Oct-Dec 1996

The Olympic Torch Experience - George Abraham
It was too big a surprise to digest easily the news that I was nominated to participate in the Olympic Torch relay at Atlanta. At Thompson, I, along with the five members of the India Torch Relay Team was given a detailed brief on the Olympic Torch Run. Hundreds of men, women and children had begun lining the roads in eager anticipation. The torch, to begin with, weighed about three and a half pounds, but by the time I had completed 3/4 th of my run, it felt like half a ton. Thanks to the excitement of the occasion and sheer will power, I hung on. My right-hand was stiff and hurting like mad, but I was determined to carry the torch to the finish. This was a once-in-a-life-time experience. I was quite relieved to pass on the flame to the next runner at the end of my one kilometre stretch....more

Yoga - Padmini Natarajan interviews Dr. Krishna Raman
Yoga aims at preserving your resources and preventing further wear and tear. The power of Yoga lies in its stillness. The Asanas or postures put you into a physical state of stillness in different geometrical shapes and give you the maximum benefit of the shape. Again Yoga combines the advantages of both isometric and isotonic systems of exercise. The Isometric system strengthens the muscles and tones the body by the action of one muscle against another or to a resisting object. In the isotonic method, tension is created in the body by the lifting of weights, thereby toning up the system. Yoga can be practised from the age of 5 to 95....more

Technology update: new developments in hearing aids-News and Events
For Renee Christensen, a registered nurse, hearing impairment led to some complications in her job as an intensive care nurse. However, by adapting a resistive listening device coupled with adaptations on medical equipment, she was able to perform many of her job functions. Nurses typically record a report on a tape recorder at the end of their shifts. For Christensen, coupling a direct audio input cord from the tape recorder into her FM transmitter allows her to listen to the report. For listening during meetings, Christensen uses a conference microphone placed in the middle of the table. This enables her to hear speech within a ten-foot radius, usually enough area to participate in the meetings....more

Disabilities, opportunities, internetworking and technology-Closing the Gap
Access to computers and internet forms an integral part of the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Project at the University of Washington. The aim of DO-IT is to encourage a greater participation of individuals with disabilities in science, engineering, mathematics, academic programmes and careers. DO- IT scholars, as they are called, are high-school students with disabilities. They are provided with internet connections and matched with mentors. Many of the mentors are themselves persons with disabilities. To access the internet, DO-IT scholars use a variety of adaptive computer technologies. For example, those who are blind use voice and Braille output. Orthopaedically impaired use alternative keyboards. The visually impaired use enlarged characters displayed on large monitors. Organisations that provide internet services for hourly fees have waived it for a fixed number of hours. ...more