Introduction Post

Hi everyone! I'm Lanie Molinar Carmelo (she/her), and I'm thrilled to join the amazing community here on allovertheplace.ca! Here's a little about me:

Who I Am

• Conservative #Christian woman and #Aroace
  
• Totally #blind and #ActuallyAutistic, living with multiple #chronicIllnesses
  
• Advocate for #DisabilityRights, passionate about creating a more inclusive world
  

I'm a #UsabilityTester and an aspiring #AccessibilityConsultant, working to make technology better for everyone, especially those of us with disabilities. I'm most passionate about helping those with multiple disabilities, as it's an area that doesn't get enough attention.

Meet Squeaker!

I'm also the proud human to my 10-year-old Miniature Pinscher, Squeaker, who is the best little companion anyone could ask for. He drives me nuts sometimes, but I don't know what I'd do without him. My profile picture features me with Squeaker, and my header shows him wrapped in a blanket with just his adorable face peeking out!

What I’m Studying

I'm currently learning:

• Digital Accessibility through the BIT Accessibility Analyst Course
• Literary Braille Proofreading via the NLS
• Programming on platforms like freeCodeCamp and Codecademy
  

My goal is to develop accessible apps that empower people with disabilities, contribute to open-source projects that promote inclusion, and just do what I can to make the world more accessible.

What I Do

I run or co-lead several online support groups for people with multiple disabilities. These groups provide safe spaces to connect, share resources, and talk with others who "get it." You can find them here:

• Facebook: Multiple Disabilities Peer to Peer Support Group
  
• Discord/Mailing List: MultAbilities
  
• Clubhouse: People with Multiple Disabilities
  

Right now, my focus is on growing these groups and making connections with others who are passionate about supporting multiply disabled individuals. If you're interested in joining or collaborating, feel free to reach out or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech, where you'll find links to all the groups!

My Interests

When I’m not advocating or studying, you can find me:

• Exploring #technology and experimenting with self-hosting on my Raspberry Pi
  
• Reading #SciFi, #Fantasy, #Mystery, and some nonfiction
  
• Playing #AccessibleGaming titles like incremental games, puzzles, RPGs, roguelikes, and MUDs
  
• Enjoying delicious food—especially #chocolate, #seafood, #milk, and #cheese
  

I also love swimming when my health allows it.

My Goals

One day, I hope to found a nonprofit organization to support multiply disabled individuals. The nonprofit would:

• Provide peer support groups
• Help fund assistive technology
• Advocate for education and employment opportunities
• Collaborate with disability-focused organizations to improve accessibility

For now, I'm focused on running my support groups and building connections that could help make this dream a reality. If you have ideas or resources—or just want to chat—let me know!

Let’s Connect!

I’m always happy to chat about:

• Accessibility in #tech or tech in general
  
• Disability advocacy
  
• Programming (#HTML, #JavaScript)
  
• Braille
  
• Books
  
• Or just life in general!
  

Feel free to follow me here or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech.

What Blind People See in Artificial Intelligence—and What We Need to Watch Out For

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming our world, promising to enhance how we interact with our environments and access information. For blind people, these advancements bring a unique blend of opportunities and risks, offering new forms of independence while introducing concerns that cannot be ignored. As a blind person who has spent decades relying on assistive technology, I find myself both optimistic about the future of AI and cautious about its potential pitfalls. Here’s a look at why many blind people are embracing AI, drawn from a fictional account I wrote about life in 2035, alongside what we should remain vigilant about as this technology evolves.

Embracing AI: A Natural Evolution for Assistive Technology Users

For those of us who rely on assistive technology daily, the shift to AI feels less like a leap and more like a step forward. We’ve always used technology to bridge gaps in accessibility, whether it’s a screen reader to navigate the internet or a navigation app to explore new places. As I wrote in my story set in 2035:

"Your new mobility companion - the descendant of that first Glidance device you got back in '25 - activates with a gentle hum. It's now the size of a slim bracelet, using a network of micro-sensors and quantum positioning to map your surroundings in real-time. The haptic feedback is so natural now that it feels like an extension of your nervous system."

This imagined future captures how AI could become a seamless part of our daily lives, providing richer, more intuitive ways to interact with our surroundings. The AI described in my story isn’t just about accessing information—it’s about enhancing the subtle details of the world around me, like feeling the texture of a boardwalk through micro-haptic shoes or receiving a gentle reminder of a friend’s outfit.

For many of us, AI represents an opportunity to do more, more easily. It’s an extension of the technology we’ve always used, making once-complex interactions feel smoother and more intuitive. And in a world where independence often hinges on access to the right tools, AI can feel like a breath of fresh air—something that opens new doors, like enjoying a walk through the park or finding a café table with ease.

The Flip Side: Dependency and Privacy Concerns

Yet, with the promise of AI comes the potential for new vulnerabilities. Blind people, who have always had to adapt to new tools, are uniquely positioned to understand this double-edged nature of technology. As my story hints, the more advanced the tools become, the more dependent we might become on them:

"As you step outside, your neuro-linked glasses (the great-grandchildren of those Meta Ray-Bans) activate. They're virtually indistinguishable from regular designer sunglasses now, but pack more computing power than a 2024 supercomputer. The AI processes your environment in real-time, creating a rich audio-spatial map that flows naturally through your bone conduction system."

Such technology sounds wonderful—and it would be, in many ways. But it also raises a question: what happens if these systems fail, or if their capabilities are taken away? Blind users who’ve grown accustomed to these advanced aids might find themselves more reliant on them than ever before. The dependency on AI-driven systems could mean that a simple glitch or loss of access might have a bigger impact than we’d like to imagine.

Privacy is another concern. AI systems often gather and process a significant amount of personal data to offer their services. The story includes this little touch of future convenience:

"Approaching the café, your glasses detect Sarah waiting outside. She's wearing that new sweater she mentioned last week - your AI discreetly provides this detail, enabling you to compliment her choice."

It’s a charming moment, but it also reminds us that AI could potentially know—and share—a great deal about our interactions. How comfortable are we with an AI that remembers what our friends wore, tracks our movements, or knows our routines better than we might? While such features can enhance our experiences, they also come with the risk of overreach, where AI might make decisions or suggestions that feel invasive.

Striking the Balance: What to Watch Out For

Blind people, by necessity, have become adaptable and resilient users of technology, and this adaptability will be crucial as we embrace the possibilities of AI. Here are a few key considerations to keep in mind as we navigate this new landscape:

• Advocacy for Inclusive Design: It’s vital that blind users are included in the design of AI systems from the start. If AI is to serve our community well, it needs to reflect our needs and preferences, not just those of a broader user base. Inclusive design can help ensure that AI understands and respects the nuances of our interactions with the world.
• Balancing Independence with Awareness: While AI can offer a significant boost to independence, maintaining skills with less automated tools can provide a backup when technology fails. This balance is important for ensuring that we don’t become too reliant on any single system.
• Understanding Data Privacy: Being informed about what data is collected and how it’s used can empower us to make safer choices. Choosing services that prioritize privacy and security can help mitigate some of the risks of AI overreach.

A Hopeful Yet Cautious Embrace

My story of 2035 is a vision of what could be—a world where technology fades into the background, enhancing life’s everyday moments without overshadowing them. But it’s also a reminder that as we move toward this future, we must remain mindful of the challenges that come with it. For blind people, AI offers incredible potential to enhance our independence, but it also comes with the need for vigilance.

As I wrote in the story’s reflection on the past:

"Looking back, you remember that first long cane from the '80s. It was just you and a stick then, navigating the world through touch and teenage determination. Now, five decades later, technology hasn't replaced that human spirit - it's amplified it, making the world more accessible one subtle innovation at a time."

The spirit and determination that carried us through those early years of assistive technology remains just as crucial now, as we step into an AI-enhanced future. It’s not about replacing our tools, but about ensuring that they serve us in ways that respect our independence and our humanity. With the right balance, AI can be the next great tool in our hands—one that opens doors while keeping our eyes wide open to the road ahead.

#AI# Accessibility #Blind
#AIEthics #InclusiveDesign #AssistiveTechnology #DataPrivacy #TechDependency #IndependenceWithAwareness #FutureofAI #BlindPerspectives#AIImpact
#AccessibilityMatters#TechEquity#AILimitations
#HumanTechBalance