Ipad, Alexa Providing New Avenues of Independence

For Aaron, the future is here.

Aaron has required care services since he was 5 years old due to the challenges and needs presented by Cerebral Palsy. As a consequence of the resulting spastic quadriplegia, the muscles in his arms are tight and rigid, which prevent him from fully extending them. While he can wiggle his fingers, his hands are sharply angled downward and curled back towards the wrist, which makes grabbing objects very difficult.  With great effort, and a flexibility hard won through yoga stretching exercises, Aaron can manipulate eating utensils enough to independently feed himself. And until recently, he needed to summon staff for simple tasks such as turning on the light.

Recent technological developments and devices are changing life for all of us, but the effects they are having for individuals like Aaron are nothing short of revolutionary. Touch activated devices like the ipad and voice activated devices like Amazon’s Alexa make possible a degree of independence that was figuratively – and literally – out of reach even a few short years ago. While most of us may be familiar with tablets by now, Alexa is a bit harder to describe. Resembling a white hockey puck, Alexa is programmed with an artificial intelligence that can work in conjunction with a variety of devices. Operating it is as easy as having a conversation.

Sitting with Aaron in his bedroom, I ask him about his new Alexa. “Alexa,” Aaron responds, “Put the light on. Please?” The smart light sensors installed in Aaron’s light switch trigger and the room, a bit dim with late January gloom, immediately brightens.

“Alexa,” says Aaron, “Put the news on.” A reporter comes on, mid-sentence, informing us of a trucking convoy on its way to Ottawa.

“Alexa,” says Aaron, “Play Elvis Presley.” The King begins to croon about fools rushing in. Aaron turns to me with a look that says, “Impressive, no?”

In addition to Alexa, Aaron is able to independently control his entertainment using his ipad. Where it may have been too difficult or frustrating to press individual keys or manipulate a mouse, Aaron can lightly drag a finger across the surface of this device. With a single digit, he can do everything from selecting a browser tab to opening an email to playing his favorite video games. He shows me some of the activities he is currently working on. It is striking to me to realize that between his ipad and his Alexa, he is almost completely independent with engaging with the things that intellectually stimulate him, an absolute necessity at a time when the response to a worldwide pandemic has introduced so many community restrictions.

Andi Mhlanga, who handles IT and tech concerns for Independent Advocacy, has been instrumental on introducing and guiding Aaron in the use of these devices. “He was curious when I first informed him about (Alexa),” says Andi. “The first thing we set up for him was Spotify. I told him he could use it to play music. He started asking it to play Christmas Carols. He immediately wanted me to call staff to his room so they could see what he could do.” In the space of a week, Aaron had figured out that he could do everything from getting the weather forecast to setting reminders to checking the time. His smart light allows him not only to turn the light on and off, but to change the color of the bulb based on voice commands if he wants to have mood lighting. Andi is currently looking into setting up Aaron’s TV with the Alexa, potentially allowing Aaron to change the channel with a word.

“So, if Aaron wakes up in the middle of the night, he can turn on the light, dim the light, and find out what time it is so if he wants to sleep some more, he can. He doesn’t need to call staff,” says Andi, “It’s really empowering. (Some of the other individuals) are already after me for one of these.”

With so many technological developments being announced every day, these devices can start to seem mundane. And in the case of online virtual spaces, such as Facebook’s Metaverse, they can even (or especially) seem ominous. However, we might not realize the life-changing implications of this tech for someone who has been confined to a wheelchair their whole life. In this virtual space, they can walk around, do their shopping, and freely interact with others whenever they want. “If you are looking at what’s coming down the pipeline, these things can give (an individual) a presence in the world that they’ve never had before. I mean, Aaron could be sitting in his chair in his room, shopping at Walmart! Floating up and down the aisles,” laughs Andi, “It’s going to change everything.”

“I don’t think Steve Jobs had people with disabilities in mind when they came out with the ipad. But that minimal approach – let’s have a device with just 3 buttons and you can do anything with it – it’s so easy to figure out.” Andi pauses for a moment. “Simple, simple things that we all take for granted. You don’t realize what’s possible for these guys until you see what they are able to do with these devices.”

Technology cuts both ways, but one can only imagine the continued effects of these tools in the lives of those with disabilities. The development of glasses and contact lenses regularly cause people with bad eyesight to forget the fact they have some form of blindness – what might be possible with the innovations of tomorrow? Independent Advocacy will continue to support our individuals to explore the potential of these tools for their lives and their situation. After all, the world is changing a little faster every day.

Note: Some information has been withheld for confidentiality reasons.