[Noisebridge-discuss] Hacking disability

Liz Henry lizhenry at gmail.com
Fri Feb 7 21:05:18 UTC 2014


It is very interesting even as a tourist to find how your perceptions
of distance and space will change. Going across a room or something
you wouldn't think twice about can suddenly be like climbing a
mountain. I think the "tourist" awareness can help with long term
awareness of things like keeping clear pathways and just knowing that
other people can be in pain sometimes, factoring that into your social
awareness.  But it is also useful for thinking about DIY which lots of
people with physical impairments or challenges have to do because
standard things don't work and custom ones are not available or way
expensive. There is a practical level but also a possible political
level in which to think about this stuff....

Romy you might like this 5 minute talk i did on hacking and disability activism,

http://www.slideshare.net/lizhenry/ignite-oscon-your-flying-jetpack-1802527



- liz



On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 2:18 PM, Romy Snowyla <romy at snowyla.com> wrote:
> I love this discussion. I just got out of surgery and will be non weight
> bearing for several weeks.
>
> There's a world of difference between sympathy and empathy. Sometimes
> sympathy however well intended is mixed with pity.
>
> But   I'm beginning to empathize and I find this a very positive experience.
>
> I'll most likely be on a knee scooter the next time I visit noisebridge. The
> elevator has a completely new meaning to me :)
>
> Many medical devices are expensive because they need to be certified by the
> FDA and anything proprietary is inherently more expensive.
>
> So any modifications by folks (especially those outside of a well funded
> research university or start up) are very interesting to me.
>
> You can't get more hacktastic than that!
>
> I'm saving a lot of money even using garbage bags as opposed to the $20 knee
> cast covers they sell online.
>
> I'm also impressed by the many hacker modifications for customization. It's
> all pretty neat. Thank you for welcoming me into your world ... Even though
> I'm just a tourist ..,
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jan 21, 2014, at 12:50 AM, Nana <nana at yak.net> wrote:
>
> hi, Nana here:
> broken hip 2 year ago, titanium implant. Wheelchair then 1.5 yr on crutches,
> now 6 mo w/ cane. (plus emphysema) Lots of tiredness. Also oldness.
>
> Unable to access NBridge unless elevator running. (frequently isn't).
> We (Jake, Liz, Me} made some attempts to fix a found scooter w/o success.
>
> I need a scooter at least part-time, & to figure out the logistics of living
> up some stairs. Someone recently showed me picture www.travelscoot.com &
> want to price and try one out. Other interesting questions ie moped =
> bicycle so legal on sidewalk, etc.
>
> welcome to the club  ;--)
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 20, 2014 at 12:07 PM, bandit <bandit at cruzio.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> > I just double fractured my ankle and will be implanted with metal plates
>> > like the terminator soon!
>>
>> ouch. good job! Do it *right*!
>>
>> >
>> > I'll be testing knee scooters & hands free crutches as i go non weight
>> > bearing ..
>>
>> Need to change your name to peg-leg...
>>
>> >
>> > For lack if better semantics has anyone else hacked their legs?  Made
>> > their own crutches or wheelchairs at noisebridge ?
>> >
>> > I'm tentatively labeling this hacking disability :: sorry if I offend
>> > anyone. I'm able bodied so I feel like a tourist although my myopia is
>> > so
>> > bad I'm legally blind without my coke bottle glasses so maybe I am
>> > disabled visually at least :)
>>
>> Na.. welcome to the cripple club. Always like to see temporary members -
>> keeps folks humble.
>>
>> I am interested in any experience with the "hand-free" crutch for a knee
>> injury- seems would put a lot of pressure in the knee joint, unless the
>> stress was on the thigh. That was the most pain-in-the-ass part of
>> breaking my left knee, and no left hand. I lashed the crutch to my arm,
>> but it was not an optimal solution.
>>
>> I's so blind I can't see my left hand, and I need new glasses - I see two
>> right hands. (hehe...)
>>
>> ... bandit
>>
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> bandit at cruzio.com
>> 505-228-8197
>> bandit.name
>>
>> I am a systems engineer, specializing in:
>> - Mission-Critical embedded systems
>> - device drivers
>> - control and data acquisition systems
>> My stuff *works* - *all the time*.
>>
>> Member: INCOSE.org, PACA.org, IEEE.org, CaliforniaConsultants.org,
>> quelab.net
>>
>> And to support my son: Proud members of the New Mexico .NET User Group.
>> Please go to the community website at www.nmug.net.
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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-- 
Liz Henry
lizhenry at gmail.com

"Electric ladies will you sleep or will you preach?" -- Janelle Monae

"Without models, it's hard to work; without a context, difficult to
evaluate; without peers, nearly impossible to speak." -- Joanna Russ



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