perkins, acb, benetech, salesforce and more announce breakout sessions at sight tech global

Sight Tech Global is just over two weeks away, and the comprehensive agenda for December 2nd & 3rd has now been released. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to approximately noon Pacific Standard Time. If you haven’t yet secured a complimentary pass for this entirely virtual event, now is an excellent time to do so!

Sight Tech Global will feature 35 presenters across 15 sessions, concentrating on the latest advancements in AI-driven technologies and accessibility, with a particular focus on solutions for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Among the distinguished speakers are OrCam’s founder, Amnon Shashua, Seeing AI co-founder Saqib Shaikh, human rights advocate Haben Girma, computer vision expert Danna Gurari, Amazon L126 researcher Josh Miele, and AI specialist and investor Kai-Fu Lee.

The agenda also incorporates 10 breakout sessions running concurrently with the main-stage presentations. These 30-minute segments are being hosted by partners who are eager to connect with Sight Tech Global’s growing audience of over 1,200 registered attendees. A listing of the breakout sessions is provided below.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors of Sight Tech Global, including Waymo, Salesforce, Mojo Vision, Ford, Vispero, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Comcast, accessiBe, Eyedaptic, APH, HumanWare, Verizon Media, Verizon 5G and TechCrunch. Sponsorship contributions support the nonprofit Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which has been providing services to the Silicon Valley community for 75 years.

Sponsorship opportunities remain available. 

Please review the complete agenda. Here are the details for the breakout sessions scheduled so far!

Perkins Access: Users aren’t an add-on – Building the user perspective into the design process

Comcast and Perkins Access (the digital accessibility consulting arm of Perkins School for the Blind) will share valuable insights into crafting accessible experiences, emphasizing the importance of integrating the user perspective throughout the design process. This approach ensures that all teams fully understand the specific challenges and unique requirements of blind and visually impaired users. Panelists will include the authors of Perkins Access’ Inclusive Design Guide, which will be launched at Sight Tech and available for download.

• Gary Aussant, Director of Digital Accessibility, Perkins Access
• Geoff Freed, Director of Consulting, Perkins Access
• Jerry Berrier, Director of Education Technology, Perkins School for the Blind
• Karyn Georgilis, MBA candidate, Harvard Business School
• Tom Wlodkowski, Vice president Accessibility and Multicultural, Technology and Product, Comcast

American Council of the Blind: Get Up & get moving – A call for leveraging technology to improve health and wellness

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the difficulties technology can present when operating at capacity. This situation has disproportionately affected individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and has also revealed existing obstacles that have historically impacted the physical, social, and psychological well-being of this community. Join the American Council of the Blind for an inspiring panel discussion on how technology can overcome these barriers and foster a more fulfilling life, and how we can collectively work towards complete equality in the health and wellness sector.

• Clark Rachfal, Director of Advocacy, American Council of the Blind
• Eric Bridges, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind
• Brian Charlson, member, American Council of the Blind

Benetech: Using artificial intelligence to unlock STE(A)M education

Artificial intelligence has been a subject of study for many years, and AI applications and techniques are already integrated into various fields, including HR, healthcare, and e-commerce. But what role will AI play in enhancing accessibility and inclusive education? This session will offer a foundational understanding of different AI techniques, such as Machine Learning and Computer Vision, and demonstrate how Benetech is applying these techniques to transform complex educational materials. While accessible text formats are readily available, converting equations, images, and other non-text content presents unique challenges. Join us to explore the future of Assistive Technology and how it is creating new opportunities for the blind and visually impaired.

• Brad Turner, VP and GM, Global Education and Literacy, Benetech

Salesforce: The new Office of Accessibility – Explained

It has been a year since Salesforce announced the creation of their Office of Accessibility, a dedicated team that collaborates with internal stakeholders to identify accessibility needs, develop improvement strategies, establish workforce development programs, and promote Salesforce’s commitment to accessibility among employees, customers, and industry partners. 

In this breakout session, Kristian Burch, Senior Manager of Global Accessibility Compliance, and Richard Boardman, Senior Director of UX Engineering, Accessibility, will discuss the factors that led to this significant initiative, how the Office interacts with other teams – particularly Product Accessibility – what has been successful, and what they might approach differently in retrospect.

• Kristian Burch, Senior Manager of Global Accessibility Compliance
• Richard Boardman, Senior Director of UX Engineering, Accessibility

Fable: The barriers to Utopia – Why feedback comes first

Many current discussions center on the latest technologies and their potential to solve our problems. But what about the people who will be using these technologies? Join the CEO and Community Lead of Fable, Alwar Pillai and Samuel Proulx, as they discuss the importance of gathering authentic feedback from individuals with disabilities.

• Alwar Pillai, CEO, Fable
• Samuel Proulx, Community lead

Eyedaptic: Simulated natural vision technology & one user’s low-vision journey

Eyedaptic is an AR (augmented reality) company developing visual aids for individuals with retina-related vision loss, such as AMD, to simulate natural vision. Eyedaptic’s innovative software adapts to the user’s vision, environment, and habits, optimizing their remaining sight. Samuel Newman will share his personal experiences overcoming low-vision challenges and the various low-vision technologies he has explored.  

• Jay Cormier, Founder and CEO, Eyedaptic
• Samuel Newman, Clinical specialist & Low-vision Technology User

Vispero: The engineering experience of adding a voice assistant to ZoomText and JAWS

Roxana and Sriram will share their experiences integrating a voice assistant into mainstream Windows screen readers and magnifiers. They will explore the benefits and limitations of this new input method, the guidelines they followed in creating the initial command set, and their approach to addressing data and conversational privacy concerns.

• Sriram Ramanathan, Senior Software Engineer, Vispero
• Roxana Fischer, Software Developer, Vispero

HumanWare: Plotting the course – delving into the past, present and future of assistive technology for the visually impaired community through the lens of artificial intelligence

This session will trace the evolution of HumanWare and examine how current technological trends will shape the future of product development. Join Eric Beauchamp, François Boutrouille and Peter Tucic for a discussion of how HumanWare’s 32 years of experience in developing technology for the blind and visually impaired has evolved and will continue to do so with the emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Participants will gain a better understanding of how the focus has shifted from solving individual tasks to integrating the complexities of deep learning technology to address dynamic objectives in real time.

• Peter Tucic, Brand Ambassador of Blindness Products, HumanWare
• Eric Beauchamp, Director of Product Management, HumanWare
• François Boutrouille, Emerging Technologies Leader, HumanWare

Teach Access: Teaching accessibility to tomorrow’s builders

Teach Access, a national collaboration of higher education institutions, corporations (primarily in the tech sector), and disability advocates, will host a roundtable discussion with recent college graduates to explore how accessibility education at the university level can help bridge the skills gap for the next generation of professionals in the digital economy.

• Kate Sonka, Executive Director, Teach Access; Assistant Director of Academic Technology, Michigan State University
• Larry Goldberg, Co-founder, Teach Access; Head of Accessibility, Verizon Media

American Printing House for the Blind: Know Your Audience: Learning how your users without sight use technology and how you can optimize the experience for all.

Today, individuals who are blind or have low vision can access most technologies thanks to inclusive design practices and assistive technology. Whether they are shopping online or managing their fantasy football league, they can use the same apps and technology as everyone else, but through an alternative interface. Joe Hodge and Greg Stilson from the American Printing House for the Blind will introduce you to common methods used by blind or low-vision users to interact with mainstream technology. They will also demonstrate challenges created by app developers who are unfamiliar with universal design principles.

• Greg Stilson, Senior Director, Global Innovation and Strategy, APH
  
• Joe Hodge, Software Quality Assurance Analyst, APH