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AccessWorld: Daily Summaries Delivered
by American Foundation for the Blind
Welcome to AccessWorld, a podcast of the American Foundation for the blind. This podcast takes a deep dive on all things encompassing digital inclusion and accessibility. Released each month, AccessWorld offers news and views in conjunction with AFB's quarterly online publication of the same name. For more information on AccessWorld, check us out at www.afb.org/AW. Founded in 1921, AFB is a national nonprofit creating a world of no limits for people who are blind or have low vision. Learn more at www.afb.org.
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- 2 weeks ago55 min
AccessWorld #40 -- Tackling that Inbox with Lumin
In this episode of AccessWorld, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility, Aaron and Tony sit down with Sriram Ganesh, CEO and developer of the AI app Lumin. Lumin offers a voice controlled solution for managing your inbox and calendar. It offers a hands-free way to tackle that cluttered inbox, and was born out of Sriram's own lived needs for greater accessibility after losing his sight to cone-rod dystrophy. Sriram shares how his love for video games and past success as an AI developer lead him to creating such a user friendly approach toward bringing together multiple AI models into an app that focuses on making the user experience as simple as possible. (Note: there are a couple moments of brief silence as they demo the app in-between AI responses, so don't worry, it's not your headphones.) You can learn more about the app at www.trylumin.ai. Aaron also shares what's in the latest issue of AccessWorld Magazine, which dropped last week. You can check it out at www.afb.org/AW. AccessWorld is a production of AFB Studios at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). Feel free to like and subscribe to the podcast, and even consider visiting our site to make a donation to support our work creating a world of endless possibilities for people who are blind or have low vision. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- Aug 21, 202647 min
AccessWorld #39 -- New AFB AI Report on Assistive Tech
In this episode of AccessWorld, Tony and Aaron welcome Dr Arielle Silverman and Sarah Malaier from AFB's Public Policy and Research Institute (PPRI). Dr. Silverman is the Director of Research at AFB, and Malaier is the Senior Advisor for Public Policy & Research. They share the latest report released from AFB as part of its series on AI attitudes and perceptions. This report focuses on AI and assistive technology. To access the report and other reports in the series, visit: https://afb.org/AIResearch2 To vote on AFB's AI related panels for the South By Southwest Conference this spring in Austin, visit: https://afb.org/VoteSXSW27 This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- Aug 7, 202631 min
AccessWorld #38 -- St. Louis Shoes
Welcome back to another episode of AccessWorld, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility. In this episode, Tony and Aaron recap their visit to the annual convention of the American Council of the blind (ACB). They share their take-aways from hitting up the exhibit floor and access-tech sessions. Tony wishes he brought his dog shoes for his guide dog Nougat as they were sweltering under a heat dome in Missouri and dancing over the St. Louis streets that week. But, more reason to stay inside the super chilled convention hotel and get caught up on some of the latest new tech and gadgets. From the high-tech yet retro throwback devices from Blazie Technologies, to the latest cutting-edge AI integrations rolling out from Vispero, Aaron and Tony share their favorites for 2026. Additional shout-outs go to Tactile Engineering's Cadence braille displays and HapWare for their innovative designs in wearable smart wristbands. Feel free to give your own shout outs on the coolest gadgets you've come across this year at the consumer conferences if you were able to attend NFB or ACB. And if not, still give a shout out on what your own favorite tech is these days. There is definitely a lot of new tech riding the AI wave the past couple of years, and more to come we're sure as we move closer to the holiday shopping season and the CES conference coming in January. Aaron Preece is editor-in-chief of AccessWorld Magazine, a quarterly e-pub from the American Foundation for the Blind, and Tony Stephens leads communications for AFB. Together, they enjoy geeking out each month on the latest happenings encompassing digital inclusion and accessibility. You can check out AccessWorld Magazine at www.afb.org/aw. And be sure to like and subscribe to this podcast, and you can even support the work of AFB by visiting us online at www.afb.org. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- Jul 23, 202644 min
AccessWorld #37 -- Meet Me in St. Louis
In this episode of AccessWorld, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility, Aaron and Tony get geared up for attending the annual AFB breakfast at the American Council of the blind's annual conference and convention held this year in St. Louis. They breakdown recent updates in the AI-sphere and contemplate if surfing the web will be a thing of the past, like so many roadside towns before the birth of the interstate. Aaron shares his progress vibe-coding with AI, and Tony wonders if our AI bots will truly become some magical elixir for all of our accessibility headaches. A production of AFB Studios, the AccessWorld podcast is a companion to AccessWorld Magazine, a quarterly publication published by the American Foundation for the Blind. You can check out the current issue, along with 26 years of back issues, free-of-charge at www.afb.org/aw. Aaron Preece is the editor-in-chief of AccessWorld, and Tony Stephens leads communications for AFB. Questions and comments can be sent to communications@afb.org. To learn more about AFB, or to support our work, visit www.afb.org. Produced and edited by Tony Stephens at the Pickle Factory in Baltimore Maryland with digital media support from Kelly Gasque and Breanna Kerr. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- Jul 2, 202655 min
AccessWorld #36 -- Top 10 AT Tools Expanding Independence
In this week’s episode of AccessWorld, Aaron and Tony create their own bracket for the top ten assistive tech tools that have had the greatest impact on expanding independence for people who are blind or have low vision. It’s a fitting tribute in the days leading up to our own nation’s 250th anniversary of independence this weekend, and we hope you will enjoy. Feel free to leave a comment on what AT tops your own list. Be sure to check out Accessworld Magazine for the latest in digital inclusion and accessibility, and you can access over 26 years of back-issues free of charge on the AW site. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- Jun 17, 202630 min
AccessWorld #35 -- Checking Out the Perkins Braille Bloom
Welcome back to AccessWorld, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility. We've been gone for a couple of weeks as we kick off summer in the heat with a hot new product from Perkins. This week, Tony and Aaron are welcome Kim Charlson and Meghan Gagne of Perkins. Kim is executive director of the renown Perkins Library and Meghan is the director of products for braille innovation. Together, they breakdown an innovative new product from Perkins that makes that classic analog brailler -- the one we all grew up with -- a high-tech brailling machine. The Perkins Braille Bloom is an affordable device that anyone can attach to their Perkins brailler, which will allow you to then connect it as a wireless braille keyboard. It fuses old with new, and presents an affordable option for those who are looking to have connectivity and still type in braille. You can learn more about the Braille Bloom at: https://www.perkins.org/bloom AccessWorld is produced by AFB Studios at the American Foundation for the blind. A companion to the quarterly publication AccessWorld Magazine, the podcast dives in each episode to news and reviews on all things digital accessibility and inclusion. Aaron Preece is editor-in-chief of AccessWorld, and Tony Stephens leads communications for AFB. To learn more about AccessWorld Magazine, and to access over 26 years of back-issues for free, visit: https://afb.org/aw. And for more details on this program, check out the podcast page HERE! Produced and edited by Tony Stephens at the Pickle Factory in Baltimore, Maryland with digital media support from Kelly Gasque and Breanna Kerr. Questions and comments can be sent to communications@afb.org. To learn more about the American Foundation for the blind (aFB), or to make a tax-deductible gift to support our work, visit us online at: www.afb.org. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- May 21, 202642 min
AccessWorld #34 -- Happy GAAD and Battling Isolation
Welcome back to another episode of AccessWorld, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility. In this week's episode, AFB's Aaron and Tony wish everyone a happy Global Accessibility awareness Day (#GAAD), and take a look back at how accessibility has changed over the past 15 years. They then dive into a deeper conversation around the prevalence of isolation for people with disabilities, recognizing the mental health challenges that are often pushed to the sidelines. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and our friends at NAMI have some excellent resources for those struggling with mental health issues and other ways to share your own stories and experiences during #MHAM. Talking through isolation, Aaron and Tony flashback to the pandemic days when the world began to open up over Zoom, which has become a major tool for breaking through the isolation both during and after COVID. The question now is will AI robots become the next solution for that feeling of isolation many may feel in our society, or will it mature into an adolescent bot who sits on the couch watching television and talks snarky to us all the time. For those interested in the Apple update Tony and Aaron discussed at the top of the episode, you can learn more here: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/05/apple-unveils-new-accessibility-features-and-updates-with-apple-intelligence/ Like what you hear? Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episode when it drops, and you can learn more about AccessWorld, including our quarterly online magazine with its 26 years of back issues free and online, by visiting: www.afb.org/aw. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
- May 7, 202649 min
And AI-Way We Go
Welcome back to another episode of the AccessWorld podcast, a podcast on digital inclusion and accessibility from the American Foundation for the blind (AFB). In this episode, Tony and Aaron unpack the power of AI after Tony’s frustrations with taxi and ride share denials on his way back from the Helen Keller Achievement Awards. They steer their way into the potential behind autonomous vehicles and how AI can be the bridge for greater independence. Aaron then gives a preview of what’s in the upcoming issue of AccessWorld magazine as they break into adaptive sports and Tony gets excited for the 2028 Paralympics. Check out AFB’s latest research on AI’s impact for not just people with disabilities but the broader community. There’s a whole section on transportation, and the AFB team will be releasing a mini-report breaking down transportation even further in the coming weeks. During their conversation on the rise of driverless cars, Tony references a 2017 study by Ford and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on attitudes around driverless vehicles, offering an interesting take on how perceived attitudes continue to drive AV’s future prospects almost a decade later. And as always, you can visit the AccessWorld page for all the back-issues of AccessWorld magazine for free. Thanks for checking us out, and be sure to like and subscribe. And if you’re so inclined, you can learn more about our work at AFB and even consider making a gift to support us at www.afb.org. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.Read transcript
About AccessWorld
Welcome to AccessWorld, a podcast of the American Foundation for the blind. This podcast takes a deep dive on all things encompassing digital inclusion and accessibility. Released each month, AccessWorld offers news and views in conjunction with AFB's quarterly online publication of the same name. For more information on AccessWorld, check us out at www.afb.org/AW. Founded in 1921, AFB is a national nonprofit creating a world of no limits for people who are blind or have low vision. Learn more at www.afb.org.
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