Celebrating Creativity

From automobiles to personal computers, technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, and this ongoing development has brought more life-enhancing products to the disabled than ever before.

The da Vinci Awards, an international program organized by the Michigan chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Engineering Society of Detroit, recognize products and design innovations that exceed legally mandated requirements to empower people with disabilities.

Here are three of the inventions that won a 2006 da Vinci Award:

• CoreControl — Developed by AVAcore Technologies, this invention cools the core body temperatures of those vulnerable to heat because of diseases like MS. Recent studies have concluded that the technology also helps men with spinal cord injuries and heat-stressed athletes stay cool. When users place the palms of their hands or the soles of their feet on the device, it uses various temperature settings and a slight vacuum to increase blood flow, enhancing the natural “radiator” function of these body surfaces for dissipating excess body heat. The body is cooled from the inside out rather than vice versa, as is the case with fans or ice packs.
• HP Developer & Solution Partner Program (DSPP) — Hewlett-Packard created this program so that its products would be compatible with technology solutions for the elderly and persons with speech, hearing, dexterity or cognitive disabilities. DSPP works with 50 assistive technology vendors, who are given free membership in the program. With the membership, vendors can use HP resources to develop solutions for the disabled. Technical, sales and marketing support are also provided through the program.
• FreedomBox Pass Key with System Access — The FreedomBox is a voice-controlled Internet access device. It combines the power of a top-of-the-line audio output interface with high-quality voice recognition to give users the power to control a properly equipped personal computer using nothing but voice commands.

FreedomBox connects to the Internet through a portal called FreedomBox Network, which can bring together users’ other contracted services such as e-mail, chat groups, shopping or news with direct links to government and other service sites. A FreedomBox Pass Key brings that capability to computers located anywhere, like schools, hospitals or the homes of friends and family.

Protected by an account number and password, the device is about the size of a credit card and is used in a computer’s CD drive. When removed, no trace of the software or the user’s personal information is left on the computer. The Key to Freedom with AutoRun Anywhere, a key-chain-sized 512 MB memory module, can be plugged into a computer’s USB port for that same functionality plus data storage.

For more information about the da Vinci Awards, visit www.davinciawards.com.