{"id":5406,"date":"2025-03-18T08:56:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T16:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/?p=5406"},"modified":"2025-03-18T08:56:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T16:56:08","slug":"spy-tech-nope-its-at-cool-finds-from-abilities-expo-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/spy-tech-nope-its-at-cool-finds-from-abilities-expo-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Spy Tech? Nope, It\u2019s AT! Cool Finds from Abilities Expo 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Spy-themed<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If you made it to Abilities Expo 2025<\/a><\/strong> and stopped by the Ability Tools booth, you couldn\u2019t miss the top-secret, spy-themed experience! Our team went all out to engage attendees of all ages, making sure everyone got a mission briefing on the latest and greatest in assistive technology (AT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expo was packed with incredible AT solutions, and whether you were there in person or not, we\u2019ve got you covered. Here\u2019s a roundup of standout vendors from the event\u2014plus tips on how you can get hands-on with similar AT through these vendors or Ability Tools\u2019 Device Lending and Demo Centers (DLDCs)!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Three<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Vendor Spotlight: Smart Home Solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lotus<\/a><\/strong> earned one of our Automation Agent<\/strong> badges this year as they showcased the latest in home automation for accessibility. The Lotus Kit<\/a><\/strong><\/em> is a portable and simplified ecosystem for home control. Using point-and-click, your Lotus Ring<\/strong><\/em> allows you to control wall switches from wherever you are in the room. No rewiring, no apps, no internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AT Tip:<\/strong> Did you know you can create a simple smart home setup with just a smart plug<\/strong><\/a> and a voice assistant<\/strong><\/a>? If you\u2019re new to smart home tech, Ability Tools<\/a><\/strong> can help you borrow and test devices<\/a><\/strong> like these before committing to a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Vendor Spotlight – Mobility & Ergonomic Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cheelcare<\/a><\/strong> earned one of our Independence Agent<\/strong> badges, offering innovative assistive devices designed to enhance mobility and independence. Their flagship product, the Companion<\/a><\/strong>, is a motorized attachment that transforms manual wheelchairs into powered ones. The Curio<\/a><\/strong> is a complex rehab power wheelchair built on Cheelcare’s patented robotic technology. It delivers omnidirectional tilting capabilities in a compact base that weighs nearly half of standard power wheelchairs with the same seating functions. Curio features innovative first-of-its-kind technologies, including self-leveling. They also provide accessories like the AWARE Rear-View Camera System<\/strong><\/a> for improved safety and additional options such as baskets, bells, and docking modules to further enhance mobility aids.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Vendor Spotlight – Communication Sensory Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Providing individuals with great options in all aspects of life, including in their career (earning one of our Career Codebreaker <\/strong>badges) CaptionCall by Sorenson<\/a><\/strong> is the largest call captioning provider in the U.S and has provided a no-cost service to people with hearing loss, keeping them independent so they can confidently communicate and stay connected. They have a landline and a mobile phone app available.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Vendor Spotlight – <\/strong>Sensory Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cubby Beds<\/strong><\/a> are smart beds designed to improve safety, sleep, and sensory regulation, which is why we are giving them one of our Serenity Specialist <\/strong>badges. They have taken the traditional safety bed and reinvented it with modern technology. The design incorporates advanced technology to create a safe sleep environment that is also sensory-friendly. This includes dual-layer mesh and fabric doors that prevent wandering, safety sheets to protect against entrapment, a circadian light that promotes natural sleep patterns, and remote video and audio monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Vendor Spotlight – Cognitive Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We also gave a badge for our Cognitive Commander <\/strong>to Tech for Special Needs<\/a> <\/strong>who is dedicated to creating innovative solutions that help individuals with disabilities reach their full potential. Working closely with families, therapists, and educators, they develop assistive technology tailored to unique needs, whether it\u2019s for learning, communication, or mobility. With a hands-on, problem-solving approach, RJ Cooper personally collaborates with individuals to find or invent solutions that empower them to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Vendor Spotlight – Emergency Preparedness Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Evac+Chair<\/a> provides emergency evacuation chairs designed to assist individuals with mobility challenges during emergencies. Their chairs are ideal for situations where elevators are unavailable, such as fires or power outages, and comply with health, safety, and fire regulations. In addition to their evacuation chairs, they also offer evacuation sleds, designed to safely transport individuals in emergencies. We recognized Evac+Chair for their commitment to reliability, ease of use, and safety by awarding them our Resistance Specialist <\/strong>badge. This acknowledgment highlights their dedication to enhancing accessibility during critical situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore More AT Vendors from Abilities Expo<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you’re looking for smart home tools, mobility devices, or sensory-friendly solutions, there are countless options to explore. Stay connected, keep exploring, and find the right technology to support your needs!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you made it to Abilities Expo 2025 and stopped by the Ability Tools booth, you couldn\u2019t miss the top-secret, spy-themed experience! Our team went all out to engage attendees of all ages, making sure everyone got a mission briefing on the latest and greatest in assistive technology (AT). The Expo was packed with incredible…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":5407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[9,8,7,19,5,16,76],"class_list":["post-5406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-advocacy","tag-apps-and-software","tag-at-professional","tag-communication","tag-independence","tag-mobility","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5406"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5406\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5457,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5406\/revisions\/5457"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abilitytools.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}