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AI generated image showing numerous assistive technologies from the 1960's to the present.

2539 A Lifelong Journey with Assistive Tech as it Evolves (Sep. 24, 2025)
Show Notes
How have assistive technologies evolved for blind users over the decades? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey discuss the variety of assistive technologies Peter used over the years as his vision declined. They talk about the tools he used as a child, student, and scientist, as well as modern devices that he uses in retirement and what may be coming next.

Headshots (left to right) of Jim Fruchterman, Deane Blazie and Ted Henter. Below that are the words 'Pioneers in Access Technology' in an artistic dark blue font. NOTE: this is the same image as used for show #2537 since they are 2 parts of a 2-part show.

2538 Encore of 1741 Together Again - Leaders Who Made a Difference (part 2 of 2) (Sep. 17, 2025)
Show Notes
Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey continue the conversation with three leaders in the field of assistive technology: Deane Blazie, Jim Fruchterman, and Ted Henter. They made pioneering contributions to the development of refreshable Braille displays, OCR, and screen readers, respectively. Learn about their visions for the future in this informative round table discussion.

Headshots (left to right) of Jim Fruchterman, Deane Blazie and Ted Henter. Below that are the words 'Pioneers in Access Technology' in an artistic dark blue font.

2537 Encore of 1740 Together Again - Leaders Who Made a Difference (part 1 of 2) (Sep. 10, 2025)
Show Notes
This week hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey bring together three leaders in the field of assistive technology: Deane Blazie, Jim Fruchterman, and Ted Henter. They made pioneering contributions to the development of refreshable Braille displays, OCR, and screen readers, respectively. Learn what each of them is up to today in this informative round table discussion.

Photo of a smiling Jim Fruchterman holding his recently published book 'Technology for Good: How Nonprofit Leaders are Using Software and Data to Solve Our Most Pressing Social Problems'. The book has a blue background and a multi-color digitized heart on the front in addition to the title in light blue and white and author's name in yellow. In the background is a wall of dark green foliage.

2536 Creating Tech Solutions for Social Good (Sep. 3, 2025)
Show Notes
How can nonprofit tech leaders harness tech and AI to drive accessibility? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jim Fruchterman, founder of Tech Matters, about his journey from Arkenstone to Bookshare and the challenges of funding social enterprises. He shares insights on agile development, inclusive design, and why tech for good matters to the disability community.

Photo of a young man wearing Ally Solos glasses, holding his white cane, and standing in front of a large office building. Image courtesy of www.ally.me

2535 Ally Solos Smart Glasses (Aug. 27, 2025)
Show Notes
Artificial Intelligence is opening new doors in accessibility. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Karthik Kannan, co-founder and CTO of Envision, about the new Ally Solos smart glasses and about using QR codes to bring detailed museum descriptions to blind visitors, showing how technology can improve participation in public life for people with vision loss.

stick figure cartoon drawing of a man and woman, each with a heart shaped head and wearing dark glasses

2534 From Overseas Friends to Soulmates (Aug. 20, 2025)
Show Notes
How does love blossom across decades and continents? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Judy and Chris Jones, a blind couple who first met abroad as children, reconnected years later, had a long-distance courtship, and married after a telephone proposal. They share their journey through cross-cultural moves, parenting, and beating the odds together.

Cartoon drawing of a blind woman standing near a pile of moving boxes and in front of a moving van. It is a sunny day and the trees are covered with leaves.

2533 Moving On and Moving In (Aug. 13, 2025)
Show Notes
Moving into a new home and community can present unique challenges for blind individuals. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey share tips and suggestions from listeners and talk about choosing accessible communities, mapping unfamiliar spaces, the importance of planning ahead and being organized, as well as about mobility techniques to ensure safety and independence.

The cover of Paul Martz' book 'Solve It! The Only Speedsolving Guide for Blind Cubers' which contains the title and author's name in black, the subtitle in red, and a photo of Paul Martz holding a tactile Rubik's Cube. He is wearing a black t-shirt and dark glasses. The background is white.

2532 Tactile Cubing (Aug. 6, 2025)
Show Notes
How would you solve a Rubik’s Cube if you were blind? Hosts Nancy and Peter talk with Paul Martz, author of the book “Solve It! The only speedsolving guide for blind cubers”. Paul, who is blind, describes how he uses textures, memory skills, and blazing speed to participate in timed challenges against blind as well as sighted participants.

Photo of Park Peters in his recording studio. Towards the right of the photo is a 96 channel mixer. Towards the left of the photo and across the back wall are multiple reel-to-reel tapedecks.

2531 Touring a Music Studio Full of History and Sound (Jul. 30, 2025)
Show Notes
Music technology has changed drastically over the years. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey meet with Park Peters for a tour of his home studio. They discuss the transition from analog equipment like tape decks to powerful digital tools that are more affordable, as well as the wide array of gear that shaped his path as an audio producer.

Pile of 7 thick books of sheet music encompassing several genres including jazz and broadway show tunes.

2530 Sound Engineering By Touch and Ear (Jul. 23, 2025)
Show Notes
How does a blind musician break into professional audio production? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Park Peters, a blind musician and audio engineer, about his journey from early piano lessons to mastering studio production, overcoming inaccessible equipment, and using his deep understanding of music theory to compensate for his lack of vision.

Photo of a child's hands touching the Monarch 2-D Braille display with a woman's hands guiding the child.

2529 Braille and Tech Work Together to Empower Blind Students (Jul. 16, 2025)
Show Notes
Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jose Manolo Alvarez, a blind professor at the University of Puerto Rico who teaches future educators of the visually impaired and creates tools from hurricane trackers to games to make assistive tech more accessible and engaging for students. He also hosts a Spanish language podcast about technology for the blind.

Photo of a home ham radio set-up including a computer and a lot of electronics equipment

2528 Amateur Radio Then and Now (Jul. 9, 2025)
Show Notes
How does ham radio connect people worldwide? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with retired attorney and ham radio enthusiast John McCann (KW4U) about his experiences as a blind operator since the 1960’s, how modern equipment provides accessibility, and why this hobby is a fantastic way to make friends and serve as a vital emergency communication backup.

Book cover for 'Eclipsed: My Journey into Blindness and the Miraculous Surgery that Restored My Sight Decades Later' by Elizabeth Pizzarello. The word 'Eclipsed' at the top is in a large dark yellow font, as is the author's name at the bottom. The rest of the text and background are all either white or a very dark blue. 'Eclipsed' is repeated in a braille font above the text version. In the center, is a large stylized eye with a small image of a feather duster in the pupil area.

2527 Living Through Vision Lost and Vision Regained (Jul. 2, 2025)
Show Notes
Becoming blind can be a difficult transition, but how does one adapt after regaining sight? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Beth Pizzarello about losing vision due to RP, adapting to blindness, and undergoing innovative surgery that restored partial sight. They discuss her book 'Eclipsed' and her philosophy of embracing life's changes.

photo of Blake Boudreaux lying on his left side and holding the ball up in the air as he makes an out. He's dressed for baseball with an eye mask. Behind him is a large padded post that marks the nearest base.

2526 Encore of 1514 Beep Baseball (Jun. 25, 2025)
Show Notes
Beep Baseball is a variant of American baseball that has been adapted to be safe for its blind participants. Hosts Nancy and Pete Torpey speak with Blake Boudreaux and Stephen Guerra of the National Beep Baseball Association about how the game is played, what special equipment is used and the annual World Series of Beep Baseball.

Photograph of Tanner Gers doing the long jump. He is wearing a dark blue stretchy athletic outfit, white sneakers and a black eye patch. He is high up above a track with buildings, mountains, and striated clouds in the background.

2525 Rebuilding Life After Vision Loss (Jun. 18, 2025)
Show Notes
How does a blind athlete turn adversity into opportunity? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tanner Gers, a Paralympic athlete and founder of AccessAbility Officer, about his journey from life-changing injury to empowering other blind individuals through employment, digital access, and inclusive athletics like beep baseball.

AccessAbility Officer logo with writing in green (Access) and blue (Ability except the t is a green upwards pointing arrow) and black (OFFICER). Below the logo is a closeup photo of CEO Tanner Gers wearing a dark purple shirt and a black eye patch.

2524 Pathways to Employment in Digital Accessibility (Jun. 11, 2025)
Show Notes
How can visually impaired individuals access meaningful careers in digital accessibility? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tanner Gers, CEO of AccessAbility Officer, about their training program that certifies blind professionals, providing them with real-world skills, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities in digital accessibility testing.

Cover of the book 'When Your Ears Can't Help You See: Strategies for Blind and Low Vision Individuals with Hearing Loss' by Deborah Kendrick. Below the title in blue and red text is a blue rectangle containing a red ear, a yellow person with a cane and a green eye. Below all that is the author's name in red and the National Braille Press logo in blue text with multicolored dots forming a Braille cell.

2523 Adapting to Combined Hearing and Vision Loss (Jun. 4, 2025)
Show Notes
How can individuals with both vision and hearing loss navigate daily life? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with author Deborah Kendrick about her book "When Your Ears Can't Help You See: Strategies for Blind and Low Vision Individuals with Hearing Loss". She shares personal experiences with hearing aids, apps, and finding supportive audiologists.

A blue 3.5 inch floppy disk that looks very much like those JAWS was distributed on 30 years ago. It has a white sticker saying 'JAWS' in their logo type and '30th Anniversary' in handwriting. Below that in a Braille font it says 'JAWS 30'

2522 Join the Insert J Club as JAWS Turns 30 (May 28, 2025)
Show Notes
The JAWS screen reader for Windows is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Elizabeth Whitaker about Freedom Scientific’s education initiatives, training resources, and new AI-powered FS Companion. They also introduce the new Insert J Club, a community for users to communicate and to access exclusive content and support.

Foundation Fighting Blindness logo which consists of the writing in all capital letters in dark blue and medium turquoise on a white background with the colors arranged to give the impression of a beacon of light and hope

2521 Advancing Treatments for Inherited Retinal Diseases (May 21, 2025)
Show Notes
Research is key to fighting blinding eye diseases. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jason Menzo, CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, about advancing treatments for inherited retinal diseases, funding research initiatives, and launching new mental health resources to support individuals with blindness and low vision.

photos of (left) Patricia's Tandem Mobi insulin pump and (right) Victoria's Omnipod 5 insulin pump. Each shows the Dexcom G7 sensor along with an iPhone with the associated app on the screen

2520 Accessible Devices Change Diabetes Care (May 14, 2025)
Show Notes
How do visually impaired individuals manage diabetes independently? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Veronica Elsea and Patricia Maddix about accessible insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, and their advocacy work for non-visual medical tools. Both women share their personal journeys navigating diabetes care as blind individuals.

Photo of Rod Clemmons' CD 'What's Up - It's Me' with a part of a CD visible out the right side of the case. On the cover, Rod is wearing a white golf cap, red and black plaid shirt, black vest, and sunglasses.

2519 From Braille Music to the Big Screen (May 7, 2025)
Show Notes
Rod Clemmons, who has been blind since birth, shares his journey from being a classically trained pianist to an R&B performer, producer and composer. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Rod about his experiences as a visually impaired musician, his passion for rhythm and blues, and his work scoring the upcoming film 'A Jeannie for Christmas'.

A man crossing a street using an illuminated white cane. In the upper left corner of the image is the See Me Cane logo which has the words 'SEE ME' in red capitals on a black background above the word 'CANE' in black capitals on a white background. To the right of the words is a line drawing of a glowing white cane.

2518 Lighting the Way with the See Me Cane (Apr. 30, 2025)
Show Notes
Navigating in low light can be risky for blind pedestrians. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Kelvin Crosby about the See Me Cane, which increases visibility with built-in LED lighting. Kelvin also shares his path from vision loss to advocacy, vocational training, and launching an assistive tech program that hires blind professionals.

Able Artists Foundation logo with the words in a simple purple text font and a black Braille font on a white surround. To the left of the text are three sets of short purple horizontal lines that are reminiscent of vu meters. Surrounding the logo is a blurry photo of a music concert.

2517 The Able Artist Foundation (Apr. 23, 2025)
Show Notes
The Able Artist Foundation supports low-income disabled musicians around the world by providing discounted music software and hardware to its members. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with founder Stephen Letnes about what motivated him to start the organization, their company partners, and about the special programs they offer for their members.

Cover of the book 'Dinner Delivered'. Sub-title is 'Accessible and Easy Ways to Receive Meals Direct to Your Door' by Kim Loftis and Chris Grabowski. There is a sketch of a hand holding a covered plate, presumably containing dinner.

2516 Dinner Delivered (Apr. 16, 2025)
Show Notes
“Dinner Delivered" is a guide for visually impaired individuals on using grocery and meal delivery services. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Kim Loftis Nova, who co-authored the book with Chris Grabowski Nova, about navigating platforms like Instacart, Shipt, and DoorDash. Kim shares her experiences using these services as well as practical tips for using them.

The Dark Room podcast logo comprised of the words 'THE DARK ROOM' in yellow capitals with purple shading. Above the text are a pair of dark glasses in which a dark movie theater is reflected.

2515 The Dark Room Podcast for Movie Lovers (Apr. 9, 2025)
Show Notes
Dive into the world of movies from a visually impaired perspective. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Alex Howard and Lee Pugsley, co-hosts of The Dark Room podcast, about what motivated them to start the podcast, their experiences at movie theaters, challenges with some audio description services, and improving theater accessibility.

AI generated image of a man with a white cane who just got off a bus and is preparing to walk to his destination

2514 Re-learning Life Skills After Vision loss (Apr. 2, 2025)
Show Notes
What does it take to relearn life skills after vision loss? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Erich Manser about his experiences with blindness training programs, transitioning from magnification to screen readers, and finding value in non-visual techniques. Erich’s journey offers insights into overcoming challenges and learning new skills.

photo of Pete using Be My Eyes to describe scene of saguaro and cholla and palo verde and other plants at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ

2513 Arizona Vacation with PiccyBot and Be My Eyes (Mar. 26, 2025)
Show Notes
Experience the vivid landscapes of Arizona as enhanced by detailed descriptions by AI. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey used various AI services like PiccyBot and Be My Eyes to describe their adventures in the Sonoran Desert, the Phoenix Botanical Garden, Sedona's trails, and more. Explore how technology can enhance the visually impaired's experience of nature.

Benetech's special 25th anniversary logo featuring a huge black '25' with 'Benetech' in blue lettering and a few purple, pink, red, and blue dots all with a background that sweeps from mid-blue on the left to mid-purple on the right

2512 Benetech Celebrates 25 Years of Making Books Accessible for Everyone (Mar. 19, 2025)
Show Notes
Benetech’s work has transformed how people with disabilities access information. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with founder Jim Fruchterman and CEO Ayan Kishore about the evolution of Bookshare, the use of AI in accessibility, the Global Certified Accessible program, and how Benetech’s efforts have impacted digital publishing and education.

Close-up photo of Josh Miele smiling in front of a wood fence. Photo courtesy of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

2511 Encore of 2201 The Dream Of A Lifetime (Mar. 12, 2025)
Show Notes
The MacArthur Fellowship is a $625,000, no-strings-attached award to extraordinarily talented and creative individuals as an investment in their potential. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Josh Miele, blind since childhood and one of the 2021 fellows, about how his work in the field of accessibility led to him receiving this special award.

Josh Miele stands in a living room holding a book whose cover features an image of a young boy seated with hand on cheek. Title reads, 'Connecting Dots: A Blind Life by Joshua A. Miele with Wendell Jamieson'.

2510 Connecting Dots - A Blind Life (Mar. 5, 2025)
Show Notes
Joshua Miele is a MacArthur Award-winning accessibility expert who became blind at age 4. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with him about his new memoir “Connecting Dots - A Blind Life”, his experiences at UC Berkeley and how he came to work in accessibility, his shift from using a guide dog to a cane and how he hopes his book will reshape views on blindness.

Photo of Sedona Dave and Pete Torpey in Dave's 'Cane Lab' (in his garage). Each is holding an All Terrain hiking cane. There are many work benches and tools and parts in the background.

2509 Sedona Dave and His Awarewolf Gear Cane Lab (Feb. 26, 2025)
Show Notes
Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey's Arizona vacation took an unexpected turn when Pete's All Terrain Hiking Cane needed repair. Fortunately, Sedona Dave, designer of the cane, lived just a few minutes from their hotel. Inviting them into his “Cane Lab”, Dave not only repaired the cane, but also described the various canes offered by Awarewolf Gear.

Photo of Mael Fabien with a slight smile holding a NOA navigation device as described in the audio podcast

2508 Biped Offers Enhanced Functionality with NOA (Feb. 19, 2025)
Show Notes
The original Biped navigation device has been upgraded and renamed NOA. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Mael Fabien, co-founder and CEO of Biped AI, about NOA, a wearable AI device offering obstacle detection, navigation feedback, and real-time scene descriptions. They discuss the vest’s design, how it works, and the latest upgrades.

Cane and Able Fitness logo featuring a black line drawing of a muscular man in gym shorts holding a heavy dumbbell over his head in one hand and a white cane with red trim in a normal position in the other hand. Underneath this are the words 'CANE & ABLE' in black over the words 'FITNESS' in red.

2507 Stay Fit with Remote Fitness Coaching (Feb. 12, 2025)
Show Notes
Just because you are visually impaired doesn’t mean you can’t stay fit and healthy. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Evan Schwerbrock, founder of Cane and Able Fitness and the world’s strongest blind man, about his remote training approach, the importance of small steps in fitness, and his journey from vision loss to competing in adaptive strength events.

The AppleVis logo featuring a large white capital A and V, each on a black background, all above the word AppleVis in black text on a white background

2506 AppleVis and the Power of Community (Feb. 5, 2025)
Show Notes
AppleVis is a hub for visually impaired users of Apple products. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with David Nason and Scott Davert, members of the AppleVis editorial team, about the evolution of the platform, the resources available on AppleVis, the recent partnership with Be My Eyes, and the expansion to cover products outside of the Apple ecosystem.

The FAFTB logo comprising a green cross with the letters 'FAFTB' across its middle. Below that, the words 'First Aid for the Blind' are written in the same shade of green. All is on a white background.

2505 A Crash Course in Confidence (Jan. 29, 2025)
Show Notes
Want to kick start your progress to independence? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Kurt Deichmann and Brian Clark of First Aid for the Blind about their innovative training program. The week-long remote sessions teach life-changing skills and provide vital tools to newly blind individuals, helping them quickly regain confidence and independence.

Photo of a wooden chess set with high contrast alternating raised and depressed squares on the board, each with a hole in its center. Each piece has a peg underneath that fits into the holes on the board. Each dark piece has a pin on its top. In the top left is the USBCA logo which is shaped like a black knight chess piece with white writing saying 'USBCA BLIND PEOPLE CAN PLAY CHESS TOO!'

2504 Checkmate – Anyone Can Play Chess (Jan. 22, 2025)
Show Notes
Playing chess with vision loss? Why not! Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Glenn Crawford, Rita Crawford, and Marilyn Bland from the United States Blind Chess Association (USBCA). They discuss special equipment, correspondence games, and the challenges and rewards of the game. Learn about the USBCA's resources and outreach programs.

Blind Institute of Technology logo with black words and initials on a white surround with a stylized black and white line drawing of an eye nestled by a pair of hands

2503 Building Skills and Breaking Stigmas (Jan. 15, 2025)
Show Notes
The Blind Institute of Technology (BIT) empowers people with disabilities through skill development, training, and career placement. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Kristy Schenderlein, Director of Operations at BIT, about their innovative programs, funding model, and the critical role of assistive technology in workplace success.

Peter and Nancy Torpey sitting on a boulder in a park on a winter day

2502 Encore of 1404 Life as the Partner of a Blind Person (Jan. 8, 2025)
Show Notes
Eyes On Success usually focuses on products, services and daily living stories for and about people with vision loss. This week’s episode covers what it’s like for a sighted partner of a blind person. We’ve been married for 41 years and he’s been blind since long before that. Nancy continues to learn what’s special about life with Pete.

This is a photo of Ollie and Lucy with their hair being tussled by the wind as they stand on the deck of a ferry in Japan. Ollie is wearing a white t-shirt and he has shortish brown hair. Lucy is wearing a black and white loose blouse/shirt and has bright ginger hair and a red lipstick on. You can see the ocean waves behind them below a cloudy sky.

2501 Blind Not Broken - From the Other Side (Jan. 1, 2025)
Show Notes
Lucy Edwards went suddenly blind just months into her relationship with Ollie Edwards-Cave when they were both in their teens. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Ollie about how he stood by her and supported her through years of struggles and depression. We also talk about Lucy’s book “Blind Not Broken” that details their experiences.



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e-mail: hosts@EyesOnSuccess.net