Technology Paves the Way
for Overcoming Many Disabilities

A recent article in Trend Letter indicates that new technologies are paving the way for people with physical disabilities to join their "able-bodied" counterparts in the workplace.

Among the inventions that may soon be available are:

• Johnson & Johnson's iBot, a four-wheel chair that can climb stairs, adjust smoothly over curbs and elevate the users when necessary.
• Microchip eye implants that imitate a human eye's retina, enabling visually-impaired people to see light and dark plus colors.

These and other advances will contribute to increased acceptance of the disabled, according to Trend Letter. The article also predicts that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) will see changes and reinterpretations to accommodate newly-defined disabilities that are not as physically obvious.

Source: "Playing Field Levels For Those With Disabilities," Trend Letter, May 13, 2002, P. 4.