EXHIBITS AT SOMA’s
O&M Conference October 26-28, 2024
Polara designs and manufacturers Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), which use voice messages to announce the Walk and Don't Walk signals at intersection and midblock crosswalks.
Our APS works with a free smartphone app called PedApp, available for iOS and Android, that allows users to activate the crosswalk button from their phone. It gives extra information about the intersection as pedestrians approach and announces the signal audibly. A demo APS will be set up at our booth so you can test it out!
- Download PedApp on the Apple App Store
- Download PedApp on the Google Play Store
For more information about APS, including tips for requesting accessible signals for crossings in your community, drop by our booth, visit our website, or give us a call at 903-366-0300.
Experience the benefits in working with AIS:
- Excellent compensation
- Ability to set your own schedule - you can determine the amount of time you want to work from a few hours a week to full time
- Paid travel time
- Paid materials preparation/documentation time
- Access to AIS Resource Staff knowledgeable in your field
- Being part of a team that has an excellent reputation for delivering quality services and respects the knowledge that you bring to the job
Come put your skills to work with a company that appreciates your talents and together we can make a difference in the life of a child. Please apply at alliedinstructional.com or call us at 804-368-8475.
The Seeing Eye is a philanthropic organization whose mission is to enhance the independence, dignity, and self-confidence of blind people through the use of Seeing Eye® dogs.
We breed, raise, and train dogs to guide people who are blind or visually impaired, and bring people from across the United States and Canada to our campus in Morristown, New Jersey, to be instructed in their care and use.
For more information about our program, please call 800-539-4425, email info@seeingeye.org, or visit www.seeingeye.org.
A2A is a premier distributor of Low Vision and Blindness Products that include desktop video magnifiers, portable video magnifiers, handheld video magnifiers, software, braille embossers, braille displays and more in Virginia, West Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and Florida.
Ability2Access provides schools, government agencies and individuals with the highest quality low vision and blindness products, software and trainings.
The President, Julie Akers, of Ability2Access has over 15 years of experience in the low vision and blindness industry and is dedicated to improving the outcomes and facilitating the independence of individuals with visual impairments or blindness.
Our partners include: LVI; Freedom Scientific; Optelec; Irie-AT; Viewplus; HIMS; HandyTech; LyriQ (Zyrlo); Tactonom (Inventivio)
We hope that you will stop to say hello and see the new Tactonom Reader!
For more information, call (540) 639-9732 or visit www.ability2access.com.
Invision is currently seeking dual-certified TVIs/COMS to serve students in North Carolina and Minnesota schools.
Invision is a private practice contracting agency that provides services to students with sensory impairments in North Carolina and Minnesota,
serving people of all ages with sensory impairments and other disabilities that impact learning, activities or daily living, and mobility.
Reasons to work for Invision:
- Earn well above standard teacher salary
- Receive pay for all direct/indirect services without extra school duties
- Flexible schedule allows for maximum income potential
- Benefits for full-time employees including paid professional development
- Signing, referral, and performance
Julie Bardin julie.bardin@invisionservicesinc.com
Leader Dogs for the Blind is a nonprofit organization providing people who are blind or visually impaired with lifelong skills for safe and independent daily travel using a guide dog or a white cane. Leader Dogs offers free:
Leader Dog is excited to share that these free O&M and Guide Dog programs are now available in Spanish and for individuals who are DeafBlind. All programs include room, board, and airfare from all over the US and Canada.
Leader Dog offers additional resources including Collaboration Events, Virtual Learning modules,
Professional Seminars with free continuing education credits for orientation and mobility specialists and a podcast called Taking the Lead.
For more information, call (888) 777-5332 or visit LeaderDog.org.
NOA is an AI vest that rests around the shoulders and uses cameras and AI to enhance the environmental awarenes and mobility of people with blindness. Designed to complement traditional aids such as the white cane or guide dog, NOA provides a useful set of tools to increase the autonomy of the user, including:
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On the go turn-by-turn directions: guides the user to a destination with turn-by-turn directions enhanced with vision.
- Real-time obstacle avoidance: prevents accidents with real-time obstacle alerts using spatial audio for precise spatial awareness.
- AI scene description: Uses artificial intelligence to describe surroundings and assist in finding points of interest.
NOA was launched in 2023 by Biped Robotics, a Swiss company, after 3 years of development with over 250 beta testers, low-vision professionals, O&M trainers, and the ophthalmic hospital Jules Gonin in Switzerland. Its core technology was developed in partnership with Honda Research Institute to bring self-driving car technology to the pedestrian level.
Visit us at the exhibit hall to learn more about NOA, request a demo for your organization, email us at hello@biped.ai, or explore further at biped.ai.
Ambutech is a passionate advocate for independence and accessibility, specializing in high-quality mobility canes and cane tips. Recognized for our innovative designs and commitment to user needs, Ambutech’s products empower individuals who are blind or have low vision to navigate their environments with confidence.
Working closely with the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) community and other stakeholders, Ambutech continually seeks input from users and professionals to refine and enhance their offerings. Our extensive range of cane tips, designed for various terrains and conditions, ensures optimal performance and safety.
Driven by a mission to foster independence, Ambutech is dedicated to creating solutions that not only meet the practical needs of users but also inspire a sense of freedom and empowerment. Through collaboration and innovation, Ambutech is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those they serve.
Emerald Coast Vision Aids, Inc. is an independent distributor for the leading worldwide developers, manufacturers, and marketers of innovative products designed to assist people with low vision and blindness needs.
We specialize in Video Magnifiers or Closed-Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) which are used by partially sighted persons for reading, writing, and viewing small objects.
We also have a wide range of products for those individuals that are totally blind.
We have been providing our customers with state-of-the-art low vision and blindness products since 1998.
Please stop by our exhibit table to see many of the amazing new products we have to offer.
For more information please call: 850-473-808, email: info@emeraldcoastvisionaids.com, or visit: www.emeraldcoastvisionaids.com
Are you passionate about mobility and helping others gain independence?
Visit our booth at the SOMA Conference to learn more about YCG, our nonprofit providing crucial mobility training, white canes, and audio guides.
Bring any canes — new, old, or broken — for restoration and distribution to those in need.
Join us in giving new life to your canes and aiding the blind worldwide!
We offer a suite of services including mental health services, professional development, fostering local and national partnerships, and mobility training by means of a solar powered rechargeable talking player, which includes the Bible in the native tongue, audio training, guide, so songs for adults, and children, to encourage the spirit of embracing the white cane, and inspirational interviews of other individuals with disabilities.
Also, find out how to get involved in our international travel network as we empower the blind one cane at a time!
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