Article
“When I find some cool tech in my personal life,” says David Woodbridge, “as a person who is blind, I love to share it with others - and what better format than a weekly radio show?”
David (pictured above), National Adviser on Access Technology at Vision Australia, is known to Powerd readers for his highly informative appearances on two of our featured audio series: regularly on Vision’s Talking Tech and occasionally on 2RPH’s Ablequest.
Assistive technology for people with disability continues to evolve and innovate. Powerd Media hosts three podcasts dedicated to informing the community of the latest developments in this space.
This regular series explores the work of the Seeing Eye Dogs division of Vision Australia.
Their specially trained dogs improve access for people with blindness and low vision to key places and activities – helping them to get out and about, get active, get employed and get connected.
Low-vision listeners have described it as “a source of practical and open information” and “a useful show spanning puppy training all the way through to working as a handler.”
Host Harriet Moffat speaks with many and diverse people with lived experience. She sees it a unique program, “for and by dog people”, and offering “a bit of something for everyone, from client dog handlers to staff and volunteers.”
This Vision Australia series features David Woodbridge in conversation with Stephen Jolley, updating new and developing assistive technology.
Says David: “The show is a concise way of keeping people who are blind or have low vision up to date with respect to assistive and mainstream technology, and how it may impact their lives.”
David is able to draw on his own lived with assistive tech. He covers everything from screen and print readers to phone apps, smart canes, Braille devices, games and much more.
“To produce this content”, he says, “every day I go through RSS feeds, Mastodon, X, Instagram, mailing lists, many podcasts and Facebook, so that folks don't have to scramble around themselves trying to find content that is Australia-specific and vision-relevant.”
With fearlessness and humour, Talking Tech talks straight about what’s new, what’s working well and what isn’t - and how to get the best results from the pick of technical innovation.
Produced by 2RPH, this program explores and discusses the latest in accessible technologies and inclusive initiatives for any person with a disability.
Like Talking Tech, it reviews new assistive technologies – with David Woodbridge among its many and varied guests.
But Ablequest also explores a wider range of initiatives.
It’s produced and presented by broadcasters with lived experience of disability. They tackle sporting, artistic, fashion and other cultural events, government initiatives, new therapies, commercial and social innovations - from a viewpoint of improved access, accessibility and active involvement for all.