From 13th to 15th July, QAC Sight Village is back in Birmingham. For three days, New Bingley Hall will become the place to see the latest innovations in software, technology and services available to the vision impaired community. And, of course, not forgetting a few of the more traditional options too.
From trialling a guide dog to seeing how your mobile phone can be transformed into a text magnifying CCTV device, the event brings a wide range of sight solutions together, all under one roof.
The annual exhibition is organised by the QAC (Queen Alexandra College), a specialist provider of education and training for people who are blind or partially sighted. From when the doors open at 10:00am, visitors are invited to spend the day at their leisure investigating, discussing and trying out first hand some of the most cutting edge sight tools available.
Ray Piggott, who leads the organisation of the event for the QAC says:
“When it comes to gadgets, in the vision impaired community it’s all about improving accessibility and affordability. Magnification tools and audio gizmos are widely available, and have been for a while. What’s innovative now is how these features are being integrated seamlessly into mainstream technology. For example, the accessibility application on the iPhone 3GS. Convergence technology, as it is known, keeps the cost of these life-enhancing tools down and allows sight related solutions to advance and develop rapidly alongside conventional emerging technology.”
But QAC Sight Village is not just about new technology. It’s about creating a supportive, social and interactive environment for people with vision impairments to find new ways to live and work independently.
“If you lose your sight or get a severe visual impairment following an accident, you may find you suddenly can’t do the things that you had previously taken for granted,” Ray says. “You could go on the internet and research what technology is available but sometimes you need to speak to a real, breathing person who understands your situation. You need the opportunity to trial and contrast a range of alternative products side-by-side and get advice from other users and experts. This is what QAC Sight Village offers."
QAC Sight Village events typically attract individuals who are blind or partially sighted themselves, professionals supporting and advising visually impaired people in the workplace and representatives from businesses and organisations wishing to better meet the needs of their vision impaired customers.
Entrance to the event is free and visitors are welcome to just turn up at New Bingley Hall on the day. But for those who would like to beat the queues, pre-registration is possible on www.qacsightvillage.org.uk or email sv@qac.ac.uk.
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Notes to Editors
Contacts
For all press enquiries, photographs, requests for interviews and any further information relating to QAC Sight Village Birmingham please contact:
Laura Johnson
laura@laurajanejohnson.co.uk
07803 926239
Information on the products and services being exhibited is available.
Event details
QAC Sight Village Birmingham
13th, 14th and 15th Huly 2010
The New Bingley Hall,
1 Hockley Circus,
Birmingham
B18 5BE
For further information visit www.qacsightvillage.org.uk or email sv@qac.ac.uk.
About QAC Sight Village
QAC Sight Village are the UK's leading exhibitions of technology and services for people who are blind or partially sighted. The events are an excellent source of information for employers, professionals and end users to find out first hand the latest technology, products and support services available to people who are blind or partially-sighted. Exhibitors are commercial companies and voluntary organisations from the UK and across the world.
About QAC
The QAC (Queen Alexandra College) is a national charity providing learning opportunities for people with visual impairment and/or other disabilities. Their mission is to provide the training, skills, facilities and information to enable their students to realise their potential and build the confidence they need to live and work independently.
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