Google continuing to make a home "smart" for those with disabilities

We’ve been a strong proponent of applying technology to allow for greater independence of those with disabilities and have collaborated with leading companies to help the SCI community become more comfortable using such technology that could unleash a lot of their tools and apps to enable us to do more on our own. To its credit, Google has been a leader in making its products and services more accessible for those with disabilities.

Patrick Clary, Google Assistant Engineering Product Manager

One of the areas that Google has been leading is the integration of its Google Smart Devices to enable the use of everything from a thermostat, TV, lights, door opening, external cameras, phone and more by someone with limited or no mobility. The really cool thing we wanted to share is that a good friend of NorCal SCI, Patrick Clary, is a Google Assistant Engineering Product Manager who also happens to be a paraplegic and wheelchair user. Check out THIS VIDEO where he shares how he uses Google’s Assistant devices to control a variety of devices and tasks at his home.

But to get a fuller picture of how Google’s various apps and tools can help you achieve greater independence, check out their YOUTUBE PLAYLIST where you can find step-by-step tutorials to learn how to interact with your Assistant, from setting up your Assistant-enabled device to using your voice to control your home appliances.