<div dir="ltr">Liz,<div><br></div><div>The slides are very cool! I love it! </div><div><br></div><div>warning: this is long, but I intend to put this into the wiki</div><div><br></div><div>In addition to a talk, what about immersive hacking experiences? Maybe "able-bodied" people would become more engaged if they had to walk around the space on crutches, in a wheelchair and note what is and isn't accessible.</div>
<div><ul><li>Maybe I can hold a new event titled:<b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">"5 minutes of engagement" </span></b><i>(engaging the audience versus a talk)</i>, similar to "Today We Learned" at SudoRoom... it could be an extension of a talk that someone has already given<br>
</li><ul><li>have participants walk around NoiseBridge in crutches... </li><li>have people exploire Noisebridge in a wheelchair and, as you said, see where the tight corners are</li><li>brainstorm ways to inform people of when the elevator is needed. Could we stick a bluetooth device on that thing so it's easily apparent whether it's working or not? that way a wheelchair person/someone like me won't waste time coming all the way out to NB and then finding we're blocked off.</li>
</ul><li>I love how the slides address the "medical industrial complex" - all for cheaper, better, faster ways to use customized devices! - as an "able bodied" person I was never aware of this. Some doctors might feel constricted & unable to help with medical device hacks for fear of getting sued as well. </li>
</ul><div><b>Personal Narratives</b></div><div><br></div><div>There are so many little things that stick out to me that are worth mentioning in this email:</div><div><br></div><div> I was at a bus stop, and the bench was blocked off by dirt, so I couldn't easily get there with my knee walker. I couldn't get to it from the street since it was elevated from the street, and I couldn't get my scooter over the sidewalk edge... so I sat next to the bus stop, not far away, but in the area that was immediately accessible to me. </div>
<div><br></div><div>The bus just passed me by because I was two feet away from the bench. That was really weird! I guess stuff like this happens to people in wheelchairs lal the time.</div>
</div><div><br></div><div><b>Pain</b></div><div>Thanks for bringing up the topic of pain. I'm much better now, so I'm leaving tourist status, but in the initial weeks after my operation on my ankle, yes! I did feel a lot of pain. And it wouldn't be immediately visible to people around me. </div>
<div>As an "able bodied person" I just never was aware of this. Distances between bus stops were also much less intimidating. </div><div>I'm sure there are weird ways to simulate that =D hacking an S & M device? </div>
<div><br></div><div>Sidewalks + Streets</div><div><br></div><div>Well kept streets and sidewalks that wheelchair wheels can roll over are so much more important now. I completely sympathize with folks in wheelchairs facing bumpy, cracked, irregular sidewalks. It can mean struggling for 2 minutes over 10 feet or cruising over in 20 seconds... not to mention the possibility of getting tipped over / tripping / getting stuck. </div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr"><br><div><br></div><div>=============================</div><div><br></div><div>Romy Ilano</div><div><a href="mailto:romy@snowyla.com" target="_blank">romy@snowyla.com</a></div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 7, 2014 at 1:05 PM, Liz Henry <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lizhenry@gmail.com" target="_blank">lizhenry@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
It is very interesting even as a tourist to find how your perceptions<br>
of distance and space will change. Going across a room or something<br>
you wouldn't think twice about can suddenly be like climbing a<br>
mountain. I think the "tourist" awareness can help with long term<br>
awareness of things like keeping clear pathways and just knowing that<br>
other people can be in pain sometimes, factoring that into your social<br>
awareness. But it is also useful for thinking about DIY which lots of<br>
people with physical impairments or challenges have to do because<br>
standard things don't work and custom ones are not available or way<br>
expensive. There is a practical level but also a possible political<br>
level in which to think about this stuff....<br>
<br>
Romy you might like this 5 minute talk i did on hacking and disability activism,<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/lizhenry/ignite-oscon-your-flying-jetpack-1802527" target="_blank">http://www.slideshare.net/lizhenry/ignite-oscon-your-flying-jetpack-1802527</a><br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
<br>
- liz<br>
</font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 2:18 PM, Romy Snowyla <<a href="mailto:romy@snowyla.com">romy@snowyla.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> I love this discussion. I just got out of surgery and will be non weight<br>
> bearing for several weeks.<br>
><br>
> There's a world of difference between sympathy and empathy. Sometimes<br>
> sympathy however well intended is mixed with pity.<br>
><br>
> But I'm beginning to empathize and I find this a very positive experience.<br>
><br>
> I'll most likely be on a knee scooter the next time I visit noisebridge. The<br>
> elevator has a completely new meaning to me :)<br>
><br>
> Many medical devices are expensive because they need to be certified by the<br>
> FDA and anything proprietary is inherently more expensive.<br>
><br>
> So any modifications by folks (especially those outside of a well funded<br>
> research university or start up) are very interesting to me.<br>
><br>
> You can't get more hacktastic than that!<br>
><br>
> I'm saving a lot of money even using garbage bags as opposed to the $20 knee<br>
> cast covers they sell online.<br>
><br>
> I'm also impressed by the many hacker modifications for customization. It's<br>
> all pretty neat. Thank you for welcoming me into your world ... Even though<br>
> I'm just a tourist ..,<br>
><br>
> Sent from my iPhone<br>
><br>
> On Jan 21, 2014, at 12:50 AM, Nana <<a href="mailto:nana@yak.net">nana@yak.net</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> hi, Nana here:<br>
> broken hip 2 year ago, titanium implant. Wheelchair then 1.5 yr on crutches,<br>
> now 6 mo w/ cane. (plus emphysema) Lots of tiredness. Also oldness.<br>
><br>
> Unable to access NBridge unless elevator running. (frequently isn't).<br>
> We (Jake, Liz, Me} made some attempts to fix a found scooter w/o success.<br>
><br>
> I need a scooter at least part-time, & to figure out the logistics of living<br>
> up some stairs. Someone recently showed me picture <a href="http://www.travelscoot.com" target="_blank">www.travelscoot.com</a> &<br>
> want to price and try one out. Other interesting questions ie moped =<br>
> bicycle so legal on sidewalk, etc.<br>
><br>
> welcome to the club ;--)<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Mon, Jan 20, 2014 at 12:07 PM, bandit <<a href="mailto:bandit@cruzio.com">bandit@cruzio.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> > I just double fractured my ankle and will be implanted with metal plates<br>
>> > like the terminator soon!<br>
>><br>
>> ouch. good job! Do it *right*!<br>
>><br>
>> ><br>
>> > I'll be testing knee scooters & hands free crutches as i go non weight<br>
>> > bearing ..<br>
>><br>
>> Need to change your name to peg-leg...<br>
>><br>
>> ><br>
>> > For lack if better semantics has anyone else hacked their legs? Made<br>
>> > their own crutches or wheelchairs at noisebridge ?<br>
>> ><br>
>> > I'm tentatively labeling this hacking disability :: sorry if I offend<br>
>> > anyone. I'm able bodied so I feel like a tourist although my myopia is<br>
>> > so<br>
>> > bad I'm legally blind without my coke bottle glasses so maybe I am<br>
>> > disabled visually at least :)<br>
>><br>
>> Na.. welcome to the cripple club. Always like to see temporary members -<br>
>> keeps folks humble.<br>
>><br>
>> I am interested in any experience with the "hand-free" crutch for a knee<br>
>> injury- seems would put a lot of pressure in the knee joint, unless the<br>
>> stress was on the thigh. That was the most pain-in-the-ass part of<br>
>> breaking my left knee, and no left hand. I lashed the crutch to my arm,<br>
>> but it was not an optimal solution.<br>
>><br>
>> I's so blind I can't see my left hand, and I need new glasses - I see two<br>
>> right hands. (hehe...)<br>
>><br>
>> ... bandit<br>
>><br>
>> ><br>
>> > Sent from my iPhone<br>
>> ><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> --<br>
>> <a href="mailto:bandit@cruzio.com">bandit@cruzio.com</a><br>
>> <a href="tel:505-228-8197" value="+15052288197">505-228-8197</a><br>
>> <a href="http://bandit.name" target="_blank">bandit.name</a><br>
>><br>
>> I am a systems engineer, specializing in:<br>
>> - Mission-Critical embedded systems<br>
>> - device drivers<br>
>> - control and data acquisition systems<br>
>> My stuff *works* - *all the time*.<br>
>><br>
>> Member: INCOSE.org, PACA.org, IEEE.org, CaliforniaConsultants.org,<br>
>> <a href="http://quelab.net" target="_blank">quelab.net</a><br>
>><br>
>> And to support my son: Proud members of the New Mexico .NET User Group.<br>
>> Please go to the community website at <a href="http://www.nmug.net" target="_blank">www.nmug.net</a>.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> _______________________________________________<br>
>> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br>
>> <a href="mailto:Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
>> <a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</div></div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">--<br>
Liz Henry<br>
<a href="mailto:lizhenry@gmail.com">lizhenry@gmail.com</a><br>
<br>
"Electric ladies will you sleep or will you preach?" -- Janelle Monae<br>
<br>
"Without models, it's hard to work; without a context, difficult to<br>
evaluate; without peers, nearly impossible to speak." -- Joanna Russ<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div>