Double Tap

Assistive technology innovation from the Zero Project Technology Forum in Mumbai: an audiobook library you reach on any phone, an accessible home pregnancy test app, and AI photo descriptions that know your family by name.
Steven Scott reports from the Zero Project Technology Forum, hosted in Mumbai by the Tech Mahindra Foundation, where ten innovators pitched to around 25 funders and support partners. David Banes, who advises the Zero Project and has 40 years in assistive technology, argues that startups rarely need another year-long incubator. They need a match on the one thing blocking them, whether that is investment, distribution, user testing or protecting intellectual property without the money to patent. He also makes the case for talking about assistive features and functions rather than assistive technology, because procurement still resists paying for mainstream kit that already does the job.
Prashant Ranjan Verma of the National Association for the Blind Delhi presents Shravan, an IVR audiobook library reachable from a feature phone or a landline with no internet and no app. It holds around 4,000 DAISY titles, has 74,000 users, offers voice search and AI-generated news bulletins, and remembers your number so you can pick up where you left off. He also runs Café Beyond Eyes in Delhi, where blind staff handle cooking, serving and billing.
Gopika Kapoor and Moneisha Gandhi explain how their sons' friendship led to Buddy Up Network, a free community app for disabled people and their caregivers, built around privacy, reporting tools, video verification and women-only groups. Chetan Sharma of the Udbhav Vision Foundation in Jaipur describes an Android app that reads a standard home pregnancy test aloud in private, then connects the user to doctors, pharmacists and follow-up tests.
Picstry AI turns generic photo descriptions into memory descriptions, recognising faces on device so your pictures come back with real names attached. Its founder, an AI scientist who is blind, describes a couple hearing their own wedding photo described for the first time. Neha Soneji of the Tech Mahindra Foundation closes the day with the view from the other side of the room.
Chapters
0:00 – Zero Project Technology Forum comes to Mumbai
0:47 – David Banes on 40 years in assistive tech and what innovators really need
12:03 – Shravan: an audiobook library you reach by phone call
20:37 – Café Beyond Eyes, run by blind staff in Delhi
22:48 – Buddy Up Network, built by two Mumbai mothers
30:44 – An accessible home pregnancy test app from Jaipur
39:58 – Picstry AI: photo descriptions that name your family
49:15 – Neha Soneji on hosting the forum and The Ability Network
Relevant Links
Zero Project Technology Forum: https://zeroproject.org/initiatives/the-zero-project-technology-forum
Equitable AI Alliance: https://zeroproject.org/initiatives/equitable-ai-alliance
Tech Mahindra Foundation: https://techmahindrafoundation.org
National Association for the Blind Delhi: https://www.nabdelhi.in
Buddy Up Network: https://www.buddyup.network
Udbhav Vision Foundation: https://udbhav.org
Picstry AI: https://www.picstry.ai

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

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AirPods 5 open-ear noise cancellation put to the test by blind users, plus Google's new Googlebook Android laptops, the pricing, and the accessibility answers Google still has not given.
Steven Scott bought the AirPods 5 expecting to be unimpressed and came away sold. The headline is the noise cancellation: Apple claims a 50 percent improvement over AirPods 4, and in a room with a laptop and NVDA speaking, the background noise all but vanished. Steven and Shaun Preece work through the open-ear fit that sits in the ear rather than sealing it, the comfort over long listening sessions, and why the transparency mode is convincing enough that he forgot an earbud was missing. If you buy a set, spend the extra on the wireless charging case version for the volume controls on the stem.
The trade-off against the AirPods Pro 3 comes down to battery life, around five hours rather than eight, which matters when a call lands at the wrong moment. For books, podcasts and music in the Apple ecosystem, the value case is strong at the lower end of the price scale.
Then the laptop story. Google has launched Googlebook, a new category running Googlebook OS, built on Android with ChromeOS foundations and sold on Gemini. Five machines from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo start at 899 US dollars, all with 16GB RAM, OLED touch displays and metal bodies, split between Intel Core Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Pre-orders are open, with US availability from October 4 and other markets a day later.
The accessibility picture is blank. Google has not said what the screen reader experience will be, whether TalkBack behaves like ChromeVox, or what happens to Braille display support. For any school considering swapping Chromebooks for these, that is not a small gap. Steven has written to Google, has had no reply, and an interview with Asus is lined up for next week. Send in your questions.
Chapters
0:00 – Apple, Siri and a purchase Steven had to make
2:01 – AirPods 5: which version to buy
4:38 – Open-ear fit, comfort and noise cancellation tested
10:28 – AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: battery, price and value
17:20 – Googlebook: Google's Android laptops arrive
19:54 – Five models, five prices, one spec sheet
28:26 – Who is a Googlebook actually for?
30:44 – The accessibility unknowns: TalkBack, ChromeVox and Braille
33:17 – Web apps, the WhatsApp problem and Chromebooks as daily drivers
47:10 – Listener mail: open weights, buttered buns and duelling assistants
Relevant Links
AirPods 5: https://www.apple.com/airpods-5/
Googlebook announcement: https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/devices/googlebook/pre-order-googlebook/
NV Access (NVDA): https://www.nvaccess.org/about-nv-access/
Tampermonkey: https://www.tampermonkey.net
Zero Project Technology Forum: https://zeroproject.org/initiatives/the-zero-project-technology-forum
AMI Research Panel: https://www.ami.ca/panel

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Finding assistive technology that already exists is still the hardest part of using it. Hector Minto, formerly of Microsoft, explains Kerbcut, his new AI discovery platform for assistive tech products, services and lived experience.
Hector's case is blunt. Around 2.5 billion people need assistive technology today, a figure heading for 3.5 billion by 2050, and a billion still cannot reach solutions that already exist. Products are spread across thousands of manufacturers, services are split between health, education and community organisations, and the accessibility features built into everyday devices go undiscovered. Kerbcut lets you describe a need in your own words and returns products, services and content from disabled people talking about their real daily use.
Steven and Hector get into the psychology behind that, including the man at Euston Station who quietly asked how he would ever read again, the rolling ten minute windows people get with professionals, and why so many end up searching Reddit instead. Kerbcut asks for no registration and no email address, strips out names, and lets you download or email your conversation to take into an appointment with you.
The business side is covered honestly too. Service providers can pay thirty pounds a month to write their reports inside Kerbcut, companies get context driven leads, and any organisation from a bank to a university can install Kerbcut on its own site and keep its own question data. If the free built in feature is the right answer, Hector says, nobody earns a lead from it.
Before the interview, Steven and Shaun look ahead to the Double Tap Live launch on 30 September with Lumin creator Sriram Ganesh, the new Googlebook and whether anyone will mention TalkBack, Meta's incoming glasses, the Meta AI app's audio routing problems in the UK, camera access on Apple hardware, and the 699 dollar Dell XPS 13 against the MacBook Neo.
Chapters
0:00 – Double Tap Live launches on 30 September
3:34 – Lumin joins the launch show, your top five apps and the newsletter
5:48 – Googlebook day and a big week for Google and Meta
8:08 – Meta AI app bugs, glasses audio and a Siri rant
11:41 – New glasses: designer names or better features
14:15 – Camera access, Google's openness and Apple's lockdown
17:07 – Dell XPS 13 versus MacBook Neo, and PC or Mac when you're blind
19:10 – Zero Project Tech Forum specials this week
19:48 – Kerbcut explained: one platform for assistive tech discovery
21:41 – Hector Minto on assessments, lived experience and making it pay
Relevant Links
Kerbcut: https://kerbcut.com
Lumin: https://www.trylumin.ai
Zero Project: https://zeroproject.org

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google is keeping the Chromebook and adding a pricier Googlebook line running Aluminium OS, built on Android 17 with Gemini baked in at system level. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece work out what that means for screen reader users, and Marc Aflalo finds out how Schlage's ultra wideband locks open the door before you reach for a key.
The Chromebook is not going away. Google is holding that brand at the affordable end, aimed squarely at schools, while the new Googlebooks start around $999 and chase the same buyer who might otherwise pick up a MacBook Air. The bigger change is underneath. Aluminium OS is Android at heart, so Android apps run properly rather than through emulation, and handoff between phone and laptop becomes part of the design.
That raises a question nobody has answered yet. ChromeVox is the screen reader for Chrome OS, but if the Googlebook is Android underneath, does TalkBack take over? With launch days away, Steven and Shaun note how little has been said about accessibility, and they wonder whether ChromeVox will ever support add-ons or scripting the way desktop screen readers do. Existing Chromebooks still get updates for up to ten years, and some hardware may be eligible to move across, though Google has not said which.
Marc Aflalo speaks with Tim from Schlage, the lock maker that has been around more than a century and spun out of Ingersoll Rand into Allegion in 2013. The conversation covers the jump from mechanical keys to Encode, Arrive and the new Sense Pro, which uses Schlage Converge technology and ultra wideband to read the angle and speed of your approach, then unlocks at the right moment when your arms are full.
Sense Pro ships with no keypad and no keyway, so the backup is a USB-C jump start port at the base of the lock that takes power from a phone or battery pack. There is also useful ground on scheduled access codes, firmware updates that add features to locks already installed, Matter support across Apple, Google, Alexa and Samsung homes, and the newer Aliro standard. To finish, a look ahead to Meta Connect on 23 and 24 September and the smart glasses rumours around it.
Chapters
0:00 – What's coming up
0:35 – Chromebook or Googlebook? Pricing, Aluminium OS and Gemini
4:52 – ChromeVox, TalkBack and the accessibility unknowns
6:06 – Which Chromebooks might transition
9:28 – Schlage's history, from mechanical locks to Allegion
11:09 – Encode, Arrive and the launch of Sense Pro
14:53 – Converge technology and ultra wideband at the door
17:12 – No keypad, no keyway, and the USB-C jump start
21:27 – Access codes, pet sitters and vacation rentals
26:40 – Meta Connect rumours
Tried a smart lock, or waiting to see what the Googlebook does for accessibility? Email feedback@doubletaponair.com and tell us. Like, subscribe and share to help more people find accessible tech coverage.
Relevant Links
Schlage Sense Pro: https://www.schlage.com/en/home/smart-locks/sense-pro.html
Allegion: https://www.allegion.com/corp/en/index.html
Aliro 1.0 standard: https://csa-iot.org/newsroom/introducing-aliro-1-0-a-unified-standard-to-transform-the-access-control-ecosystem/
Chromebook accessibility and ChromeVox: https://www.google.com/chromebook/accessibility/
Accessible Learning Lounge: https://accessiblelearning.gumroad.com
Meta Connect: https://www.meta.com/connect/

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover how Lumin, a voice‑first email app for iPhone, is transforming email management for the blind and low‑vision community. Learn how AI and audio‑only design bring speed, precision, and independence to your inbox.
This episode is supported by Pneuma Solutions. Creators of accessible tools like Remote Incident Manager and Scribe. Find out more at https://pneumasolutions.com/
Shaun Preece sits down with Sriram Ganesh, founder of Lumin, to explore the journey from video game programming to creating a fully voice‑controlled email client.
This episode dives into:
⁃ The development of Lumin as a voice‑only, AI‑powered email app.
⁃ Real‑world challenges of managing email with low vision and how Lumin solves them.
⁃ Live demo showing how to read, reply, archive, and manage email entirely by voice.
⁃ Key insights into privacy, cloud security, and data control for users.
⁃ The roadmap for future features, expansion to more platforms, and accessibility goals.
Sriram Ganesh is a lifelong builder whose career spans high-stakes entrepreneurship and profound personal resilience. In his early 30s, Sriram was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, an incurable condition causing progressive central vision loss.
As he struggled to adjust to his new reality, Sriram confronted a world where accessibility tech lagged far behind innovation. This led him to create Lumin, a voice-first AI assistant designed for the blind and low vision community.
Social Links
• Lumin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talktolumin/
• Lumin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talk_to_lumin
• Lumin X: https://x.com/TalkToLumin
• Lumin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktolumin
• Sriram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsriramg/
• Sriram TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsriramg
• Sriram X: https://x.com/sriramganesh
Sriram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramganesh/
Relevant Links
Lumen App: https://trylumen.ai/r/doubletap

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.