How Assistive Technologies Enable People with Disabilities

Northwestern University researchers have developed a phone add-on that gives physical feedback

The American’s with Disabilities Act has influenced development of smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets to help the disabled

Small, discreet and often Bluetooth-enabled, the new generation of hearing aids can connect wirelessly with smartphones

Instead of remotes or crutches, future mobility aids could communicate directly with the nervous system

High-tech sticks could help visually impaired people spot obstacles and even identify acquaintances as they approach. Larry Greenemeier reports

Movie audiences who went to theaters this fall to see The Theory of Everything got a glimpse of the challenges physicist Stephen Hawking has overcome to deliver his groundbreaking insights into the nature of black holes, space and time.

Scientific American speaks with the scientist behind an innovation that will enable a paralyzed person to walk and “feel” it

The secret to building brain-controlled prostheses may be to ignore the brain entirely

The FDA issues guidelines to manufacturers to protect their products

A breakthrough may speed communication

Samsung's next product is expected to have a display that senses eye movement and can scroll accordingly. Larry Greenemeier reports

Intel is developing communication technology that can quickly process and respond to signals Hawking sends from the few muscles in his body that he can still control

Flexible keys raised by fluid or gas on a touch screen surface applied to smart phones, tablets and other consumer electronics gadgets are expected to debut in 2013

The Kinecthesia belt has sensors and a series of motors that send vibrations to the wearer to indicate the position of obstacles. Larry Greenemeier reports

Dutch researcher designs distinct characters into "Dyslexie" to make it more difficult for dyslexics to rotate, swap and mirror letters and numbers

In a first-ever experiment, primates move and feel objects on a computer screen using only their thoughts

Google continues to develop speech-recognition software that can automatically generate captions for all videos posted to YouTube, but challenges remain

The emergence of video MMS and chat, in particular, keep the deaf and hard of hearing connected—all the while preserving sign language

U.S. slow in adopting helpful hearing induction loops

A pair of sunglasses wired to an electric "lollipop" helps the visually impaired regain optical sensations via a different pathway

Tactile models based on video footage could make navigating a new city easier

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