Pneuma Solutions Blog

Happy RIMiversary!

Pneuma Solutions Team • September 1, 2023

Yes, you heard that right! It has been a year since our Remote Incident Manager solution was overhauled into the world’s first all-inclusive, fully accessible remote desktop package around. Time flies when you’re breaking barriers, and it’s been a monumental year for RIM. So, what has RIM been up to? Let’s pull back the curtain on this ground-breaking year for our product.

macOS Support!

April 14, 2023, will always be a red-letter day in our calendar. Until that day, there were no screen reader accessible remote support solutions for macOS. Nor had there been an all-round, fully accessible remote support package that would work across any platform, without regard to which screen reader was being used, if at all.

… Read the rest

When The Silver Screen Meets Real Life: My Unforgettable Encounter with Tom Sullivan

Mike Calvo • August 9, 2023

Cover of "If You Could See What I Hear", an autobiographical book by Tom Sullivan, co-written with Derek Gill. Tom is running along the shore of a lake with a big smile on his face. Every once in a while, life graces us with moments that shape our perspectives, guide our actions, and deepen our resolve. Today, I was visiting with some friends at the Florida Business Enterprise (BEP) Conference organized by the Division Of Blind Services here in Orlando, I was gifted one such moment, as Tom Sullivan took the stage.

Born in 1947, Tom Sullivan was not just an actor but an epitome of resilience. Blinded shortly after birth due to Retinopathy of Prematurity. Tom’s life was anything but ordinary. His journey, chronicled in his autobiographical book and movie “If You Could See What I Hear,” speaks volumes about overcoming adversity.

… Read the rest

The Country of the Blind: A Blind Man’s Praise

Mike Calvo • August 2, 2023

Review by Mike Calvo, Former CEO and Founder of Serotek, Current CEO and Co-founder of Pneuma Solutions

Andrew Leland’s deeply personal memoir “The Country of the Blind” spoke to me on the most profound level, offering a journey through shared experiences and sentiments as a member of the blind community. After hearing Andrew’s interview on the Living Blindfully podcast (formerly Mosen at Large), I was eager to delve into his narrative, and it was nothing short of illuminating.

The audiobook, narrated by Leland himself, is a captivating testament to his journey. Despite the complexities of narrating one’s work, Andrew’s personal touch and authenticity are palpable throughout.

… Read the rest

BlindShell Classic 2 Integrates Sero: A Leap Forward in Assistive Technology

Pneuma Solutions Team • July 18, 2023

Over the last few years, we have witnessed incredible advancements in technology designed to aid those with visual impairments. Two companies, in particular, have stood out: BlindShell, a pioneer in assistive technology communication, and Pneuma Solutions, the current developers of Sero, the world’s most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate social network and multimedia repository for the blind.

Now, in an exciting development, the Blindshell Classic 2 Collection of accessible cell phones will integrate the Sero platform, creating an even better, user-friendly experience specifically for the visually impaired.

… Read the rest

Summer Shows for Us = Summer Savings for Everyone! 25% Off with Code show2023

Pneuma Solutions Team • July 5, 2023

With Pneuma Solutions back in action at summer conventions, it is time once again for some unbeatable deals! And you’re going to love this one…

25% off anything!

That’s right, anything! With the only exception being Sero due to its separate purchase process, anything available for purchase in our store via Stripe is 25% off for the month of July! A RIM Personal Unattended subscription for your machine at home? $74.25! Need to scale up? No problem, your 25% will be applied to the new price! Missed out on the Community Support discount? Never fear, you can still slash $37.25 off the $149 price, making the price $111.75!

… Read the rest

Inclusive Design over Incidental Accessibility: Why Your Existing Remote Desktop Solution May Not Be Serving You as Well as You Think

Pneuma Solutions Team • June 26, 2023

Introduction

It is easy for a visually impaired support technician or recipient to determine that Remote Incident Manager clearly surpasses any industry-standard offering. We even have a Self Advocacy Kit written from the point of view of a visually impaired support person. But we’ve all done comparison shopping at one time or another for anything from home/office renovation to a new phone upgrade, and that involves none other than making your own point-by-point comparison of each item derived from various spec sheets, online reviews, etc. This can be quite difficult for anyone who has not had direct experience with the product being looked into.

… Read the rest

Sero for Android Gets a Face Lift!

Pneuma Solutions Team • June 15, 2023

The Android app for our award winning Sero community has now been updated to version 3.2.0. This version brings with it support for newer current versions of Android, including the current Android 14 Upside Down Cake beta builds.

Modernization of the app comes with the added benefit of a reduced impact on your device’s battery life.

We also have support for Android’s native media controls, so Talkback’s two-finger double tap will work for playing/pausing all Sero media throughout all of Android including the lock screen, and media controls will be present in the notifications shade and lock screen as is usual with most other media apps.

… Read the rest

RIM It to Win It!

Pneuma Solutions Team • June 14, 2023

An exciting opportunity for RIM users is here!

Last week, our Remote Incident Manager hit a major milestone: cross-platform support! It was an exciting day for Mac OS users and support specialists across the board. But just how excited are you all? We cannot wait to find out!

Spread the word. Enter to win!

We invite you to tell us all about your use of RIM and how it has changed the way you give or receive technical support. Submissions could include, but are certainly not limited to:

A review of RIM.
What RIM for Mac means to you.
An open-letter to a company that should be adopting RIM, particularly now that Mac support has been achieved.

… Read the rest

Inclusion and Resilience: A Glimpse into Cuba’s Programs for the Blind

Mike Calvo • June 12, 2023

Introduction

As a Cuban American whose parents emigrated from Cuba to the United States in the 1960s, visiting Cuba in 2012 was a deeply personal and nostalgic experience. It allowed me to reconnect with the birthplace of my parents and witness firsthand the remarkable progress made by Cuba’s programs for the blind. In this article, I want to share my personal journey and shed light on the inclusive system developed in Cuba that can serve as an inspiration for other parts of the world.

A Personal Connection

My parents, hailing from Havana and Camagüey in Cuba, laid the foundation for my connection to Cuban culture and heritage.

… Read the rest

Remote Incident Manager for macOS Officially Released!

Pneuma Solutions Team • June 8, 2023

An exciting day for Mac users!

Never before has there been a remote access screen reader module for macOS. Never before has there been an all-round, fully accessible remote support package for macOS. And never before, in the history of accessible remote support technology, has there been a complete package that is fully cross-platform…

Until now!

That’s right! Today, our critically acclaimed Remote Incident Manager makes its full public macOS debut!

Mac development for the RIM platform has been a smashing success, thanks in no small part to the incredibly useful feedback from both our private beta team as well as the public.

… Read the rest

Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Affordable, Cross-Platform Remote Assistance for Everyone

Pneuma Solutions Team • May 18, 2023

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), a day dedicated to promoting digital accessibility and inclusion for those with different disabilities, Pneuma Solutions is excited to introduce our latest offering – the Remote Incident Manager (RIM) Personal Community Support package. This new product aligns perfectly with our company’s commitment to create reasonably priced accessibility tools for our community and our ongoing dedication to GAAD’s mission.

Our innovative RIM tool, renowned for delivering seamless, accessible multiplatform access, training, and technical support, is now broadening its reach.

… Read the rest

Talking Pellet Grill Accessibility, as Heard on the Blind Grilling Experience Podcast

Mike Calvo • May 12, 2023

I was honored to be the guest on the Blind Grilling Experience podcast! In this episode, Chris and I discuss our history with pellet grills and accessibility issues. I have had extensive conversations with several manufacturers about making their controllers accessible for the blind and visually impaired. However, there is still much work to do.

A Mammoth Milestone: 100 Mastodon Followers!

Pneuma Solutions Team • May 11, 2023

Fediverse and Mastodon logos side by side.

We are thrilled to announce that we have just hit 100 followers on Mastodon! This is a huge milestone for us, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. At a time when Twitter is no longer blind-friendly, Mastodon is emerging as the go-to platform for people who care about accessibility. With its commitment to open-source software and decentralized networks, Mastodon is a breath of fresh air in a world dominated by closed systems and corporate control.
So if you’re tired of struggling to use Twitter, or if you’re just looking for a more inclusive and community-oriented social media experience, we encourage you to come join us on Mastodon.

… Read the rest

Raising Children with One Blind and One Sighted Parent

Mike Calvo • May 5, 2023

Parenthood is one of the most rewarding and challenging journeys anyone can embark on. From the moment you bring a child into this world, you are responsible for their well-being, happiness, and growth. Now imagine navigating this journey with one parent who is blind and another who is sighted. How do they manage to raise their children? What obstacles do they face? And how do they overcome them?
In this next installment in the Parenting with Purpose series, we will explore the unique experiences of parents who have different levels of vision and how they navigate parenthood together. Get ready to be encouraged by their stories!

… Read the rest

Pneuma Solutions Officially Joins the Fediverse!

Pneuma Solutions Team • May 1, 2023

Mastodon: We read you loud and clear

We are pleased to announce that we have officially established our presence on the Fediverse via a Mastodon server linked to Pneuma Solutions. A number of our staff may now be reached via Mastodon, and we invite you to follow us to stay in the know.

New to Mastodon?

No problem! Look to this very well written guide to Mastodon for newcomers courtesy of Amanda Carson and World Blind Herald.
Fortunately, there are a number of accessible apps that will make your experience enjoyable. We recommend the Semaphore web client, TweeseCake (Windows and Mac) or TW Blue for Windows,Mona for Mac and IOS,and Tusky for Android.

… Read the rest

Raising a Blind Child with Purpose

Mike Calvo • April 28, 2023

Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences in life, but it also comes with its unique challenges. When your child has a disability, those challenges are amplified, and it can be overwhelming to navigate the world of parenting. In this blog post, I will explore the journey of raising a blind child and how to help them thrive despite their disability. I’ll delve into practical tips and personal anecdotes that will inspire and motivate you to approach parenting with purpose. Get ready to discover a new perspective on parenting that will change your life forever!

Introduction

Raising a blind child can be a challenging but rewarding experience.

… Read the rest

Fun with ChatGPT: Writing a story about aliens helping the blind community

Matt Campbell • April 2, 2023

Preface

For the past few months, seemingly everyone has been talking about ChatGPT, and large language models in general. We at Pneuma Solutions are certainly watching this space with interest, especially now that GPT-4 can take images as input; we’ve already submitted a request to the wait list for API access to GPT-4. But this post is about something that I did with GPT-4, via ChatGPT Plus, just for fun.

Background

Last weekend, a post on Mastodon sparked my interest in using ChatGPT to write fiction. You can check out my own first experiment in this area, using GPT-3.5 via the free ChatGPT, in one of the replies.

… Read the rest

New Ways to Pay as You Go with Remote Incident Manager

Pneuma Solutions Team • February 4, 2023

All the hours you need, when you need them

You’ve probably been down this road at least once; you’re part of what you thought would be a quick remote support session , you’ve got just a few more things to do, and then the clock runs out on your free session. What to do?

Get some hours, that’s what!

If you use RIM to receive or provide support to friends and family , we now have more flexible options! We have now expanded our pay as you go solutions. Starting today, two prepaid packages of hours are available to you whether you hold a personal subscription or not. You can purchase as many hours as you need, use an hour here and there, and keep the rest for when you need them.

… Read the rest

Remote Incident Manager Coming to the Mac Platform!

Pneuma Solutions Team • January 24, 2023

There have been numerous iterations of accessible remote desktop infrastructure due to the incomplete and/or nonexistent accessibility of mainstream solutions. Never before has a solution been known to provide a level of accessibility that is equal across multiple platforms.

Until now!

Introducing Remote Incident Manager for Mac OS!

You heard right! Our critically acclaimed, first of its kind remote desktop infrastructure is officially joining its second platform! RIM for Mac OS is going to provide an identical feature set to the Windows build, including high quality audio and visual output, keyboard and mouse support, the extremely simple interface RIM has always been known for, and much more!

… Read the rest

Finally! Holding Businesses Accountable

Mike Calvo • November 2, 2022

Have you noticed more companies are preaching their support for accessibility? We now even have a day set aside for the recognition of accessibility on a global scale, but outside of the Microsofts and Apples and Googles of the world, what is the rest of the industry doing to put their rhetoric to the test?

It used to be that companies could claim ignorance about what it took to make accessibility a priority. They didn’t have the staff or the resources or the knowhow to make the products inclusive of blind and visually impaired customers. Then diversity, equity, and inclusion crashed into the public consciousness, and all of a sudden everyone was rushing to find ways to make themselves out to be sensitive to the needs of marginalized communities.

… Read the rest