News

Cisco accessibility kiosk debuts at Canadian Abilities Centre

May 16, 2014

A showcase kiosk with interactive technology for assisting people with different levels of ability has opened at the Abilities Centre in Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

The Abilities Centre is a 125,000 square-foot community facility that offers sports, fitness, arts and life skills programming, as well as research and education opportunities, for people of all ages and abilities.

Donated by Cisco, the kiosk uses the U.S. company’s TelePresence technology to provide wayfinding and enhanced accessibility. The kiosk's assistive technology includes high contrast graphics and font-size adjustment, Cisco said.

The kiosk offers real-time collaboration, high-definition two-way video and high-quality audio. Users can access the community portal, local transit schedules, tourism content, maps and links to neighboring regions in Ontario.

Cisco said the kiosk previews some of the technology that will be available at the upcoming Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games and Parapan Am Games for athletes with physical disabilities. The games take place every four years, with the participation of athletes from across the Americas. The Abilities Centre will host competitions during the 2015 Parapan Am Games.

Leading up to the games, kiosks will be placed in various Toronto locations and venues, offering similar features as the kiosk in the Whitby Abilities Centre. The kiosks will also provide communications with participating athletes and with other venues.