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Technology    Photos-Audio-Video        Archives

News & Announcements

On this page:

► hab forum - september 2009
►  ThanksMas Party 2009
► OTS Paratransit - the Handi-van - New Eligibility Assessment
► Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice
► HybridHybrid Cars May Include Fake Vroom for Safety
► Senate Sends Landmark Hate Crimes Bill to President Obama 
► social Security Told To Modernize For The Blind
► Orbit Research Introduces iBill Talking Banknote Identifier
► Burst of Technology Helps Blind to See
► Letters to HAB (updated 18 September 2009)
► Jobs
►Classified Ads

Hab Forum - september 2009

The latest HAB Forum, issue September 2009, is now out and available on this
website. This issue features a message from the HAB President, comments from our members, poem, news from our friends in the community concerning activities by our blind students. Please CLICK HERE to read the Newsletter. Note that the document is in PDF format so you need Adobe Acrobat to open the file.
 

Thanksmas Hab 2009 party

In keeping up with the organization's tradition, HAB is celebrating Thanksgiving and
Christmas with a combined event we call Thanksmas with a party on November 28,
2009 at the Ho'Opono Auditorium at 6:00 pm. All members are encouraged to grace
the event and join the fellowship and fun. A $5 contribution from each member will be
collected at the party and shall be donated to the Salvation Army, just as we have
always done annually.
 

OTS Paratransit - The Handi-Van - New Eligibility Assessment

The Oahu Transport Service (OTS) Paratransit the Handi-Van has implemented a new
eligibility assessment program starting October 14, 2009. This affects all Handi-Van
riders who need to renew expired Handi-Van cards and those new applicants who
wish to avail of the service. The following will explain the procedure in detail.

TheHandi-Van Eligibility Information

New - Effective 10/14/2009

TheHandi-Van is the City and County of Honolulu’s paratransit service for people with
disabilities who are unable to independently use TheBus.

This informational brochure will help guide you through the process of applying for
TheHandi-Van eligibility.

We hope you will find it useful and convenient.


Mayor Mufi Hannemann



TheHandi-Van Eligibility Center is located at

The First Insurance Center
1100 Ward Avenue, Suite 835
Honolulu, HI 96814

Office Hours
Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Telephone: 808-538-0033

Fax: 808-538-0055

What is the new eligibility process?

To apply for eligibility to use TheHandi-Van, individuals must appear in-person to
complete an assessment process. During a confidential interview, you will meet with a
Mobility Coordinator who will identify your specific transit use skills, abilities and/or
limitations. The Mobility Coordinator will assist you in navigating through the
process and can provide information about additional transportation options and
services.

Under the previous eligibility system, decisions about each customer were based
primarily on written information. Now you will have an opportunity to better explain
your personal circumstances and abilities.

During your interview, you will learn about other programs that can increase your
transportation independence. The assessment process is not a determination of
whether or not a you have a disability, but rather a determination about what your
transportation options can include.

Disability alone does not determine eligibility; the decision is based upon a
customer’s ability to use the City’s fixed route bus. The assessment is to ensure that
the person applying for service has a verified disability and to understand the
transit-related tasks that the person can perform.
TheHandi-Van
Eligibility Center
808-538-0033

Monday - Friday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

What can I expect?

TheHandi-Van is a curb-to-curb, shared ride, accessible bus service for people who
are eligible under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) guidelines.

To be eligible to use TheHandi-Van, you must take part in an in-person interview at
TheHandi-Van Eligibility Center at the First Insurance Center, 1100 Ward Avenue in
Honolulu. To schedule your interview or to get more information about
TheHandi-Van eligibility process, call 808-538-0033. Our Mobility Coordinators will be
happy to help you.

Your in-person eligibility interview may include your own assessment of your ability
to use TheBus, a verification of your disability, and, at no-charge, an assessment of
your physical and cognitive ability to ride a fixed route bus. Your balance, strength,
coordination, range of motion, or general orientation may be assessed.

You may bring someone with you to the interview, which may take one to two hours.
Part of the assessment may be conducted outdoors, so please dress appropriately.
Information provided by a health care or disability service provider about your
disability or its symptoms will also be considered. You may bring this information to
the interview.

What information will I need?

Please use the following checklist to ensure that all necessary information is brought
to your interview:

 Information to bring to your interview
Your contact phone numbers (home, cell, work)
Your complete street and mailing addresses
Emergency contact names, relationships, phones (home, cell, work)
Health care provider names, complete addresses, phone and fax numbers,
and contact names
Supplemental information from your healthcare or disability service
provider regarding your ability to use fixed route bus service (optional)
If your vision is impaired, a Visual Acuity or Field of Vision Statement from
your vision care provider (optional)
List of medications you are currently taking
All mobility devices that you use, including power and manual wheelchairs,
scooters, walkers, canes, etc.
The manufacturer, make and model number of your wheelchair or scooter
Location of the bus stop closest to your home and the addresses of
destinations to which you frequently travel
List of the barriers between your home and the closest bus stop (i.e., hills,
no sidewalk, no curb cuts, uneven surfaces, busy intersection, etc.)

Please help us help you by coming to your interview prepared with the required
information. Not bringing the information listed above may delay your eligibility
determination. Thank you!
TheBus

Using fixed route service increases the mobility options of individuals with
disabilities.

Buses are wheelchair accessible and are equipped with lifts or low floors. Other
accommodations such as stop announcements make using the fixed route bus
service possible for many people.

TRAVEL TRAINING

Travel Training is available to help you learn to use TheBus. During your in-person
interview, your Mobility Coordinator can give you information on this free training
that is designed to increase your transportation options.

 

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having
clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like
Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently,
he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic
at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). 
       
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for
all to know. 
       
The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of
this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with
H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as
proliferation is. 
       
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order
to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development
of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official
communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to
stock N95 or Tamiflu): 
       
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications). 
       
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face
(unless you want to eat, bathe or slap). 
       
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt).
*H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal
cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents
proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect
on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected o ne. Don't underestimate this
simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 
       
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water.
*Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good
Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and
swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very
effective in bringing down viral population.* 
       
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other
citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets,
make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. 
                
6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids
has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction.
They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they
cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
 

        
Hybrid Cars May Include Fake Vroom for Safety
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/automobiles/14hybrid.html
Published: October 13, 2009
Author: JIM MOTAVALLI

For decades, automakers have been on a quest to make cars quieter: an auto
that purrs, and glides almost silently in traffic.
Kevin Walsh, an engineer, monitored waves from sounds that Fisker
Automotive Inc. developed to use on their hybrid car.

They have finally succeeded. Plug-in hybrid and
electric cars, it turns out, not only reduce air pollution, they cut noise pollution as
well with their whisper-quiet motors. But that has created a different
problem. They aren't noisy enough.

So safety experts, worried that hybrids pose a threat if pedestrians,
children and others can't hear them approaching, want automakers to supply
some digitally enhanced vroom. Indeed, just as cellphones have ring tones, "car tones"
may not be far behind - an option for owners of electric vehicles to choose
the sound their cars emit.

Working with Hollywood special-effects wizards, some hybrid auto companies
have started tinkering in sound studios, rather than machine shops, to
customize engine noises. The Fisker Karma, an $87,900 plug-in hybrid expected to go
on sale next year, will emit a sound - pumped out of speakers in the
bumpers that the company founder, Henrik Fisker, describes as "a cross between a
starship and a Formula One car."

Nissan is also consulting with the film industry on sounds that could be emitted by its forthcoming Leaf battery-electric vehicle, while Toyota has been working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Federation of the Blind and the Society of Automotive
Engineers on sounds for electric vehicles.

"One possibility is choosing your own noise," said Nathalie Bauters, a
spokeswoman for BMW 's Mini division, who added that such technology could be added to one of BMW's electric vehicles in the future.

The notion that battery E.V.'s and plug-in hybrids might be too quiet has gained backing in Congress, among federal regulators and on the Internet. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, introduced early this year, would require a federal safety standard to protect pedestrians from ultra-quiet cars.

Karen Aldana, a spokeswoman for traffic safety agency, which is also working on the issue, said, "We're looking at data on noise and E.V. safety, but manufacturers are starting to address it voluntarily."

A Toyota spokesman, John Hanson, said: "I don't know of any injuries related to this, but it is a concern. We are moving rapidly toward broader use of electrification in vehicles, and it's a fact that these cars are very quiet and could pose a risk to unsighted people."

A study published last year by the University of California, Riverside and financed by the National Federation of the Blind evaluated the effect of sounds emitted by hybrid and internal-combustion cars traveling at 5 miles per hour.

People listening in a lab could correctly detect a gas-powered car's approach when it was 28 feet away, but could not hear the arrival of a hybrid operating in silent battery mode until it was only seven feet away.

Some electric-vehicle drivers have taken a low-tech approach to alerting pedestrians. When Paul Scott of Santa Monica, Calif., drives his 2002 Toyota RAV4 electric car, he often rolls down the windows along busy streets and turns up his radio so people know his virtually silent vehicle is there.

Mr. Scott, vice president of the advocacy group Plug In America, said he would prefer giving drivers control over whether the motor makes noise, unlike, say, the Fisker Karma, which will make its warning noise automatically.

"Quiet cars need to stay quiet - we worked so hard to make them that way," he said. "It's the driver's responsibility not to hit somebody."

Mr. Scott has already warmed up to the idea of a car ring tone.

"It should be a manually operated noisemaker, a button on the steering wheel triggering a recording of your choice," he said. "It could play 'In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,' or anything you like."
 

Senate Sends Landmark Hate Crimes Bill to President Obama 

October 22, 2009 - Posted by Tyler Lewis 

Today, the Senate gave final congressional approval 68-29 to the Matthew Shepard
and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expands the definition
of federal hate crimes and removes unnecessary obstacles to federal prosecution. 

With President Obama likely to sign the Act into law soon, civil rights groups are
celebrating a historic achievement following more than a decade of advocacy. 

"We applaud lawmakers for recognizing the fundamental right of all Americans to be
protected from violence because of their race, the way they worship, their sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability status. Congress' decision to pass this bill sends a clear message to these victims of violence and their families – individuals like Stephen Tyrone Johns of Washington, D.C., Sean Kennedy of South Carolina, Angie Zapata of Colorado, Luis Ramirez of Pennsylvania, and Matthew Shepard of Wyoming – that we value every American's basic civil and human right to be safe and free from physical harm," Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said. 

The Act authorizes the federal government to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.  Currently, the Department of Justice can only investigate hate crimes motivated by the victim's race, color, religion, and national origin when the victim is engaged in a federally protected activity, such as serving on a jury.  The bill also gives the federal government jurisdiction over prosecuting hate crimes in states where the current law is inadequate or when local authorities are unwilling or do not have the resources to do so themselves. Local authorities would also receive additional resources to combat hate crimes. 

A version of the Act was introduced 12 years ago, and the House of Representatives
and the Senate have passed some version of it at various times since

then.  A diverse coalition of more than 300 civil rights, professional, civic,  educational, and religious groups, 26 state attorneys general, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh, and virtually every major national law enforcement organizations in America rallied in support of the Act over the years, recognizing that
hate violence is still a major problem in the U.S.
 

Social Security Told to Modernize for the Blind
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO --

The Social Security Administration must give the nation's 3 million blind or
visually impaired recipients the option of receiving benefit notices in
braille or by audio computer disc, a federal judge in San Francisco said
Tuesday.

Ruling in a nationwide class-action suit, U.S.  District Judge William
Alsup said that by sending notices only by mail and phone calls, the agency is
violating a law that guarantees the disabled equal access to its programs.
He ordered the government to make the additional choices available by
April 15.

The case involves some of the 100 million notices the Social Security
Administration sends each year to its 61 million beneficiaries, advising
them of scheduled appointments, program changes, tax filings and possible
benefit cuts.

About 250,000 Americans receive benefits because of blindness, and another
2.7 million blind or sight-impaired people get Social Security for other
reasons.

Under rules authorized by Congress in 1988 and 1990, they can choose to be
notified of agency actions by mail, with a follow-up phone call, or by
certified mail with a return receipt.  Those who make no choice are
contacted by mail without a phone call.

Alsup said the current system may have been effective 20 years ago, but no
longer provides the "meaningful access" the law requires, in light of
advanced technology.

Little evidence was presented that blind people had lost benefits because
of inadequate notice, Alsup said, but the current system is ineffective for
at least some recipients.

For example, he said, a blind person who needs to respond to a written
notice must wait until someone is available to read it aloud, and may have
problems meeting government deadlines.

Alsup said the Social Security Administration refused to acknowledge that
it was even covered by the anti-discrimination law until after the suit was
filed in 2005, and "has been quick to find lame excuses for noncompliance."

The agency must inform all blind and visually impaired recipients by Dec.
31 that they will have the choice of getting notices in braille or by Microsoft Word CD in mid-April, Alsup said.  He said those who want another option, such as notification by e-mail, must be allowed to request it and show why they need it.

"This is a huge benefit," said attorney Silvia Yee of the Disability Rights
Education and Defense Fund in Berkeley, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.  She
said the ruling will allow many recipients "to have an independence in
working with the (Social Security Administration) that they've never had
before."

Many sight-impaired recipients, particularly the young and those who
become blind later in life, can't read braille, Yee said, "but for people who do
read braille, it's their first choice." She said the CD option would
particularly help younger recipients.

Lowell Kepke, spokesman for the Social Security Administration's regional
office in Richmond, said the agency "will review the order and take
whatever actions are appropriate."

E-mail Bob Egelko at

begelko@sfchronicle.com.
 

Orbit Research Introduces iBill Talking Banknote Identifier

Priced at $99, the iBill is a breakthrough in independent living for
the blind and visually impaired.

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbit Research today
announced the introduction of the iBill, the world's first affordable
Talking Banknote Identifier for the blind and the visually impaired.
Priced at $99, the 1.5 ounce, pager-sized iBill represents a
breakthrough in enabling the blind and the visually impaired
community achieve independence in the everyday necessity of using
paper currency, which sighted people take for granted. At about a
third of the cost of existing devices, the iBill offers unrivaled
features, ease of use and accuracy of identification.

The iBill is an exceptionally convenient and affordable solution that
can be used by each and every blind or visually impaired individual.
Measuring just 3 inches by 1.6 inches by 0.7 inches, the ultra-slim
and compact "key-fob" design provides the ultimate in convenience,
allowing it to be carried unobtrusively in a pocket, purse, clipped
to the belt or attached to a keychain or lanyard. Among the features
that set it apart from other such devices are the extremely high
accuracy (better than 99.9%) and the near-instantaneous speed (less
than one second in most cases) with which it identifies banknotes.

The iBill is designed with the sole purpose of providing the
simplest, fastest and most accurate means to identify U.S. banknotes.
Its unique ergonomic design permits easy and intuitive use without
the need for any training or practice. Upon insertion of a banknote
into the device, its denomination is identified at the press of a
button. Based on the user's preference, the denomination is announced
by a clear and natural voice, or by tone or vibration for privacy.
The unit identifies all U.S. banknotes in circulation and recognizes
them in any orientation. Banknotes in poor physical condition are
indicated as unidentifiable and are not misread. The unit is also
upgradeable to recognize new banknote designs.

The iBill achieves all of this while operating on a single, commonly
available AAA battery which lasts for over a year with typical use.
Its durable construction and sealed design ensure trouble-free use.
The unit is backed by a one-year warranty from Orbit Research, and
toll-free customer support.

"Orbit Research has once again demonstrated its commitment to the
development of breakthrough technology and products that make a
direct and measurably positive impact to the daily lives of the
community we serve," said Michael Nolan, President of Orbit Research.

Orbit Research has filed patents on the technologies employed in the
iBill, which enable its groundbreaking compactness, performance and
features.

Samples of the iBill are available for evaluation now and Orbit
Research is accepting orders.

Specializing in the development and manufacture of products for
people with disabilities, Orbit Research's mission is to employ
cutting-edge technology to develop innovative and affordable products
that are essential for an independent and productive lifestyle.

     Contact:

     Carla Morris, (888) 606-7248
     Email:
morris.carla@orbitresearch.com

     Orbit Research
     3422 Old Capitol Trail, Suite 585
     Wilmington, DE 19808, U.S.A.
     Tel: (888) 60-ORBIT
http://www.orbitresearch.com

NOTE: As of November 1, 2009, the iBILL is not yet available in the market. The
specifications look good on paper. Let's hope it lives up to the hype because the
price is so attractive compared to current offerings available in the market today. To
purchase, go to their website and place your order. -rmf
 

Burst of Technology Helps Blind to See
New York Times
Published: Sep 27, 2009
Author: PAM BELLUCK

Blindness first began creeping up on Barbara Campbell when she was a teenager,
and by her late 30s, her eye disease had stolen what was left of her sight.


Reliant on a talking computer for reading and a cane for navigating New York City,
where she lives and works, Ms. Campbell, now 56, would have been thrilled
to see something. Anything.

Now, as part of a striking experiment, she can. So far, she can detect burners on her
stove when making a grilled cheese, her mirror frame, and whether
her computer monitor is on.

She is beginning an intensive three-year research project involving electrodes
surgically implanted in her eye, a camera on the bridge of her nose and a
video processor strapped to her waist.

The project, involving patients in the United States, Mexico and Europe, is part of a
burst of recent research aimed at one of science’s most-sought-after
holy grails: making the blind see.

Some of the 37 other participants further along in the project can differentiate plates
from cups, tell grass from sidewalk, sort white socks from dark,
distinguish doors and windows, identify large letters of the alphabet, and see where
people are, albeit not details about them.

Linda Morfoot, 65, of Long Beach, Calif., blind for 12 years, says she can now toss a
ball into a basketball hoop, follow her nine grandchildren as they
run around her living room and “see where the preacher is” in church.

“For someone who’s been totally blind, this is really remarkable,” said Andrew P.
Mariani, a program director at the National Eye Institute. “They’re able
to get some sort of vision.”

Scientists involved in the project, the artificial retina, say they have plans to develop
the technology to allow people to read, write and recognize faces.


Advances in technology, genetics, brain science and biology are making a goal that
long seemed out of reach — restoring sight — more feasible.

“For a long time, scientists and clinicians were very conservative, but you have to at
some point get out of the laboratory and focus on getting clinical
trials in actual humans,” said Timothy J. Schoen, director of science and preclinical
development for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Now “there’s a
real push,” he said, because “we’ve got a lot of blind people walking around, and
we’ve got to try to help them.”

More than 3.3 million Americans 40 and over, or about one in 28, are blind or have
vision so poor that even with glasses, medicine or surgery, everyday
tasks are difficult, according to the National Eye Institute, a federal agency. That
number is expected to double in the next 30 years. Worldwide, about
160 million people are similarly affected.

“With an aging population, it’s obviously going to be an increasing problem,” said
Michael D. Oberdorfer, who runs the visual neuroscience program for the
National Eye Institute, which finances several sight-restoration projects, including the
artificial retina. Wide-ranging research is important, he said,
because different methods could help different causes of blindness.

The approaches include gene therapy, which has produced improved vision in people
who are blind from one rare congenital disease. Stem cell research is
considered promising, although far from producing results, and other studies involve
a light-responding protein and retinal transplants.

Others are implanting electrodes in monkeys’ brains to see if directly stimulating
visual areas might allow even people with no eye function to see.

And recently, Sharron Kay Thornton, 60, from Smithdale, Miss., blinded by a skin
condition, regained sight in one eye after doctors at the University of
Miami Miller School of Medicine extracted a tooth (her eyetooth, actually), shaved it
down and used it as a base for a plastic lens replacing her cornea.


It was the first time the procedure, modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, was
performed in this country. The surgeon, Dr. Victor L. Perez, said it could
help people with severely scarred corneas from chemical or combat injuries.

Other techniques focus on delaying blindness, including one involving a capsule
implanted in the eye to release proteins that slow the decay of light-responding
cells. And with BrainPort, a camera worn by a blind person captures images and
transmits signals to electrodes slipped onto the tongue, causing tingling
sensations that a person can learn to decipher as the location and movement of
objects.

Ms. Campbell’s artificial retina works similarly, except it produces the sensation of
sight, not tingling on the tongue. Developed by Dr. Mark S. Humayun,
a retinal surgeon at the University of Southern California, it drew on cochlear implants
for the deaf and is partly financed by a cochlear implant maker.


It is so far being used in people with retinitis pigmentosa, in which photoreceptor
cells, which take in light, deteriorate.

Gerald J. Chader, chief scientific officer at the University of Southern California’s
Doheny Retinal Institute, where Dr. Humayun works, said it should
also work for severe cases of age-related macular degeneration, the major cause of
vision loss in older people.

With the artificial retina, a sheet of electrodes is implanted in the eye. The person
wears glasses with a tiny camera, which captures images that the belt-pack
video processor translates into patterns of light and dark, like the “pixelized image we
see on a stadium scoreboard,” said Jessy D. Dorn, a research scientist
at Second Sight Medical Products, which produces the device, collaborating with the
Department of Energy. (Other research teams are developing similar
devices.)

The video processor directs each electrode to transmit signals representing an
object’s contours, brightness and contrast, which pulse along optic neurons
into the brain.

Currently, “it’s a very crude image,” Dr. Dorn said, because the implant has only 60
electrodes; many people see flashes or patches of light.

Brian Mech, Second Sight’s vice president for business development, said the
company was seeking federal approval to market the 60-electrode version, which
would cost up to $100,000 and might be covered by insurance. Also planned are 200-
and 1,000-electrode versions; the higher number might provide enough
resolution for reading. (Dr. Mech said a maximum electrode number would eventually
be reached because if they are packed too densely, retinal tissue could
be burned.)

“Every subject has received some sort of visual input,” he said. “There are people
who aren’t extremely impressed with the results, and other people who
are.” Second Sight is studying what affects results, including whether practice or
disease characteristics influence the brain’s ability to relearn how
to process visual signals.

People choose when to use the device by turning their camera on. Dean Lloyd, 68, a
Palo Alto, Calif., lawyer, was “pretty disappointed” when he started
in 2007, but since his implant was adjusted so more electrodes responded, is “a lot
more excited about it,” he said. He uses it constantly, seeing “borders
and boundaries” and flashes from highly reflective objects, like glass, water or eyes.

With Ms. Morfoot’s earlier 16-electrode version, which registers objects as horizontal
lines, she climbed the Eiffel Tower and “could see all the lights
of the city,” she said. “I can see my hand when I’m writing. At Little League games, I
can see where the catcher, batter and umpire are.”

Kathy Blake, 58, of Fountain Valley, Calif., said she mainly wanted to help advance
research. But she uses it to sort laundry, notice cars and people, and
on the Fourth of July, to “see all the fireworks,” she said.

Ms. Campbell, a vocational rehabilitation counselor for New York’s Commission for
the Blind and Visually Handicapped, has long been cheerfully self-sufficient,
traveling widely from her fourth-floor walk-up, going to the theater, babysitting for her
niece in North Carolina.

But little things rankle, like not knowing if clothes are stained and needing help
shopping for greeting cards. Everything is a “gray haze — like being
in a cloud,” she said. The device will not make her “see like I used to see,” she said.
“But it’s going to be more than what I have. It’s not just for
me — it’s for so many other people that will follow me.”

Ms. Campbell’s “realistic view of her vision” and willingness to practice are a plus,
said Aries Arditi, senior fellow in vision science at Lighthouse International,
a nonprofit agency overseeing her weekly training, which includes practice moving
her head so the camera captures images and interpreting light as objects.


“In 20 years, people will think it’s primitive, like the difference between a Model T and
a Ferrari,” said Dr. Lucian Del Priore, an ophthalmology surgeon
at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, who
implanted Ms. Campbell’s electrodes. “But the fact is, the Model T came first.”


Ms. Campbell would especially like to see colors, but, for now, any color would be
random flashes, Dr. Arditi said.

But she saw circular lights at a restaurant, part of a light installation at an art
exhibition. “There’s a lot to learn,” she said. Still, “I’m, like, really
seeing this.”
 

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Home Delivery For HAB members who have no time or unable to do their grocery shopping, you may dial (808) 590-2048 and look for George or Jackye Peacock - owners of AKAMAI grocery shopping & delivery service, who would be more than glad to be your personal shopper. Just give them a list of the items you need, the store where you want them bought and they will shop for you and deliver them right on your doorstep for a minimal delivery fee! Happy shopping!

	Letters to HAB
	It gives us great joy and a real sense of accomplishment reading letters from those whose lives   were touched by HAB. December 16, 2008 Mahalo Warren and HAB for your generous donation to the Santa experience. Your donation paid for lunch and goodie bags for over 20 visually impaired students from Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. May you all have a fantastic Christmas too! Aloha, Christian Yates, HCDB December 24, 2008 Dear Warren and Members of the HAB: On behalf of the Huui o Na Makamaka (Friends of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped), a very belated THANK YOU for the generous donation of $130.89 to help pay for the hot dogs at the “Out-of-Sigh Concert” held at the Waianae Public Library on August 16, 2008. Our objective was to promote the services of LBPH on the west side and we believe that we accomplished this. The concert with the blind performers, the exhibits and the delicious hot dogs, all helped make a very successful program! We are very grateful for the support of the Hawaii Association of the Blind throughout the years…. your continued generosity and commitment to helping LBPH provide quality services are very much appreciated. Happy Holidays and best wishes to all of you in the new year! Sincerely, Deanna Espinas, Chairperson January 8, 2009 Dear Mr. Toyama, Thank you for letting me come on the field trip. I had a lot of fun. My favorite part was the scavenger hunt. My mom said that the ornament in the 1st place prize was beautiful. I also liked the train ride and seeing santa. Love, Laurel Cummings, Holomua Elementary, Leeward District P.S. The food was magnificent. January 8, 2009 Dear Mr. Toyama, I had fun doing the scavenger hunt at the mall and riding the train and the monorail, and eating pizza there and meeting santa. Thank you for coming. I’m glad you made it. I hope we will see you again. Love forever from: Catherine, Holomua Elementary, Leeward District January 8, 2009 Dear Mr. Toyama and Members of HAB, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your help in coordinating the DeafBlind Santa Day at Pearlridge Shopping Center. Even though the weather was gloomy outside, the atmosphere inside the mall was bright and cheerful. The students enjoyed seeing Santa, participating in a scavenger hunt, riding the monorail, riding the Toy Land Express train, eating pizza and cookies, and taking home the wonderful goodie bags. I would also like to thank you for the generous check that you send to Leeward District every year. We have been using the money for training materials for inservices with elementary classes, as well as to allow students to practice buying items on O&M lessons. These opportunities provide our students with valuable life experiences that they will remember for many years to come. I appreciate all you have done to make these things possible for our students. Sincerely, Hope Yasuhara, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Leeward District Office Annex February 3, 2009 Dear Warren and Members of the HAB, Louis Braille’s 200th birthday bash at the library was fun and a great way to celebrate him and his contribution to blind people worldwide. There was a display of Braille items. Trivia questions about Louis Braille were asked and then a short background of his life and work was given. The standing-room-only crowd included students, their teachers and parents, and adults. We played the “What’s that smell”, “What’s This” and bingo games with prizes. The HUI O VIP loaned us their Braille and large print bingo boards, which we appreciated. Everyone sang happy birthday and helped blow out the candles and then ate cupcakes. They seemed happy with the balloons and goody bag of treats to take home. Thank you so much for your donation that helped to make this activity so successful. Enclosed are a few pictures of the event. May you all have a happy and prosperous new year! Sincerely, Fusako Miyashiro, Branch Manager, LBPH February 26, 2009 Dear HAB, As the annual HAB conference approaches, we’d like to take a moment to tell you how we on the Big Island have used your generous grant over the past year. Thank you so much for your support. We have continued to use a portion of the money to repair eyeglasses. Many of our students simply can’t afford to get their glasses repaired when they break. Insurance coverage, for those that have it, is woefully limited. Your grant has also enabled us to continue to provide our students with meaningful daily living skills and Orientation and Mobility lessons. In November, we had a Big Island Peer interaction group trip. We took the kids to the Kona branch of Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii. It was the first time that several of the students had ever been on horseback. One or two of them had never even touched a horse before! They packed a picnic lunch of musubi, banana bread and juice. They prepared the lunch themselves, using ingredients purchased with your grant money. In December, some of our students were able to join their peers on Oahu for peer interaction group trip to Pearlridge, where they were able to put their Orientation and Mobility skills to real life use. This year, we are planning a year end trip to Maui at the end of April. Carol and Margy are planning two days of fun and educational activities. The time we the kids spend with their visually impaired friends is sadly limited. This trip will be a highlight of the year for many of them! We are very grateful for your continued support. Thank you. Signed: Liz Martin (Kona); Maryanne Genova (Hilo); Leatrice Ono (Hilo); and Ian Perry (Waimea) February 27, 2009 Dear Waren and HAB, We went to LBPH for Lois Braille’s birthday and then to Rainbow Drive Inn for lunch! It was fun !! Jessica Chandler February 27, 2009 Dear HAB, Thanks for lunch. It was delicious! Love, Emma   - end of letters Read previous letters.
	JOBS (as of March 18, 2009) Blind Vendors Ohana, Inc. has openings for full-time and part-time Sales Associates. Interested parties may contact the Human Resource Manager at 861-1300 extension 354.