VR will allow enriching experiences to individuals with chronic, debilitating conditions they would normally not enjoy who spend most of their time in their homes or hospitals. It's a safe place to socially interact with new people or connect with far-away loved ones. Other applications are anxiety reduction and somewhat contrarily, exposure therapy. One could escape to relax or face fears in a controlled environment.
Read MoreTrying New Medication: Is This Right for Me?
Trying a new medication for the first time can be a terrifying process. Too often doctors will nonchalantly toss something to you., skipping right over the side effects, effectively saying, "This'll do the trick," while you're left feeling like Neo in the Matrix with only the blue pill...
Read MoreWhat to Remember When Getting Your First Wheelchair: Part One
You've come to the conclusion that you might need a wheelchair for everyday use. This can be a scary decision, but it can be a positive, freeing one! Here are the first things should be in your plan of action:
1. Talk to your doctor!
This is seriously the most important part. Your medical need for a wheelchair is paramount. There are some patients that would benefit more from other assistive devices. Before you even think about getting a wheelchair, you need to think about getting to the root of your health issues. A wheelchair alone will not solve them, but it will help.
You don't have to be a person with any form of paralysis to use a wheelchair, but there are certain criteria that might make a doctor think a wheelchair isn't right for you or isn't right for you right now. A wheelchair is a powerful, awesome tool that can help you move when you cannot, reintegrate yourself into society, and exercise in new, interesting ways. You and your doctor can help make that decision together!
If in your discussion your doctor thinks a wheelchair is right for you, he or she can write you a Rx for your wheelchair which will give you a shot at getting it covered by insurance. This is not always the case. We will cover this in Part Two. (ex. I had a Rx, but I ended up paying out of pocket because of the crazy hassle and changing insurances.)
2. Research! Research! RESEARCH!
There are tonnes of wheelchair brands out there. You need to figure out what you like and what is best for you! Your professional's opinion will help with that latter part! My favourite, as I mentioned in this post, is Colours Wheelchair.
Colours is the brand I currently ride, and it fits all of my needs because I was able to specify everything I wanted based on my medical necessity, the type of terrain I encounter, my personality, and more. In my next post I will go more in depth about the buying process, and I will talk about a few more brands you might like as well!
3. Get Properly Fitted!
Okay, I lied, there are two "most important" parts. This is tied with number one. If your chair does not fit you correctly, it will be useless to you. My first chair was a beast, and I could barely move in it. My second chair only half fit me properly, and my upper back hurt me all the time. My current chair is just about perfect, but there are a couple of minor things I need to adjust. (No fault of Colours.)
This wouldn't have been an issue had I been able to get to someone who knew how to fit me, like a rep from a wheelchair company, or a very experienced PT. My friend on Facebook (who I won't yet name for privacy reasons) brought up a great point that was mentioned to me in the past that is key to consider here. Many times, able-bodied people don't know about our needs when we are sitting. Some might be following well-intentioned training or text book sort of material. This is not always true. Some have years of experience working with us and are more attuned to our needs. Do your due diligence when selecting one. Not every PT is right for you.
If you have the chance, go to Abilities Expo and get yourself fitted there. That is where I had some ideas about my new measurements. Others, I based on what other wheelchair users told me I needed to adjust. My footrest needed to come way up, my back needed to come way down, I needed a legitimate cushion, and I could have probably done with cutting a couple inches off my depth.
These are the things I took into account with my current chair along with a few others. I wanted a slight camber to my wheels to give me stability and help with uneven pavement along with aggressive tread tires. I also requested that the rear chair height be lower the the front chair height to help with the drainage of my bad leg. I was conservative with this at the first go, maybe an inch and a half difference, but being parallel to the ground is much too difficult for me, and my leg will not drain. So far, it seems to be making a difference.
I had to do my measurements on my own because I do not have much assistance in getting around. This is not anything I suggest which is why I preach so hard in getting a professional to help you with proper fit, thanks to a certain someone drilling it into my head. If I could have, I would have. Don't mess around with your wheelchair. It's your shiny beautiful vehicle and an extension of your body.
Important to note: If your condition tires you out, but it does not quite warrant an everyday wheelchair, you can still totally get a simpler folding wheelchair from a medical supply store and insurance might even cover it. If not, they are usually around $300-$400. I've even seen some cute pink "transfer" wheelchairs on eBay (ones you don't push yourself) if you have someone to push you around. Just make sure to buy yourself some good cushions as well because they do not have good support.
I hope this gave you a little assistance in your process! It definitely can be stressful and exciting. If you already have a chair, what was your first experience like? What would you tell others getting theirs for the first time? What questions would you like answered in Part Two (and potentially Three)? As always, Make Good with Your Ability Today!
Love, Sparkles, and Everything Awesome,
Sorel Estrada Volpe
4 Things to Do When Having Problems at Work
I was flipping through Tumblr the other day, and I came across this post by user zubat and the following linked fact sheet (section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act) on wages for people with disabilities in the United States. It perturbed me, and I think it's something we need to talk about. In some cases, it might be used for good, but I feel that it has the potential for many employers to take advantage of their employees with disabilities. Have you been affected by this law or do you know someone who has? Please take a moment to watch the video and discuss in the comments.
Note: I'm highly uncomfortable with the blanket terminology in section 14(c) to describe intellectual disabilities/potential neurological issues as "mental retardation," and I hated repeating it. The R word is highly abused, and I would like to talk about that and other words that should probably be phased out in another entry. Let's just stop using it, okay? Cool? Cool.
It's never an easy situation when you feel as if you are being treated unfairly in the workplace. Anything that you could potentially do in defence of yourself could result in the loss of employment and the end of your ability to care for yourself and your family, if applicable. However, there are resources available for you out there, and there are things you can do for yourself.
The first things you might want to do are:
1. Calmly collect your thoughts, and record everything that is happening (relevant to unfair treatment) day by day in a journal that you keep in a safe place away from work.
2. Reserve your feelings about your work conflict only to trustworthy individuals outside of the workplace.
3. Collect all paperwork you were given as a new hire from Human Resources so you can review to what you are legally entitled. Do not make HR aware that you are doing this for the reasons that you are. If you need extra copies of anything, you can ask. Just say that you misplaced something and you needed an extra copy. They are legally obliged to give it to you.
In most cases, HR is there to help you and are usually awesome people! As I am unaware of what your legal situation might be, I tend to err on the side of caution. This is why I would direct you to see #4 first.
4. Speak with an advocacy group or legal counsel to see if what is happening violates your rights and an offer a viewpoint of what would be in your best interests. An introductory visit or phone call sometimes will be at no cost to you, and there are many groups that, if you have a case, that do not take a fee from you personally, until a case is won. (This is called a contingency fee. It depends on the type of lawyer and the case, to my limited understanding.)
If you are having trouble locating groups or attorneys on your own, let me know, and I can go into more depth at a later date. I hope this helped a little if you are having some trouble at work. Remember, if you are working and having a rough time there, try to set a few minutes of the day when you get home for something positive and uplifting. When I was going through the same thing, the worst part was that some days I let it swallow me whole. Don't forget to let the light in.
Please remember that you are amazing, no matter how others might make you feel sometimes. We can help ourselves feel better (and help others!) by making good with our abilities. ✰ See you next time!
Sorel Estrada Volpe
Frill-Ability, Inc
Frill-Ability's Guide to A Fabulously Easy Ride (2015 ed.)
Whether you have been in a wheelchair for all of your life or just some of it, you know that your clothing and accessory needs are different than most people. We have to think about various elements of function, but we don’t want to sacrifice style. If you’ve been feeling stuck lately, feel like you’re on the extreme end of only function or only style, and think you could use a few helpers to make your ride a good balance of fashionable and easy, try seeking out the following the next time you go shopping or putting together an outfit! (The same might help for all other frill-able and fab out there, not just the wheelin’ sort!)
Read MoreInterview - Hoo-Box: Robotic Assistive Technology for Everyone
Have you ever seen a Roomba vacuum cleaner by iRobot? If you haven't seen one in person or the hilarious videos of cats riding them around people's homes, they are disc-shaped robots ranging in size from 216 mm - 370 mm whose original function could clean your floors by various methods depending on the model. What sets these apart from other cleaners is that they do the job for you, sensing objects that might be in the way, assessing when an area has been completely cleaned, and putting itself away. This, itself, is already something that assists people with and without disabilities by making cleaning less strenuous, but Paulo Pinheiro, co-founder of Hoo-Box, saw a greater opportunity.
Hoo-Box strives for the following goal: human-robot interactions that will increase our quality of life, particularly between the doctor-patient relationship and for people with disabilities. Today, we are going to chat with Paulo and learn more about his innovative ideas that are already helping people today.
ElleJay: First, what inspired you to create Hoo-Box?
Paulo: At the end of 2013, when I received my PhD in robotics, I realized that my desk was full of small products I've assembled and distributed over the past years. Many of the products are now helping hobbyists, robot lovers, and my best customers who are the older adults with disabilities and parents who were using the robotic little devices to interact with their children. At that time, I ran into the situation where I had a few customers before I had the company name. Hoo-Box was designed to keep that robotic flame alive and to continue distributing robotics goods for people who have no understanding in electronics at all.
ElleJay: Chimera and Akeso are your main projects, and it seems like the common thread between the three, and all of your work, is adding humanization to automatization which is usually the opposite of what we think of when we add robots to our everyday lives. Could you tell us more about how your projects benefit humanity in this way and tell us about each of their functions?
Paulo: Chimera was the first product of Hoo-Box. Cleaning up a house is not always an easy task. Vacuum cleaning robot are wonderful but might be inconvenient specially for older adults or people with disabilities. Chimera is a small device to enhance the intelligence of iRobot Roomba robots. This little device has a camera and huge power of navigation. Once it is connected to the Roomba, the robot is able to find its localization position at home and to create cleaning routines based on the behaviors of the residents.
Chimera maps the entire house detecting when each room is busy of people and learning the dirty pattern. Then, the robot can automatically clean the rooms when the owners are not at home or clean up the kitchen or dinner room at night or after the meals.
The second one is Akeso, a low-cost telepresence robot that has been used in medical facilities to allow physicians, staff and visitors to interact with patients from a distant location. The current goal of Akeso is to help older adults with Alzheimer's disease age-in-place by providing different services, such as automated reminders for daily tasks and assistive step-by-step guidance.
ElleJay: Those of us who are not as skilled in building and in inventing technology (like myself, I have none, =P) often either only have a loose understanding of how the electronics we use on an everyday basis actually function or sometimes are too intimidated to learn. However, it's definitely not as scary as it seems; if there's one thing I learned from working as a museum educator, it's that education is for everyone, and no one should be excluded from learning a little something about a topic.
Beginning to understand how the world around us functions, especially amazing technology like you've built, enriches us and might us inspire us to go out to make something of our own that is completely different. That said, could you teach us a little bit about some of the most important aspects of the technology behind Hoo-Box?
Paulo: Part of Hoo-Box's products were made to be used with technologies that you already have at home or devices that are commercially available, as the iRobot Roomba. What we do is to deliver an assistive solution for them. However, we also encourage you to develop your own solutions using the tools we constantly put available for developers. That's why some of our products are great for kids and curious in robotics.
Of course you can use some of our sophisticated and complex localization and navigation algorithms for the robots. But we teach you how to control your robot using your smartphone accelerometer or using your smile or hands movements, and that seems to be way cooler!
"...we teach you how to control your robot using your smartphone accelerometer or using your smile or hands movements, and that seems to be way cooler!"
ElleJay: I've noticed on your Instagram some amazing previews of things you are doing for people with disabilities, most recently the wheelchair bumper and proximity sensor for motorized chairs, and a drive for motorized chairs that patients who have experienced strokes who cannot use a joystick hand control. Could you tell us a little about those? Do you plan on making these widely available one day, and do you continue on doing work related to the disabled community?
Paulo: Working on assistive robotics applications for individuals with neurological conditions or mobility disabilities is for sure my passion. In recent months we have developed a few solutions for motorized wheelchair, such as intelligent bumpers, cliff sensors and human-robot interfaces. After the patient recovers from a stroke, special attention must be given to bring the patient back to a normal life. Some of these patients are using wheelchairs now and they are not able to drive it using a joystick. We have developed hands-free motion controls using EMG (Electromyography [more high level explanation here]) and air flow to select a command of the navigation menu. I'm working hard to make part of these products widely available in 2015.
ElleJay: Lastly, what advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career in robotics/the tech industry that would also benefit humankind in some way?
Paulo: Never forget that a robot always has a mission. A mission to help someone. No matter how many robots you will design in your life or for what sectors. During your scientist /engineer life, you should think about to develop at least one assistive solution for people with disabilities. It is one of the responsibilities you earn when you work on robotics.
"Never forget that a robot always has a mission. A mission to help someone. No matter how many robots you will design in your life or for what sectors. During your scientist /engineer life, you should think about to develop at least one assistive solution for people with disabilities. It is one of the responsibilities you earn when you work on robotics."
ElleJay: Thank you and your team so much for your time, Paulo, and for being such a shining example of someone who makes good with his ability everyday!
If you have questions for Paulo, please leave them in the comments! I correspond with him via email, so I can relay them, or he might respond here if he has time! He also has an Instagram for his company linked above on his name at the beginning of this interview where he can be contacted.
As always, set an example for everyone around you, and Make Good with Your Ability Today, too!