Many businesses are hiring people with disabilities, but Facebook is taking it a step further by putting a blind engineer in charge of a project that can affect millions of people. Matt King is using his disability to his company’s advantage by creating an artificial intelligence tool that helps visually impaired people “see” what’s going on and stay connected.
Seth Fiegerman wrote about King and his work on Mashable:
Halfway through Matt King’s presentation, the screen goes dark.
It’s the kind of glitch that might make a man sweat in front of the audience. But this is no glitch. King has done it deliberately to bring us into his world, however disorienting it might be for the rest of the room.
“I’m going to put it into a state that’s more like how I operate,” King says with just a hint of mischief. He looks less like a computer engineer than an ex-marine, but with the surprisingly cheerful and calm speech of someone who grew up in the Pacific Northwest.
Before we can fully internalize his words, King is drowned out by a mechanical voice. “Screen curtain on.”
King begins tapping the arrow keys to scroll through a Facebook timeline, with the voice leading the way. “Heading Level 5. Link. February 26, at 3:53 pm.” Next, it recites the contents of the friend’s post. “What a view, I really like my new camera.” Then nothing. The voice is quiet. King is quiet. There is no photo to enjoy. The screen is still dark.
King with his colleagues from the Facebook accessibility team.
One billion people check their Facebook feeds every day, mindlessly scrolling through texts and photos to keep up with friends and family. King joined Facebook in June as the company’s first blind engineer to make sure millions of visually impaired Internet users around the world are not handicapped in their personal relationships simply because they can’t do the same.
After the silent pause in his demo, King unveils the result of the first big project he’s been a part of at Facebook. The same mechanical voice uses artificial intelligence to identify broad but crucial elements of the friend’s photograph. The image, it says, “may contain sky, tree and outdoor.”
A second photograph from another Facebook contact is said to include “pizza.” Vague, sure, but at least it tells you something to keep you in the loop — more than that dark screen.
This AI-powered tool, officially released in its applications on Tuesday, is part of what Paul Schroeder, VP of programs and policy at the American Foundation for the Blind, described to me as a “tipping point with accessibility.” The same technology that some scoff at or even fear today — artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, voice-powered personal assistants and robotics — could fundamentally transform the lives of the visually impaired in the coming years.
In some jobs it pays to be a good listener. That’s especially true at Live Reps Call Center.
Live Reps, an inbound answering and outbound dialing service for local and national companies, handles thousands of calls per day. And for a growing company, hiring good employees like Sydney Pringle and Julie Gable is important.
Julie Gable listens to a call.
Gable has worked at Live Reps for a year, and Pringle started in early 2015. Both have visual impairments and work on quality assurance, which means they monitor and grade customer service representatives.
“We’ve found they have a strong work ethic and show up prepared,” said Steve Wachs, CEO and owner. “Sydney and Julie have the drive to overcome obstacles. They prove themselves every day while taking nothing for granted.”
Gable said it took about a month to learn her job, and she enjoys the camaraderie with her co-workers. “I like having the ability to work at my own pace,” she said.
Sydney Pringle monitors customer service representatives.
Pringle, who found the job through word-of-mouth, said he worked with the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired to get special glasses and other equipment. That technology, Pringle said, “helps me do my job.”.
Wachs added both Pringle and Gable have been excellent employees. “They appreciate the flexibility, and we’re into hiring good people,” he said. “Hiring people with disabilities is really a win-win for us. You uncover great things once you understand a person’s capabilities and utilize their strengths.”
Live Reps, located across from Lunken Airport, also partners with Bishop’s Bicycles to operate a bike rental business out of its office building. That side business started as a way to provide a recreational outlet for employees and continues to expand.
Employment Spotlight 