In this episode of Blind Level Tech, hosts Evan Starnes and Kelvin Crosby sit down with Josh Miele, a renowned adaptive technology researcher and designer. Josh shares insights into his extensive journey in accessible technology, from early experimentation with radio components and programming to designing groundbreaking accessibility tools.

Josh details his early contributions, including the development of Outspoken, one of the first Macintosh screen readers, and T-Map, a tool for creating tactile street maps. He also discusses his work at Amazon, including contributions to the Echo Show’s Show and Tell feature, and his open-source accessibility advocacy.

Josh also introduces his upcoming memoir, Connecting Dots: A Blind Life, set to release on March 4, 2025, and discusses his new nonprofit initiative, the Center for Accessibility and Open Source.

Chapter Markers

00:15 – Welcome to Blind Level Tech

00:33 – Host and co-host introductions

02:54 – Introducing guest Josh Miele

05:07 – Josh’s early fascination with technology

07:28 – Navigating early computing as a blind person

09:52 – The evolution of accessibility in tech

12:09 – Developing Outspoken: The first Macintosh screen reader

14:34 – Breaking barriers with assistive tech

16:58 – The creation of T-Map: Tactile maps for blind users

19:24 – Spatial vs. visual mapping

21:46 – The importance of blind designers in tech development

24:10 – Josh’s transition to Amazon and work on Show and Tell

26:37 – The need for blind professionals in tech innovation

31:04 – Designing accessibility from a blind perspective

33:27 – Creating UDescribe: Open-source community-driven audio description

40:30 – The future of accessibility and open-source tech

42:31 – Josh’s upcoming memoir Connecting Dots: A Blind Life

44:52 – The Sandwich of the Week segment

47:13 – Where to find Josh’s work and closing remarks

Key Takeaways

🔹 Early Tech Exploration – Josh’s interest in technology started with taking apart radios and experimenting with components.

🔹 Pioneering Accessible Tech – Josh played a crucial role in developing Outspoken, a Macintosh screen reader before VoiceOver existed.

🔹 Innovative Mapping Solutions – T-Map helps blind users navigate by generating tactile street maps.

🔹 Amazon’s Accessibility – Josh contributed to Show and Tell on the Echo Show, improving product identification for blind users.

🔹 Community-Driven Audio Description – UDescribe allows volunteers to add audio descriptions to YouTube videos.

🔹 New Memoir Release – Connecting Dots: A Blind Life details Josh’s journey and advocacy for accessibility.

Social Media & Contact Information

📌 Josh Miele’s Website: mealylab.com

📌 Follow Josh on: BlueSky (BerkeleyBlink) | LinkedIn | Instagram

📌 Pre-Order Connecting Dots: A Blind Life (Available in print, Kindle, Audible, NLS, and Bookshare)

📌 Contact Blind Level Tech:

✉️ Email: [email protected]

📞 Voicemail: (720) 712-8856