabilities

>From the Monday's Montanans are making a difference series

DAVID ERICKSON david.erickson at missoulian.com
  Aug 27, 2017

As guide dog Kroner looks on Thursday afternoon, George Kerscher of Missoula 
explains how a new technology called Aira allows him and other blind people to 
talk with a live navigator who can see what he would be seeing through smart 
glasses. "The integration of speech output to control things, everything with 
GPS navigation, it was all developed for blind people for years and years 
before it got applied to your car telling you which turn to make," he said.

Kerscher, who has been blind since 1977, holds an honorary doctorate of humane 
letters from the University of Montana, and is a pioneer in the field of 
digital technology, according to former UM President George Dennison, who 
introduced Kerscher at the 2007 commencement ceremony.

If you like using your smart phone to find your way in a new city, you have 
blind people to thank.

George Kerscher of Missoula wants people to realize that much of the technology 
they take for granted - such as the Google Maps software that gives voice 
commands for GPS navigation - was developed by and for visually impaired people 
long before it was available to the masses.

As an advocate for people with disabilities and a senior employee at a large 
company that specializes in accessibility technology, Kerscher is at the 
forefront of developing ways to make simple tasks like reading books and 
nutrition labels as easy for blind people or those with learning disabilities 
as it is for everyone else.

Kerscher has been blind since 1977.

? New set of eyes

"The integration of speech output to control things, everything with GPS 
navigation, it was all developed for blind people years and years before it got 
applied to your car telling you which turn to make," he explained. "It was all 
in the hands of people with disabilities long before it was introduced to the 
mainstream."

Kerscher, who holds an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University 
of Montana, is a pioneer in the field of digital technology, according to 
former UM President George Dennison, who introduced Kerscher at the 2007 
commencement ceremony.

"Kerscher led the process of identifying and implementing specific standards to 
make digital audio text inclusive and universally accessible, establishing him 
as perhaps the foremost authority on accessibility standards in the world," 
Dennison, who died in January, said at the time.

"His understanding and knowledge of the social implications as well as the 
emerging scientific trends in technology and information presentation for the 
blind, combined with his energy, enthusiasm and boldness, inspire and garner 
respect around the globe."

Kerscher was selected by U.S. News and World Report as the 1998 Innovator of 
the Year, and was the 1999 Montana Association for the Blind Member of the 
Year.

He can often be seen around town with his loyal and playful guide dog Kroner, 
with whom he walked the 2017 Missoula Half Marathon. He lives here with his 
wife Gail, and they have a long list of children and grandchildren to keep them 
busy. When he's not working for the DAISY Consortium (Digital Accessible 
Information Systems) or Benetech, a company that specializes in software for 
social good, Kerscher is travelling to places like Amsterdam to speak on behalf 
of those with disabilities and how technology should be all-inclusive.

Although fewer than 1 percent of the U.S. population is blind, according to 
Kerscher, nearly 14 percent cannot read print due to various disabilities such 
as dyslexia. Technology like refreshable Braille displays, which allow blind 
people to read on a touch screen, gives people like Kerscher the power to 
educate themselves and integrate into the community.

"It leads to a more inclusive society," he said. "In many ways, people with 
disabilities lead in a lot of ways."

Self-driving car technology is being led by people with visual impairments, he 
said, as is a new technology called Aira that allows blind people to talk to a 
live navigator through smart glasses. Kerscher can dial up a woman named Cassie 
who works from home in the Midwest, and she can tell him what a person in front 
of him is wearing or what's on the menu at a local bagel shop.

"It's a very interesting new technology and it seems to be very popular in the 
blindness community," he said. "The only problem is it totally fails if network 
connectivity is not available."

For Kerscher, it's been a lifelong mission to revolutionize the way that people 
with disabilities get access to the same information everyone else has.

"I advocate for everybody, all different disability groups," he said. "Everyone 
needs to be included in society and there's lots of things we can do to make 
sure everybody is included."

Jim Marks
Blind.grizzly at gmail.com
(406) 438-1421

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