Join Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Lis as they kick things off with some hockey pool banter—and discover how "Artie," their ChatGPT-powered pick, has scored a perfect run! Rob’s feeling pretty good, too, thanks to his strategic choice of the Edmonton Oilers. But it’s not all hockey talk! The gang switches gears to discuss National AccessAbility Week, a movement started back in 1988 to promote inclusion and accessibility. They're joined by Chantal Oakes from the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), who shares details about their exciting virtual event featuring fun trivia and an open "Ask Me Anything" session. Finally, the group explores the phenomenon of having countless Awareness Days—are these celebrations helping us move forward, or just creating noise that distracts from truly impactful causes?

Show Transcript

AEBC National AccessAbility Week Event

AEBC Online

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week Rob, Lis, Steve and Rob delves into the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI), noting how it has recently sunk into the mainstream with more people using and embracing it, a shift from previous fear and skepticism. They discuss their personal experiences using AI for diverse tasks including asking questions, creating accessible programs like a screen reader-friendly audio recorder and a keyboard-controlled soundboard, and work functions such as comparing price lists, proofreading documents, and generating graphics. They also dive into AI's impact on Assistive Technology (AT), highlighting how mainstream devices incorporating AI, such as the Meta glasses with their live view feature, are becoming "game-changers" for the disability community, specifically benefiting those who are blind. Do they think that AI will eventually replace them? Will ChatGPT join the Hockey Pool? Listen now and find out!

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Angela Bonfanti, President and CEO of CNIB, to the podcast! Angela shares her personal journey and how her father’s experience with vision loss inspired her path, along with how she transitioned from the world of politics to leading one of Canada's most impactful disability organizations. We discuss CNIB's evolution, including the innovative Community Hubs and Mobile Hubs, and highlight the urgent need for improved mental health support for those experiencing vision loss. We even dive into the power of storytelling to shift public perceptions, the importance of collaboration across disability groups, and Angela’s passionate vision for a truly inclusive and accessible Canada. It’s a powerful conversation packed with insights, advocacy, and inspiration you don’t want to miss!

Show Transcript

CNIB

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

Rob, Ryan and Steve welcome Karen McKay and Ioana Gandrabur from the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) to the show this week to discuss some of the services CELA provides that includes a huge collection of accessible books—from embossed braille to audiobooks—to people with print disabilities across Canada. They also discuss how CELA is evolving their services and navigating a shift from traditional CDs to digital platforms, the critical role of stable internet access, why boosting technology literacy is more important than ever, and CELA’s creative outreach strategies to connect communities with accessible reading.

Show Transcript

CELA

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

Buckle up as Rob, Ryan, and Lis dive into the thrilling world of blind car racing with guests Tony Labillois and Jean Labbé! Ahead of the 36th annual high-speed showdown on July 4th in Granby, Quebec, Tony and Jean share their excitement about competing in a unique event where 35 to 40 drivers—blind or blindfolded—battle it out for 10 adrenaline-packed laps, guided only by the instructions of their fearless co-pilots.

But it's more than just high-octane action—it's about raising funds and awareness for the MIRA Foundation, dedicated to providing life-changing guide and service dogs to those who require them. Tony and Jean, who've already raised over $1,500, share their past racing experiences, the challenges of blindfolded driving, and why promoting accessibility and inclusion is so important to them. Fast cars, great laughs, and a great cause—don’t miss this one!

Show Transcript

Défi-Vision 2025 Tony Labillois /Jean Labbéira

Mira Foundation

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

We are "beyond" excited this week to welcome the host and producer of the Blind and Beyond Radio Show, Michael and Lynn Golder. Michael, who went blind later in life, and his co-host and wife Lynn Golder discuss their show's history, which has been on air for 10 years and reaches 14 million listeners worldwide. We discuss a variety of topics, including the importance of the show’s goals of bridging the sighted and visually impaired communities, providing educational and entertaining content, and reducing fear and misconceptions about blindness.

Show Transcript

Blind & Beyond Radio Show

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

Rob, Ryan, and Lis are joined this week by the delightful and outspoken Lucy Greco—YouTuber, Accessibility Evangelist, and champion of all things inclusive! Lucy shares the inside scoop on her advocacy work at the University of California, Berkeley, and her popular YouTube channel, where she reviews appliances and chats candidly with fellow blind creators.

Together they dive into hot accessibility topics, from discussing why PDFs are often the villains of digital accessibility  to exploring the urgent need for stronger enforcement of accessibility laws. Lucy emphasizes the power of inclusive design, highlighting companies that get it right and calling out those that miss the mark. The conversation stresses why involving the disability community from the very beginning isn't just ethical—it's essential for good design. They also touch on how AI could revolutionize accessibility, but only if used responsibly and transparently.

Show Transcript

Access Aces

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week we’re going back to school as we welcome Kyle Brymer, a research associate at New Brunswick Community College to discuss the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals in post-secondary education, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder. Kyle tells us about the project he is involved in that aims at improving campus accessibility using digital twins and real-time sensory data. The project, funded by the College and Community Social Innovation Fund, focuses on lighting, noise, and people density in the Fredericton campus and we discuss the broader implications of the project for accessibility along with accessibility in general on post secondary campuses.

Show Transcript

New Brunswick Community College

https://nbcc.ca/

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week, Rob, Ryan, Lis, and Steve welcome Jerred Mace, founder of OneCourt, a startup that’s revolutionizing how blind and low vision fans experience live sports. Forget nosebleed seats — OneCourt brings the action right to your fingertips with a device that looks like a laptop but feels like a courtside seat.  Using spatial haptics, fans can track ball and player movements in real time on a tactile surface  Jerred shares how it works, why it matters, and what’s coming next. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just here for the snacks and halftime show, this episode will have you cheering for the future of accessible sports. Go Sports!

Show Transcript

OneCourt

https://www.onecourt.io/

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

This week Rob, Steve, Ryan and Lis welcome guest Justine On Green, a blind music producer and songwriter from Vancouver. Justine shares her journey in the music industry, her work with top 40 artists, and her recent project with Jagpreet Bajwa. They discuss the state of accessible advancements in music production, the impact of AI on music, and the evolving landscape of the music industry. And because we love a good throwback, we get nostalgic AF about the good old days of vinyl and cassettes versus the modern convenience of Spotify and streaming services. Is progress always better? You decide!

Show Transcript

Blind B.C. woman combines tenacity with technology to realize musical dream

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/blind-bc-woman-combines-tenacity-with-technology-to-realize-musical-dream/

Justine On Green Instagram

Justine On Green on Apple Music

Justine On Green on Spotify

AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324 or visit their Assistive Technology Showroom at 106 – 828 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver.

Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.