TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Trends

A Star is Born: Did the ASL Signer Upstage Rihanna at Super Bowl LVII 2023 Halftime Show?

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Sign language interpreter Justina Miles started going viral on social media because of video showing her energetic interpretation of the performance’s lyrics. It’s not her first brush with internet fame. Miles has a popular TikTok account where she interprets popular songs into ASL with the same enthusiasm she put on display at the big game.

According to the National Association of the Deaf, Miles is from Philadelphia and was part of Team USA at the 2021/22 Deaflympics where athletes who are deaf or hard of hearing compete. She won silver as part of the 4×100 women’s track relay team. She has also interpreted for other artists around the country at various concerts, according to the NAD. Other well-known ASL interpreters were also part of the Super Bowl performance, including Troy Kostur. Read More.

Our Takeaway: Many commenters felt that Miles’ performance was physically more imposing than Rihanna’s and a huge breakthrough in awareness for what is possible for deaf interpretive dancers. Kudos to the NFL, which reportedly worked for nearly a year with the National Association of the Deaf to develop three ASL performances.

See Miles’ half-time performance here.

See Miles’ TikTok videos here.

What is the Accessibility Gap?

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According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 15% of the global population has a disability. Furthermore, the National Household Travel Survey indicates that 25.5 million Americans have disabilities that hinder their ability to travel. 

Travel has numerous benefits, including stress relief, mental health, physical health, education, personal growth, creating memories, improving relationships and career advancement. 

Unfortunately, a lack of general accessibility in the travel industry means these advantages are out of reach. So, what is being done and what can be done to alleviate this situation? Read More.

Our Takeaway: Due to abundant mainstream media coverage around accessibility, the travel industry is finally awakening to that fact that outmoded ADA regulations are only a baseline and there are encouragingly easy and affordable ways to fill the gap.

Autonomous Shuttles with Accessibility Coming to US Cities

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photo of autonomous accessible shuttle -grey color with red acc ents large windows

The rise of electric vehicles has resulted in increased communication within the vehicle; everything from opening and closing windows to automated driving features to infotainment to passenger comfort is controlled via computers. Instead of piling electronic control units (ECU) — which historically have handled one function at a time — on top of each other, suppliers are converging them into so-called supercomputers. ZF’s Pro AI supercomputer combines multiple systems-on-a-chip (SoC) from different suppliers into one hardware unit that’s more efficient, takes up less space (the new ProAI is 12 by 6 by 6 inches) and eases supply constraints.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: Accessible ground transportation is one of the primary barriers for wheelchair travelers. While these beautiful and futuristically designed shuttle vans are primarily being released in Europe right now, they will have a ready market in the U.S. as accessible Airport shuttles. Read more.

14 Winners of Accessible Innovation Awards at CEO 2023 in Las Vegas.

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photo of #CES 2024 sculpture

A helpful toilet lifter, stabilizing smart makeup applicator, wearable navigation system for visually impaired individuals, and self-driving powerchair service have all been recognized at the prestigious CES 2023 Innovation Awards.

Taking place annually, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest global stages for companies to showcase their latest and greatest technology innovations. The show covers a wide variety of sectors including automotive, robotics, gaming, wearables, sports technology, and accessibility. CES is organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

AT Today has rounded up all 14 Honorees and Best of Innovation award winners in the accessibility category at the CES 2023 Innovation Awards. See the list here.

Department of Commerce Appoints 3 TravelAbility presenters to U.S. Tour and Travel Advisory Board

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White House, Washjngton DC logo

Congratulations to Advisory Board members Eric Lipp, founder of Open Doors Organization and emeritus member, John Sage, founder of Accessible Travel Solutions, both wheelchair users and legends in the accessible travel industry, who along with Andrew Leary, Director of Sustainable Travel and Partnerships for Leave No Trace were appointed by Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. They join other industry leaders such as the CEO’s of Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Expedia. See the full list of members here.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: Having two legends who’ve been deeply involved in accessible travel for over twenty years with a seat at the table contributing to future travel policy is a big win for the future of accessible travel and an acknowledgement that travelers with disabilities are an important segment for the future of the industry. 

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