Hi, I’m Matt Harrison, Beacon’s Technology Services Manager. This is a new role at the Centre, and a very exciting one for me.  I have the responsibility for embedding technology throughout Beacon and supporting staff and service users in its use.  I have worked with disabled people and assistive technology for over twenty years, and I am also registered severely sight-impaired, so hopefully I have the necessary experience and empathy to make a difference.

At the risk of sounding like a geek, I am genuinely excited at the times in which we live. Developments in everyday technology such as smartphones and tablets have made it accessible to a wide number of people, including those who are blind or partially-sighted.  Not only are these devices usable, but they are actually useful.  There are so many worthwhile apps and gadgets out there right now that mobile devices are becoming so much more than just phones or things on which to check your email, listen to music or watch a video.  It’s a bold boast, but teaching someone how to use a particular piece of technology can, quite simply, be life-changing.  I honestly don’t know if I would still be in work were it not for assistive technology; certainly not in a role of this kind anyway.  I use it during every waking hour; it gets me to work and enables me to deal with situations where otherwise I would struggle or need assistance.  Still, going into that in detail is probably best left for a future blog.

Well, I’ve been in post just over a month now and it’s certainly been an interesting start to my new career: Yes, I’ve started to write our Technology Strategy and other tasks typical of my role, but I’ve also had meetings about driverless cars and watched training sessions for Hugby, a new form of rugby for the visually-impaired.

For anyone who knows the Beacon Centre, you will not be surprised to hear that I have been made to feel extremely welcome. It’s a fantastic place to come to, and I am already formulating plans on how to best use technology to overcome some of the barriers imposed by sight-loss.  I’m keen on starting with a few quick wins; maybe introducing digital assistants in the form of Amazon Echo units to various locations.  I’m really keen to see if we can use mainstream, voice-activated technology such as this to improve the independence of our visually-impaired customers.

As I mentioned earlier, my role has many facets. I will also be managing a new venture for the Centre: a digital manufacturing business using 3D printers; laser cutters; mug and t-shirt presses to produce bespoke items.  So, not only will we be able to make one-off items that make someone’s life easier, but we will also be able to offer visually-impaired people the opportunity to develop new work skill!s along the way.  We already have a few thoughts on what to produce initially, but if you have any ideas or requests, please get in touch.  You can email me by clicking on this link.

i enjoy blogging, so keep checking here for updates and interesting articles  your comments are always welcome, and they will stop me feeling neglected!