Community Spotlight: Building a More Accessible Future

At HapWare, we believe that meaningful innovation starts with listening to the lived experiences of blind and low vision (BLV) individuals, to accessibility leaders who have paved the way, and to the community of supporters investing in a more inclusive future. This week’s spotlight celebrates just that.

Partnering with CNIB: A Conversation That Matters

We were thrilled to collaborate with CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) for this month's Wireless Wednesday. This event is devoted to learning about assistive technology, exploring accessibility, and the future of assistive innovation. Members of the CNIB community got a firsthand look at AlEye, our wearable that assists people who are blind and low-vision to identify nonverbal communication cues. 

Some highlights from the Q&A session:

•  AlEye has a 4 hour battery life and is improving every week.

•  Easy to learn for a wide range of age groups.

•  Just $99 for preorder!!

Events like this remind us that accessibility innovation should be centered around co-creation; we are working with the people who know accessibility best.

Founding Community Voices

We’re building AlEye alongside the people it’s meant to serve — and we couldn’t do it without our Founding Community Voices. These early collaborators help us test prototypes, share feedback, and guide what we build next.

As a Founding Community Voice, you’ll be among the first to shape a groundbreaking assistive technology, influence real design decisions, and play a direct role in creating technology that empowers more authentic, confident human connection.

Big thanks to Noah Palmer, Katie Corbett, Christina Ford, and Sayyida Hillard for their passion and input. They represent a growing network of advocates from organizations like the Fox Family Foundation, Colorado Center for the Blind, Blind Professionals Network, and the National Federation of the Blind.

Want to help shape the future of accessible communication?
Apply to become a Founding Community Voice: Founding Community Voice Form

HapWare Highlight: Jennison Asuncion

We're honored to highlight Jennison Asuncion, a pioneering voice in the digital accessibility space and a long-standing advocate within the BLV community.

Jennison began his journey in accessibility over 15 years ago on the IT Accessibility Team at the Royal Bank of Canada. Today, he serves as Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism at LinkedIn, leading global efforts to create inclusive digital experiences for over a billion people with disabilities.

His leadership accomplishments include: 

• Founding Accessibility Camp Toronto, Bay Area, and Los Angeles

• Co-founding Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), now a globally recognized initiative

• Launching local Accessibility and Inclusive Design Meetups in Toronto and the Bay Area

• Receiving prestigious honors, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Stephen Garff Marriott Award from the American Foundation for the Blind

Let’s keep building access together.