At the Assistive Technology Blog, Venkat Rao writes about assistive technology, mostly about concepts/ devices that are still in prototype stages, but would be possibly mass marketed in the future. He also write about mobile apps/ software that make life easier for people with disabilities.
A recent post discusses AccessNow, an interactive map tool that tells users whether locations they are wanting to visit are accessible or not, and if they are, how accessible are they (fully, partially, patio accessible, no accessibility). As Rao notes:
“A big hurdle for people in wheelchairs is that they need accessibility (ramps, automatic doors, alternative entrances) to enter buildings conveniently. They may be familiar with accessibility options at places they frequent but how about a new location they need to visit? A new restaurant or business establishment? An office location where they have a job interview? Are those locations accessible? If they can find out about accessibility options prior to reaching those locations, it can save them from going through the trouble and frustration of finding alternate entrances and workarounds to get accommodated.
WINAHEAD 