This week, we continue our coverage of CSUN 2022? Turns out we found some interviews in a closet somewhere that for whatever reason were never released. Thankfully, the subject of this tactile graphics exploration is still around and ready to serve up more than 6,000 graphics and growing. Below is how Joe described in words this interview in 2022. Stay tuned for more coverage of some year of CSUN and other things coming soon.

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CSUN 2022?: BTactile

The "Last Word" has been known to be that part of a BBQ episode where Joe can astound, annoy?, J.J. with tales of superheroes or their movie counterparts. Yet J.J. has not experienced reading a comic strip on his own until 2022 at CSUNATC. John Alexis Guerra Gomez, Co-Founder of BTactile, takes J.J. on an amazing tour of tactile delights that came courtesy of the many images curated by the BTactile repositories. John and his wife began the service in 2015 to provide a place where others can find suitable images for an array of tactile options such as 3d printers and other methods for creating tactile materials. The privately funded service utilizes more than 23 sources across the globe that is presented in an easy to use searchable format. Tune in to hear J.J. become an art critic in real time thanks to the team at BTactile. To search the collection yourself, visit the site at this link

This week's show features the last of our CSUNATC24 interviews. It also features JJ's return to his vocal stylizing of some famous songs. We apologize in advance for that. By the way, if you have been looking for us on what used to be Twitter, well, don't. Our official feed has moved to Mastodon, and you can experience the same content you know from us there.

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The ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, THE WORLD's EASIEST RECORDER

With the push of a button the H1essential captures perfect audio for musicians, podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators. Simply hit record and discover the power of 32-bit float.
32-BIT FLOAT MAGIC,
With 32-bit float recording, you never have to adjust levels. The H1essential captures every nuance of your sound ensuring high quality in every take.
THE FIRST HANDY RECORDERS WITH ACCESSIBILITY
The Essential Series was designed with Accessibility for the visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.*

Find out more about the ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, and the other Zoom products now available, at the A.T. Guys store today!

CSUNATC24 Interview: Jenny Axler And Earle Harrison With HIMS

Our last interview from Anaheim is a bit of a, 2 for 1, bonus. J.J. found a secluded spot for coffee while catching up with Jenny Axler, International Technical Manager HIMS International, and Earle Harrison, National Account Manager HIMS Inc. Both Jenny and Earle have spoken to us before, however, it has been a while since we've spoken to HIMS. So, there was a lot to learn from the pair. First up, we get the low down on the new Braille eMotion note taking device. For fans of HIMS's previous units, there are a lot of familiar designs here. Then, we get an overview of the SensePlayer and a deeper dive into the Smart Connect remote function for iOS and Android. Pre-orders for the Braille eMotion are already live. And you can find out more about various products, including Video Magnifiers, at the HIMS Inc. website.

We are back with another interview from the CSUNATC24 Exhibit Hall floor. Only one more to go after this one. Take your bets now as to who holds the last interview slot. And no, just because a robot makes a surprise appearance, the last interview is not with eBot thankfully.

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With the push of a button the H1essential captures perfect audio for musicians, podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators. Simply hit record and discover the power of 32-bit float.
32-BIT FLOAT MAGIC,
With 32-bit float recording, you never have to adjust levels. The H1essential captures every nuance of your sound ensuring high quality in every take.
THE FIRST HANDY RECORDERS WITH ACCESSIBILITY
The Essential Series was designed with Accessibility for the visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.*

Find out more about the ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, and the other Zoom products now available, at the A.T. Guys store today!

CSUNATC24 Interview: Alex Russomanno and Sile O,Modhrain of Newhaptics

We have been covering the exciting world of Multiline Braille Displays for a long time. And we are moving ever closer from fantasy to reality as the EBRF standard emerges onto the scene. As a result of so many placing effort into this space, we are now starting to see some new Braille technologies arise to provide a new kind of tactile feel to the need for a new style of display. JJ caught up with CEO Alex Russomanno and Sile O'Modhrain, CXO or Chief Experience Officer, of Newhaptics
To talk about their Braille bubbles approach to the multiline display. That is to say, J.J. found out how compressed air can be used to drive pins on a display rather than him using a wand to wave bubbles around in the air. Listen in, or read the transcript, to learn how this new 3 line 24 cell display has been 12 years in the making. And why this technology earned a National science foundation grant for a display that allows multitouch with its multiline Braille implementation. The unit is in pre-production now, however, to stay up to date with a possible product release next year, visit the official Newhaptics Website

JJ is back with some sad news about his AI driven co-star. But do not fret too much as he has some other AI powers up his sleeve with another CSUNATC24 interview. Also, as we are reaching the end of our California coverage, drop us a line about what you thought were the big takeaways from ATIA and CSUN. Send your ideas to [email protected] and we may feature those comments in a future episode.

Sponsor: A.T. Guys Now Has Zoom Products For Sale

The ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, THE WORLD S EASIEST RECORDER

With the push of a button the H1essential captures perfect audio for musicians, podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators. Simply hit record and discover the power of 32-bit float.
32-BIT FLOAT MAGIC
With 32-bit float recording, you never have to adjust levels. The H1essential captures every nuance of your sound ensuring high quality in every take.
THE FIRST HANDY RECORDERS WITH ACCESSIBILITY
The Essential Series was designed with Accessibility for the visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.*

Find out more about the ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, and the other Zoom products now available, at the A.T. Guys store today!

CSUNATC24 Interview: Amos Miller of Glidance

We have discussed various mobility enhancements for years on the podcast. However, it looks like we may now have the real deal on the horizon from the person behind Microsoft Soundscape. Amos Miller, CEO of Glidance, spoke to JJ from the Exhibit Hall floor about the new mobility aid. This device aims to be the first in what Amos calls intelligent Guides that can assist the existing skills of a cane or Service Animal user. The device utilizes a series of cameras, radar and on device chips to process travel faster than reliance on a current day cell phone. This speed of calculation allows the user to navigate and compensate quicker in challenging environments. Tune in, or read the transcript, to learn how Amos feels about how Glidance can work alongside various navigation apps to provide even greater flexibility when it comes to orientation and mobility. Pre-orders for Glidance are planned for the Spring of 2024 with a possible launch window in early 2025. To learn more, and hear a described video about the unit, visit the official Glidance website.

We are back to prove last week was not a one off April Fools joke. And we have an interview about a product you old timers might know, but in a more modern style than you might remember. Plus, for good or bad, this interview is not from Florida and does not feature a poolside parrot in the background. Break out your floppies and those connector cables that are worth more than gold for BBQ 226.

Sponsor: A.T. Guys Now Has Zoom Products For Sale

The ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, THE WORLD S EASIEST RECORDER

With the push of a button the H1essential captures perfect audio for musicians, podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators. Simply hit record and discover the power of 32-bit float.
32-BIT FLOAT MAGIC
With 32-bit float recording, you never have to adjust levels. The H1essential captures every nuance of your sound ensuring high quality in every take.
THE FIRST HANDY RECORDERS WITH ACCESSIBILITY
The Essential Series was designed with Accessibility for the visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.*

Find out more about the ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, and the other Zoom products now available, at the A.T. Guys store today!

CSUNATC24 Interview: BT Speak And Bryan Blazie

For some the letters BNS mean a lot. The Braille N Speak was the very first Braille experience for an older generation that was new to computing, let alone, a portable Braille display. Having speech and Braille with an almost instant on wake time was transformative in a way that some now find with a mobile phone with a display over a Bluetooth connection. With that in mind, and with support of his father Dean, CEO Bryan Blazie of Blazie Technologies is out to recapture those retro stylings in a whole new package. JJ got a chance to talk with Bryan about the new BT Speak and learn how the Raspberry Pi made this reentry into the notetaker space possible. Note, the interview and transcript refer to a second model. Post interview, the team has indicated that there is only one unit at launch. To learn more, and keep up with the latest, visit the Blazie Technologies website.

Things like grammar and sentence structure are hard. That's why we do more talking than writing on this site. Except, for a considerable time, we haven't been doing a lot of that either. Well, that changes today as we replaced the batteries, dust off the cobwebs and have knocked off some of the krust with an all new BBQ episode featuring an interview from CSUNATC24!

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The ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, THE WORLD'S EASIEST RECORDER

With the push of a button the H1essential captures perfect audio for musicians, podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators. Simply hit record and discover the power of 32-bit float.
32-BIT FLOAT MAGIC'
With 32-bit float recording, you never have to adjust levels. The H1essential captures every nuance of your sound ensuring high quality in every take.
THE FIRST HANDY RECORDERS WITH ACCESSIBILITY
The Essential Series was designed with Accessibility for the visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.*

Find out more about the ZOOM H1essential 32-Bit Float Recording Talking Voice Recorder, and the other Zoom products now available, at the A.T. Guys store today!

CSUNATC24 Interview: Mike Buckley CEO of Be My Eyes

BE My Eyes may now be a service with a worldwide reach, however for the BBQ Crew, it holds a special place in our audio hearts as the service was our featured interview in our official first episode back in January 2015. Since that time the service has gone on to be used by millions and JJ sat down with Mike Buckley, CEO of Be My Eyes, to talk about several subjects regarding the three services the company offers. Listen to the pair discuss how Be My AI has grown over the last year to become a Visual Interpretation tool for reading menus, describing objects and even a bird finder. The conversation gives some insight into the Open AI partnership and how that impacts the service when it comes to regional privacy concerns. Mike also touches upon the importance of business partners as it pertains to their successful Customer Service initiatives and how that led them to the recent announcement of the Service Directory that will allow you to easily find information for directly reaching well known branded companies. Lastly, the discussion turns to the upcoming launch of the muchly user requested Be My Eyes for Windows that is slated for a debut later this year. To learn more about the products and services mentioned during this interview, visit the official Be My Eyes site

A Quick Programming Note:

Sure, we released this one on April 1st. But, we promise, this is not a one off thing. We have more CSUNATC24 coverage heading towards the interwebs as you read this. And we have some other surprises along the way. We are trying out some new things, some new formats and some new tech. Although we hope to circle back to some familiar voices too. We thank you for listening and please be aware that some content may have shifted in the overhead bins while we were in flight.

It would be truly wild if you could take the skills you have learned through playing audio games, like Swamp or Tactile Battle, and transfer them into real world Orientation and Mobility. Surprisingly enough, J.J. did just that when he spoke to Brandon Biggs, Engineer with the Smith-Kettlewell | Eye Research Institute, during our CSUN 2020 coverage. A lot has happened in two years and Brandon is back to demonstrate the Audiom project. Audiom is a browser based inclusive map system that utilizes Open Street Map data in ways that allow the user to explore the world around them in a manner that provides more information than what can be parsed by a screen reader by itself. Tune in, or read below, to experience demos of this new system of navigation. Also, be sure to check out our previous coverage of the TMaps initiative as it is a great partner technology mentioned in this interview. Be sure to visit the Audiom public beta website to test drive this software for yourself.

Audiom is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, and National Institutes of Health.

Blind Bargains Virtual Exhibit Hall coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.

For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit https://www.afb.org/aw

Neal Kuniansky, Director of marketing and Sales for Duxbury Systems, is no stranger to the BBQ Exhibit Hall microphones. Moreover, he might be slightly infamous for his aid in a past April's Fool podcast. But this interview is about Duxbury's future and J.J. gets the low down on the new features in 12.6 for Windows and Mac OS. Tune in, or read the transcript below, to get some insights on EBRF and multi-line braille display support as well. To learn more about 12.6, which has been released since the time we recorded this, or to purchase an upgrade to an existing product, visit the Duxbury Systems website

Blind Bargains Virtual Exhibit Hall coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.

For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit https://www.afb.org/aw

We began our 2022 CSUN coverage with a discussion about some of the upcoming initiatives from APH. But hearing about the Dynamic Tactile Device Project over Zoom wasn t enough for J.J. s curiosity. That s why he managed to brave the conference labyrinth and find Greg Stilson, Director of Global Innovation for APH, and lay his hands upon the DTD himself. In this demo you will learn more about the current prototype unit while J.J. navigates through images, floor plans and other examples. Greg then goes on to explain more about EBRF, how the unit differs from the DotPad and why he is optimistic about how the DTD will bring a whole new layer of context when it comes to reading textbooks in the classroom. To learn more about the project, and to see if there will be a demonstration coming to your area, visit the Dynamic Tactile Device Project site

Blind Bargains Virtual Exhibit Hall coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.

For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit https://www.afb.org/aw

Braille Screen Input, or BSI, is a great choice for those who like that approach on a touch sensitive glass screen. But there is now more than one way to input a cord these days andFreek van Welsenis, Co-Founder of Hable, offers to J.J. another alternative for smartphone navigation. The lightweight Hable is a Bluetooth enabled input device for Android and iOS that has been sweeping its way across the EU. And now it sets its sights on a U.S. launch. To learn more about the device, visit the official Hable website

Blind Bargains Virtual Exhibit Hall coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.

For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit https://www.afb.org/aw

Higher end math and computational thinking are skill sets that can provide amazing opportunities to many at a young age. The problem that persists is how do parents and educators find the right accessible tools for mastering these abilities in the K-12 environment? We have featured APH s Code Jumper in our previous convention coverage. However, that s just the start for APH s Road To Code offerings that teach students the concepts of sequencing, loops and block coding. J.J. spoke to Leslie Weilbacher, APH Regional Outreach Specialist for the Northwest Region, about some of the new programs and products that can assist in the teaching of coding fundamentals. The interview covers products like the Colby Mouse, Code Quest and Snapino s Snap Circuits and Snap Rover. Lastly, programs like the National Coding Symposium and Access Academy are discussed. To learn more about the products mentioned, with additional links to educational resources, visit the APH Road To Code website

Blind Bargains Virtual Exhibit Hall coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.

For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit https://www.afb.org/aw