As shiny and powerful as my computer is, the technology I use to control it is quite old and little decrepit. For example, one of my p-switches (which function as my left and right mouse buttons) began to fail yesterday. I found a spare unit at my office, so I wasn’t too concerned. But when I called the manufacturer to see if the malfunctioning switch could be fixed, they told me that they don’t do anything but the most basic repairs on these devices. I’m lucky to have a spare because a similar switch from another manufacturer would set me back over $300.
I understand that assistive technology makers operate on thin margins and can’t be expected to support their products indefinitely, but it’s frustrating to be so dependent on a device and not be able to obtain any support for that device. Perhaps I should recruit a couple like-minded engineers and start a little company that offers lifetime guarantees on assistive tech devices that don’t cost more than an iPhone.
Perhaps you should. I’d help solicit funders, and I’d guess others would, too.
I wish you would. We’ve recently spent >$1500 for a “super” controller just so our son Joseph could play Little Big Planet on PS3. We’re thankful that we got it, but I felt guilty that perhaps we should have donated instead to FSMA. And now, Joseph just discovered Minecraft. Do you play Minecraft?