TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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6 Awesome Apps for Travelers with a Disability

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woman showing a teenager a cell phone that she is holding in her hand. He has his arms above his head and is looking closely at the screen,Thanks to the experts at Disability Horizons for finding and testing apps that make enjoying traveling easier for people with disabilities. One app focuses almost exclusively on finding parking and accessible bathrooms for wheelchair users. Another app pairs a blind person with someone who is sighted who can describe photos, graphics or words as art. (They have nearly 2,000 subscribers, so it’s very likely that you’ll get help consistently and quickly.) Another app reminds travelers when to take their medicine. Parents and caregivers will love this one. READ MORE

OUR TAKE: In a world where 1 in 5 people have a disability, there can’t be enough innovation. But if you read the Disability Horizons story, you’ll notice that many of the problems that apps solve aren’t rocket science—they cover the basics, give people with disabilities options and help people feel at home wherever they are. Who wouldn’t want those things? In fact, they are often helpful for people who do not have disabilities. At TravelAbility Summit this fall, we will be gathered in San Francisco with one goal—to make getting around the world easier for everyone. And yes, there will be apps there, too. The Summit Agenda includes entrepreneurs as well as pre-summit meetings with funders interested in founders of disability tech products.   

Product of the Month: Introducing the Seeing Eye Suitcase

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Courtesy Carnegie Mellon

In partnership with Carnegie Mellon University researchers, Pittsburgh International Airport has created a suitcase and a smartphone app to assist blind airport travelers to navigate the terminal. The rolling suitcase has been nicknamed “BBeep” and is reported to help blind people navigate crowded airports, according to a TribLive report by Tom Davidson.

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Find some of the best assistive products on TravelAbility Summit’s Fab 50 list.

Are There Any New Solutions to Help Travelers on the Autism Spectrum Enjoy More and Worry Less?

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children's drawing of a family in the airportThe answer is Yes! Two ideas, both developed by people who have autistic family members, are worth reviewing:

1. In Brisbane Airport, lanyards that travelers wear discreetly alert staff that they may need help during travel. Of course, behind the lanyards is a lot of staff training. The combination of understanding and ability to advocate for oneself is proving to be a success.  Read the stories of families who have tried it and the mom who created the program after a traumatic trip with her teenage daughter here.

founder Naomi speaking on a youtube video about Magnus , a cartoon who appears in the top right corner of the screen

2. A customize-able mobile app designed to prepare travelers who experience things like noise, bright lights and touch very differently. The mobile app from MagnusMode, also inspired by an autistic family member, makes new situations easier to manage The app runs a potential traveler through scenarios that could be loud, noisy or uncomfortable, for example. SFO airport will be the first U.S. airport to offer the program, which has already proven successful with attractions such as zoos and aquariums. Read more here.

When Life’s A Beach This Summer—Get Beach Trax

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woman in wheelchair on beach using a mat to roll to the oceanTo be sure that everyone on wheels can take advantage of the beach or uneven terrain this summer, why not roll out the ‘red carpet’ of accessibility? Beach Trax. The lightweight, foldable pathway gives portable access to every destination visitor regardless of the terrain.

The details: The best way to explain how easy the product is to use is to think of each ‘track’ as a highly-durable, thick square (imagine a doormat but BIGGER) that folds out in sections. (Or instead of taking our word for it, watch co-founder Kelly Twichel roll it out in seconds, here.) They’ve also kept the price reasonable. Beach Trax (sold in sets of 10) are $650 each. 

About the company: The San Diego-based company’s co-founders, both occupational therapists, were inspired to create Beach Trax when fellow adaptive surfers were looking for a way to get to the water independently. 

young woman in blue tee shirt on the beach smiling she has blonde hair and is wearing a hatWant more details on the product and Twichel’s work?

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These Multi-City Film Festivals Are Different by Design

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logo of a city with words reel abilities

When film critic Kristen Lopez set out to learn more about how accessible films are to people with disabilities she got a welcome surprise—an inside view of how a festival focused on disabilities has grown exponentially.

Founded in 2007, the ReelAbilities Film Festival has been taking up the cause of showcasing films made by and about people with disabilities. The goal isn’t merely to show films but to shift the way people see disability on-screen, according to film critic Kristen Lopez, who wrote about ReelAbilities recently for Forbes. Find the full story here.

This year the film festival was held at SXSW in April. Details on locations/cities hosting a film or festival, here.