remarkable differently abled person

A visually impaired man & his will to live life to the fullestDNA / Daniel Pinto / Monday, September 19, 2011 21:08 IST Heinrich Wagner is a visually impaired man, one who has brazenly performed numerous feats that would reduce most 'normal' human beings to quivering, cowering messes. Apart from participating in several endurance-testing marathons, the Capetonian has broken two land speed records, sky-dived from a height of 10,000 feet and bungee-jumped from one of the highest bridges in the world. Apart from cycling solo for 39km, Wagner has completed the 2011 ABSA Cape Epic (regarded as the Tour de France of mountain biking). Wagner took part in the Hong Kong Iron Man in 2006, completing 180km on a tandem bicycle in extreme weather conditions. He also tried his hand, successfully, at mountaineering and rafting. Oh, and he played in the 1998 blind cricket World Cup, which his side won. DNA's Daniel Pinto spoke to this indefatigable and unvanquished individual who is also a sought-after motivational speaker and was in Mumbai last week to address a gathering of top business executives. Excerpts: It's natural for people to dwell on things they can't change and attribute their failures to it. What made you different? I was born blind. For 25 years I was cross with god, the universe. Eighteen years ago I set sail on a 28-day journey from Cape Town to Rio [de Janeiro] with two blind mates and a hearing-impaired skipper. It was there that I experienced this big, beautiful world and realised that I was so small in the universe. It was then that I decided to live a full life and stop feeling sorry for myself and blaming the world for the fact that I couldn't see. What made you go in for adrenaline-pumping, physically challenging sports? It started out with me wanting to show the world, but then it came full circle after it became an option to market the abilities of differently abled people. I founded an organisation, VisionTree, in 2004 and all the adventurous activities I tackle are to fund it. After I completed a race on a tandem, the organisation was able to put six blind girls through six months of computer training. And the adrenaline rush, of course, is probably the closest I get to the sensation of sight. How do you deal with the concerns of family and friends about your physical well being? I respect them very much. I care for them, which is why when I'm about to face danger, I surround myself with professionals and people in the know, like terrain experts. When I broke the land speed record for the second time (after Wagner became the first South African to break a world land speed record in 2005, he went on to break the world blind land speed record by averaging a speed of 322.5kph in 2009), I consulted a professional racer in the UK and drove a Mercedes SL65 AMG which is a safe car. Adventure sports will always be risky. The element of risk adds to the adventure. My family has always been very supportive. When I broke the land speed record, it was two weeks before my wedding, and my wife was there at the event. So you can imagine! When it comes to making judgments and decisions, a lot depends on visual input. What system have you developed to aid you in your endeavours? Most of it comes from feeling. I'm good at picking things up through my senses. I've used my gut feeling. And, of course, I make mistakes, but that's why I travel. If you travel across different countries and experience different cultures, it expands your point of view and your frames of reference. How was your last visit to India? The last time I was in your country it was for the 1998 blind cricket World Cup in Delhi. I was playing for South Africa and there was huge support from the local crowd because we were up against Pakistan in the final. Are you a spiritual person? Yes, very much so. I think I am guided by my spirit. I believe in my instinct. I try to be in balance with my spiritual side. I spend time thinking about where I am at and I consider my opportunities. Tell us about your autobiographical show 'Bat Magic' that you perform at art festivals. The main driving force behind the show, which started in 2003, was to show the lighter side of living in darkness. The show managed to put across humour. It was very well received and when corporate presentations came along I was able to reuse material. Incidentally, the festival we launched the in 2003 was the place where I met my wife Melindi. As a man who has risen above circumstance, how would you define success? To use a quote, success is a progressive realisation of a worthwhile dream. Success is a vastly individual thing. But what's important is you have to live the ideal and it will become a reality. You have accomplished several things that are, in an understatement, astounding. What achievement are you proudest of? Accepting that I can't see since birth, and I've decided to accept things I can't change, I'm proud of everything that I've achieved so far. One of the best, though, was South Africa's victory at the blind cricket World Cup. That was amazing because teams of every cricket-playing nation took part! But I would say my greatest adventure was marrying my wife eight years ago. Life presents many adventures if you open your mind and heart to them. URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/interview_a-visually-impaired-man-and-his-will-to-live-life-to-the-fullest_1589221

Tony Melendez, english subtitles must watch . http://michaeljournal.ca

First talking computer

(taken from the internet)
First Talking Computer
By

Leonard A. McHugh
February 1968, I began my career with the Pennsylvania Department of Highways later to become the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Here is where I first started working with the Burroughs Computers. By having the computer punched cards processed by a machine called an interpreter I was able to read them. This machine reads the card punches and types the character near the top. I would do this process two or three times making the print very dark. I would also request all printed output on carbon copied paper. The second copy was always dark. This allowed me to be able to read the program listings as well as locating cards that needed corrections.

As time went by technology improved as my sight simultaneously decreased. In the mid 1970s I acquired a full size close circuit television system that had a magnifying lens. With this I could read listings and some cards when necessary.

As upgrades to the computer were made a computer terminal called a CONRAC replaced the Teletype unit used by the computer operators at the main console. One of the Burroughs' field engineers discovered that he could greatly increase the height and width of the displayed characters. He could also change the contrast of the display to bright white letters on a total black background. I was able to utilize this terminal for many years. Finally in 1981 the decision to convert from Burroughs to IBM computers was made. This modified CONRAC was not compatible with the new IBM computers.

Unfortunately there was not enough contrast with the new IBM terminals to allow me to see the text. I became fearful that I could no longer work in this environment.

It was around this time that Maryland Computer Systems was developing a talking computer. This unit was built from a HP computer and was called ITS, Information Through Speech. Now another problem, like the CONRAC, ITS could not interface with an IBM computer.

I found a company in Boston called Industrial Computer Control. They were developing a converter that would make the HP computer function as an IBM terminal.

The converter cost $9,000 and ITS was $6,000. Success, I was the first person to have a talking terminal on an IBM mainframe computer. (See picture above. )

When all the bugs were worked out a press release was sent to the local papers. This story also was sent to wire services across the country as well as international.

I started receiving telephone calls from around the world. I had some long and interesting calls from England, Ireland, Canada as well as many from around the country.

I ended up giving many demonstrations of this new technology to other employers and caseworkers of blind clients.

Some of the phone calls were very interesting, although one particularly upset me. A woman called from Bell of Michigan. She informed me that she was reading a newspaper article about my talking computer. She went on to ask if I would like to move to Michigan and work for her. She then said "we have many government contracts and must hire some disabled people. It would be nice to hire someone who can do something." This upset me so much that I found myself speechless. If I remember correctly, I slammed down the phone.

Another call that was very interesting was from a man asking some very detailed questions. He went on to tell me that they were thinking of purchasing one hundred units. I asked him if they were hiring, it sounded like a great place to work. He went on telling me "No, they are not." He explained that they have a lot of people in a warehouse that can't read. He thought that these talking computers could solve their problem.

White Cane Safety day is coming

Ida Rieu teachers’ resource centre

Ida Rieu Teachers’ Resource Centre is organizing an awareness program on WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY. White cane day is celebrated all over the world on 15th October each year.

The program is designed for anyone who is interested in helping visually impaired persons of Pakistan.
The program will deal on
1. About white cane.
2. The importance of white cane.
3. Role of society in improving mobility of vi person.

Venue: Dr. Mohammad Hussain Panjwani school complex for the blind at the premises of Ida rieu welfare organization.

Date: Thursday 14, October 2010. Timings: 10 am sharp till 12 pm.

There is no registration fee,

Seats are limited so kindly book your seat.

For confirmation contact Shazia Hasan Program Manager Ida rieu teachers’ resource centre

E mail: s_hasan21@hotmail.com.

visually impair person can drive in future

A car for blind drivers coming next year The National Federation of the Blind and Virginia Tech say they hopeto demonstrate a prototype equipped with technology that helps asightless personto get behind the wheel in 2011. The technology, called non-visualinterfaces, will guide its driver through traffic by transmittinginformation aboutnearby vehicles or objects. Vibrating gloves or streams of compressed air directed towards thedriver are among the options for communicating the information neededto avoid collisionsand reach a destination. Advocates for the blind describe the project as a “moon shot”, drawingparallels with President John F. Kennedy’s pledge to land a man on themoon. “We’re exploring areas that have previously been regarded asunexplorable,” said Mark Maurer, president of the National Federationof the Blind. “We’removing away from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of humanbeings to make contributions to society.” Here’s how the vehicle works: The steering wheel is hooked up to adistance monitor that gathers information from laser range finders. Voice software is used to direct the driver every second on exactlyhow far to turn the steering wheel. For example, the monitor will tellthe driver “turnleft three clicks.” As the driver does that, the monitor makes three clicking noises. Avibrating vest provides cues to follow when accelerating anddecelerating. The vest will vibrate in various spots–the back, abdominal area andthe shoulders–to relay a variety of commands. When a driver needs to“Hit the brakes!”the entire vest will vibrate to a fare-thee-well!
)taken from the internet)

great news for vi persons

(taken from the internet)
June 18 (Bloomberg) -- Patients blinded in one or both eyes bychemical burns regained their vision after healthy stem cells wereextracted from their eyes and reimplanted, according to a report byItalian researchers at a scientific meeting. The tissue was drawn from the limbus, an area at the junction of thecornea and white part of the eye. It was grown on a fibrous tissue,then layered onto the damaged eyes. The cells grew into healthycorneal tissue, transforming disfigured, opaque eyes into functioningones with normal appearance and color, said researchers led byGraziella Pellegrini of the University of Modena’s Center forRegenerative Medicine. The stem-cell treatment restored sight to more than three- quarters ofthe 112 patients treated, Pellegrini said yesterday in a presentationat the International Society for Stem Cell Research meeting. Thepatients were followed for an average of three years and some for aslong as a decade, Pellegrini said. “The patients, they are happy, even the partial successes,” she saidin an interview at the meeting in San Francisco. “We have a couple ofpatients who were blind in both eyes. Can you imagine for thesepatients the change in their quality of life?” The work was praised by Ivan Schwab, an ophthalmology professor andstem cell researcher at the University of California, Davis, who hastreated patients in clinical trials with a procedure based onPellegrini’s work. While his patients improved for a time, thebenefits didn’t endure, he said in a June 15 telephone interview.Pellegrini’s patients appear to have long-term improvement, he said. “The powerful part of her work is she has such long-term follow-up,”Schwab said. Many of the patients she treated had been blind for years as result oftissue and blood vessels growing over damaged parts of the eye. Somehad been through failed surgeries and alternative treatments.Pellegrini estimated 1,000 to 2,000 patients in Europe suffer fromburns with chemicals such as bleach or industrial solvents and maybenefit from the procedure. The key to success is to be certain that when the stem cells extractedfrom the limbus are grown in culture they have the right mix of stemcells and the differentiated cells that form the corneal tissue,Pellegrini said. If there are too few stem cells in the transplant,the improvement won’t last because there will be no reservoir to formthe new corneal cells needed with the normal recycling of cells overtime, she said. The procedure succeeded after a single transplant in 69 percent ofcases. A second procedure was performed on some patients, boosting thesuccess rate to 77 percent, she said. The procedure was deemed apartial success in 13 percent of cases and a failure in 10 percent,she said. Depending on the depth of the injury, some patients regained sight inas little as two months, Pellegrini said. Others with deeper injuriesneeded a second procedure and waited a year before sight was restored,she said. The applications of the work may extend to other organs, Schwab said. “This is bigger than just the surface of the eye,” he said. “She maybe making a model for how to regenerate livers or other organs.”

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