Tech Corner
Discover accessible mainstream and specialized technology curated by the Helen Keller National Center to help older adults with combined hearing and vision loss maintain independence and stay connected.
Welcome to the HKNC Tech Corner
HKNC Tech Corner is a resource developed through support from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation grant and the Helen Keller National Center’s Older Adult Program. The Tech Corner was created to help older adults with combined hearing and vision loss explore technology, devices, apps, and accessibility tools that can support independence, communication, health management, information access, safety, and daily living.
This resource includes both mainstream and specialized products that may benefit individuals who are DeafBlind, blind, have low vision, are deaf, or are hard of hearing.
The information is intended to help individuals, family members, service providers, and professionals learn about available options and identify tools that may fit unique needs, goals, and preferences. The products and resources included in this collection were curated by HKNC’s Technology Leadership Team based on their knowledge, experience, and familiarity with technologies commonly used within the DeafBlind community.
HKNC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Juan Ramos and Nathan Bullock, whose expertise and efforts were instrumental in researching, organizing, and developing much of the content included in this resource.
Explore Technology Categories
Browse mainstream and adaptive devices designed to support accessibility, communication, and health management.
Health & Wellness
Technology can support individuals in monitoring and managing their health more independently through accessible features such as speech output, large displays, simplified controls, and smartphone connectivity.
Shopping & Food Preparation
Preparing meals, tracking nutrition, and managing household shopping can become more accessible with the right combination of devices and services.
Communication & Speech-to-Text
Access to communication is essential for maintaining relationships, participating in meetings, making phone calls, and engaging with the community.
Home & Daily Living
Technology can help make homes safer, more accessible, and easier to manage while supporting independence.
Reading & Information Access
Access to books, news, educational materials, and digital information supports lifelong learning and community engagement.
Transportation & Navigation
Getting from place to place safely and independently is an important aspect of community participation.
Alerting & Safety
Receiving important alerts and notifications can improve safety, awareness, and peace of mind.
Money & Identification
Tools in this category support currency identification and daily living tasks that require visual information.
Visual Interpretation & Environmental Awareness
Apps and services in this category connect users with visual information about their surroundings, printed materials, and everyday objects through a combination of artificial intelligence and human support.
The Tech Corner Is a Living Resource
Technology continues to evolve rapidly, and so will the HKNC Tech Corner. We intend to review, update, and expand this resource over time to reflect new products, emerging technologies, and feedback from the DeafBlind community and professionals in the field.
Tech questions? We’re here to help.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to HKNC’s Older Adult Specialist, Jenee Alleman, at jalleman@helenkeller.org