As the weather turns chilly and we approach the start of a new year, it seems fitting we take advantage of the moment to announce the start of a fresh chapter. Much has happened in 2020. I hope that wherever my note finds you, you are warm, safe, and among loved ones, even if remotely. I hope my news will give you a spark of something to look forward to in the coming decade.
The assistive technology landscape of today is vastly different from the environment we experienced even a decade ago. As I predicted in article after article, major companies in the Assistive Technology industry fell, merged, or tried reinventing themselves to keep pace with the demands of an evolving marketplace.
Through it all, I patiently adjusted my approach to meet the inevitable change. Rather than fall victim to the evolution, I did some serious soul searching, asking myself: Was I still relevant? Was I still capable of creating change for our community? I concluded that there was more to be done and I chose to redirect my energy toward writing a new chapter in the quest to bring access to digital information in new and exciting ways.
That probably sounds self-congratulatory. It’s not meant to come across that way. But hey, accompanied by an incredible team at Serotek and some of the most hard-working leaders in the assistive technology industry, I put in the hard work and earned the right to brag on our efforts, especially with the latest undertaking in my World. For you, only the best is acceptable.
Meet Pneuma Solutions
Pneuma is a Greek word for wind or Spirit with intelligence. Think of it as the breath that binds everything together. Using the power of today’s largest cloud infrastructures, machine learning platforms, and a commitment to leave no technological stone unturned, Pneuma Solutions is actively plotting to redefine outdated development practices and deliver maximum impact for you, our customer.
In today’s market, it is not enough to put up a website or develop an app and call it success. It’s certainly a double-edged sword for consumers when anyone, for just a few bucks, can throw together a few services and call it a business. In order to do the job right, a company has to follow through with a strong foundation based on understanding of the market, committed leadership, an intimate knowledge of cutting-edge technologies and how to apply them, and flexible objectives that ensure we keep customer success at the forefront. Combining more than fifty years in assistive technology software development, training, and out of the box approaches to everyday tasks, Pneuma Solutions’ mission is to develop powerful tools to augment essential access to the next generation of products that make previously inaccessible content widely available.
The Triumphant Return
Mike Calvo, Pneuma Solutions Cofounder and CEO
Before we get much further, let’s set the record straight. Yes, I, Mike Calvo, am back!
If we have not had the pleasure of meeting, my name was most recently associated with Serotek Corporation, a company I founded in 2000. I am that guy that says “something should be done about this” and then does it.
Back in the day I felt it was my mission to hold the accessible technology industry accountable for what I felt were unfair business practices. Their prohibitive pricing models restricted a person’s access to screen reading and magnification software as well as the training on their use. Only educational and rehabilitation related funding sources provided these services to eligible clients. The blind person that did not fit in to this mold would never have affordable access to a computer and the independence it promised.
The industry refused to listen to me as a blind consumer and respected trainer, so I started Serotek with the dream of giving the average blind user ubiquitous access to technologies that have always been a part of the sighted consumer’s World. And, for almost two decades I am proud to say, we did it!
As the CEO and Cofounder of Pneuma Solutions, I continue to beat the drum of equal access to digital information by the blind. I am laser focused on continuing to bridge the accessibility gap. But the challenges are different now. Before it was just the PC. Now, while accessibility is baked into consumer and corporate platforms to one degree or another, we still have much work to do on this new playing field, leveraging the power of The Cloud.
I continue to be a blind person first. I’ve got ideas, and I intend to lead my team wherever we need to go to complete as many of those ideas as we can. But, one thing you can count on is that I won’t hoard ideas. I don’t care who does it, as long as our community benefits from it. Any entrepreneurial benefit born of my life’s work is to the benefit of future development of other products that will improve the lives of persons with disabilities around the world. And trust me, we’ve got some wild ideas in our heads. Compared to the conventional ways companies still operate, isn’t this refreshing?
Matt Campbell, Chief Technology Officer and Cofounder
Another familiar name joining the leadership team at Pneuma Solutions is my former lead developer at Serotek and good friend, Matt Campbell. Matt joins the new company as Chief Technology Officer after spending the last few years cultivating accessibility efforts at Microsoft. His contributions as part of the amazing accessibility team helped the Narrator screen reader become the robust option it is today. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to have my old sidekick back for another round of innovation, and as Cofounder to boot!
Matt and I have always made for a dynamic powerhouse. Where I feel I provide the roadmap and product ideas, Matt provides the expertise to see these dreams come to life. We once played a dual role in reshaping productivity, entertainment, and information for consumers and at-home employees. Now we are focusing our efforts on the enterprise where our collective talents can multiply the benefits to the end user. We do this by providing greater opportunities in access to digital information, broadening the quality and scope of educational and career possibilities.
So What Rock Have I Been Hiding Under?
Never one to sit still, in the last few years I have worked on several ventures. They have ranged in scope from the most recreational company imprinting selfies on chocolate to the most rewarding blindness advocacy projects in Colombia, Uganda, Kazakhstan, and Cuba. These latter endeavors I tackled as the director of the advocacy organization I founded in 2007, the Accessibility Is A Right Foundation. One of those projects was a pilot that actually led to a law that will forever impact the lives of thousands of blind students in Colombia. As a result of our efforts, the country will provide government financed computers preloaded with access technology beginning in elementary school.
For the last few years, Matt and I have been working with various bleeding edge technologies in a variety of scenarios. We’ve completed the first phase of our work in our secret underground lab, developing a solution we feel will have maximum benefit for both the consumer and enterprise realms.
Unveiling the Next Best Thing
First to roll out of the lab is Scribe, our Augmented document remediation platform. Scribe is more than just about turning occasional images into readable text. When deployed, Scribe can power through millions of pages of data at a fraction of the time and cost it would have taken using legacy human remediation and desktop software. Combining machine learning technologies, and the most powerful cloud computing platform on the planet, the level of accuracy and speed is expected to increase exponentially from the already impressive results we have achieved.
In plain English, if you thought scanning software for the blind was good, you ain’t seen nothing yet!
Everybody wins! By leveraging our platform’s continually evolving features, lots of exciting changes are possible. For corporate, educational, and government entities, Scribe will result in the capacity to reach diverse customers and constituents at a competitive rate and faster than any other technology on the market. For the consumer, the new technology promises the ability to consume just about any digital content with the same ease and flexibility as any peer while using your access technology of choice.
Closely following on its heels is Scribe for Meetings. Though only a beta at this stage, we are excited to make it possible for you to view shared documents on Zoom. With a simple keystroke you will be able to enjoy PowerPoint presentations and other file types at the same time as everyone else in the audience. We are working on expanding the functionality to other popular platforms to give presenters and participants greater flexibility.
This is just a taste of what’s to come.
New Home, Traditional Values
For anyone who knows anything about us, it should come as no surprise we want to maintain a connection to the community we planted and cultivated at Serotek. We do not believe in turning our backs on the community who placed so much trust in us. To that end, I’m proud to announce we will be providing a few of the Serotek products that still resonate with a lot of you.
Existing Serotek customers should not fear a disruption in service. Sero, DocuScan Plus, RIM, and RAM will continue to evolve alongside Pneuma Solutions products. These traditional favorites will soon be powered by the same technology that has already made products like Scribe a noteworthy option for savvy users. Customers, old and new, can depend on a commitment to excellence at a reasonable cost.
Best of all, we are doubling up our efforts to make new products like Scribe as intuitive as any of our previous contributions to the community have ever been. Despite the extraordinary technology at work here, for you the experience will remain as seamless as ever.
Next Steps
We never cease to be humbled by the thousands of current users of our previously developed technologies even twenty years after the launch of Serotek. Our combined efforts continue to be motivated by a moral obligation to the advancement of our community rather than a totally financial one. We do not believe any user, no matter how novice or how expert, should spend unnecessary time reading user manuals or getting trained to learn to use technology.
Also, we have not forgotten our spirit of philanthropy. Starting in May of 2020, K-12 institutions have had access to a free version of Scribe to use immediately with students in order to make remote learning more inclusive for all. Everyone at Pneuma Solutions understands the unique challenges brought on by the pandemic, and we want to do what we can to make these challenges a little less exhausting.
Pneuma Solutions is fully operational and ready to engage with you. In the next little while we will be releasing further information on product demonstrations to show how products like Scribe can blend into existing workflows.
So what are we dreaming of that makes people think we’re crazy? Our most audacious, ambitious objective? We are going to humanize technology, and it is going to serve you and me and make our lives more accessible everywhere!
Stay tuned. The best once promised has only begun.
– Mike Calvo, Pneuma Solutions Cofounder and CEO
Chris says
What a waste of time! An article full of puffery and self back patting that should have broken an arm. There is no meat here and nothing other than bragging about something coming but just what? Not impressed.
Michael Peterson says
Chris. the thing is this isn’t just written I suspect for those familiar with the previous work and products. This is to inform newcomers new users and perhaps new financiers. If I am correct as someone who hasn’t been really familiar with Mike’s company and background this is the very type of introduction I would want.
Since Mike likes to work and think out of the box advancing in new frontiers where accessible technology is relatively new or has never been before he very concisely answers important questions.
1. Who are you?
2.What do you plan on accomplishing what are your goals? what is your experience in the field?
3. Why are you equal to or better then your current competition?
4. How do you approach the problem now and How did you approach it in the past at this point the philosophy should stand out and as products are displayed I would expect an advance with visible evidence this is the product and this is what it does.
5. where seems to be internationally in the cloud and
6 when begins right now!
I would expect as products are demonstrated and beta’s are released for input the when will become more solidified.
Whether or not this statement is “a waste of time” depends on the results.
My view is to take a wait and see.
Accessibility for the blind is a win win for everyone the blind specifically but the community as a whole if we are successful integrating the work place and achieve more inclusivity.
For to long we have seen unemployment of working aged blind persons in figures between 40% and 75%. Either way you slice it that level is much worse then
that of any other minority groups with the “able-bodied community, the additional exception being other disabled minority groups.
We need innovators and blind consumers with a passion who will knowledgably and with dedication work diligently to make this come about.
This company is expressing a desire to do just that.
I wish them much success.
Martha Macias says
I always get excited about new technology I get tired of the old-school jaws and film scientific and then freedom scientific again how about something new? I wish your company nothing but the best in your future endeavors!
laura cornwell says
Hey there, I wish you all the best in what you all are doing.
Maureen Pranghofer says
I’m so excited because in my job I’m on Zoom so much and being able to more seemlessly be able to share screens and do power point presentations easier would be wonderful! ANd I’m excited to learn that the things I love about Serotech aren’t going away, I love Docuscan and the Bookshare manager, thank you.
James Robinson says
Yes! I agree it is great Seratek is continuing in the game. I look forward to partaking in your new inventions and innovations.
Brent says
Yes, I totally agree and feel the same way.
Mike Calvo Punching Bag says
Really, I bet, that this is going to cost more a year then a Jaws annual key, and frankly MC, last I talked to him was a donkey butt person to everybody, so I don’t see this being much of anything but, hype and a waist a time. either way maybe I’m wrong about it, but I won’t spend one penny, until proven that its worth it and Mc keeps his dirty mouth to him self.
John says
I have used adaptive hardware and sofware from various venders. Mike Calvo has always been supportive of the various strong points in competitor’s products. Personally, I have found Serotek’s System Access to be the most straight-forward, easy to use screen reader, at an affordable price with free updates, upgrades and bug fixes. Mike Calvo’s innovations, combined with his confidence have made Serotek the forward-thinking company that it is. His confidence is necessary to move the accessible technology for the blind advance in this rapidly changing digital technology world. I am excited, and eagerly anticipate what Calvo and Campbell are working on. Calvo has always produced the best solutions for his community of customers, so let’s throw our full support behind him and neuma Solutions. Tom Petty once sang, “I won’t back down,” and neither will Mike Calvo. Besides, how thankful we can be that a bliind individual is such a major player in the adaptive technology market. Afteer all, those with visual challenges understand others with similar experiences. Thank you Mr. Calvo, for your relentless, tenacious, and tireless dedication to making solutions that improve accessibility and productivity for the blind.
Leo Bissonnette says
Mike, Welcome back. Good luck. Will eagerly await your demos….
Benon Ndaziboneye says
both my life and the lives of my associates have been revolutionized tremendously since I met Mike Calvo about ten years ago in terms of digital accessibility. System access and docuscan plus sero brought a new chapter in access technology use in here in Uganda. I am looking forward to what is coming. The most important attribute about Mike Calvo is the heart for individuals who have no capacity to access expensive technology. For him monetory benefit is not the driving factor but the the doors he opens for thousands of consumers around the world. However, I am anxious about what is going to happen with System access and its support services?
Sky Mundell says
Mike Calvo is an outstanding man, and I have used his products before. They are great solutions for sure and I look forward to what Mike and Matt have in store for future.
S. Venkateswarulu says
hai I felt very happy about your products much entertainment is there kindly increase the trail vorssion to one month.
Paul Hopkins says
I’ll await any real results before I invest as a blind customer. There needs to be some change to the way assistive technology for us as blind people is served up to us now. I paid hundreds of pounds for an upgrade to JAWS in February of this year and have now been told that it didn’t include any upgrades. I simply can’t afford to pay the £300 upgrade cost so, will have to wait until there is a discount when the exhibitions like Sight Village come around. So, my starting point is that I feel bitter to begin with so, I hope this new development will be worth the hype. To be honest, so far, I feel like I’ve been lead to nothing more than someone self congratulating themselves. Its like those sellers of franking machines I used to have to deal with where you’d get the new manager of a spin off company bitching about specific other companies and how crap they were. It was obviously the case that old rivals were at play. May not be here but, the fluff on these official announcements gets as long as my comment. All taht to say, if I’m right then stop it, just do what you do and if its any good, it will stand for itself. The cost of upgrading my screen reader access isn’t going to get any cheaper just because people bitch about the landscape at the moment, I can do that all by myself with equal outcome, no result!
Ann P. says
Congratulations, Mike and your team. It’s looking good, but let’s see specifics! Awaiting developments.
Bruce M. says
I’ve been using System Access as my screen reader and SeroTek, including DocuScan, for years and years and years with no issues. Just an all-around solid company and Mike should be proud of what he has created and brought to the table for all to enjoy. You can literally count on one hand, blind adaptive tech business innovators, let’s not start to criticize and tear down someone putting his own money where his mouth is in order to lift our tiny little community. Cheers, Pneuma Solutions! .
Ric Alfaro says
Mike, I was wondering what you were up to and so glad to hear you are still pushing forward. You are a tenacious dude that doesn’t give up and I think that’s fantastic. A heartfelt wish for all of the success in your new venture. Can’t wait to try some of the new products.
Karl Smith says
I’m always anxious for new innovations. Although the above article is short on details I’m willing to wait and see what comes of all of it. Best of luck Mike.
Lena Joy says
I wish the Pneuma Solutions team the very best! The sooner I can get a copy of Scribe, The better! DocUScan Plus remains a stalwart workhorse in my tech arsenal.
Damian Pickering says
Here is to one of the all to few silver linings of a really tough year. All the best to Pneuma Solutions. Awaiting more from the secret lab! Happy New Year!
Marianne Robbins says
Hey Mike,
I’m looking forward to the release of Scribe.
I use and appreciate a number of Serotek products- most especially DocuScan Plus.
Wishing yu success.
Marianne Robbins
Michael Welty says
The ideas sound like they could be good, but it’s really sounding like System Access will be forgotten. For those of us who paid a lot of money in to getting products like that to have them phased out with no replacement seems unfair.
Charlie says
To say the truth I have never heard of Sarah tech, or a Mike Kelvin
But having said so, I now understand better what the company is all about, and what new leap it has taken in terms of embarking on another venture in order to not only expand the company but make it more better
I wish you all the best of luck and I am very excited about the product coming out. .
Dave says
I have used System Access and DocuScan Plus since their inception, with tremendously reliable results. It’s so true that the playing-field is changing daily, with screen-reading software being branded into all major computing devices, so naturally it becomes necessary to take a close look at other needs which our evolving society is creating. Continuing to re-invent the wheel becomes redundant when there’s the Cloud to explore and conquer. Thank you, Mike. It’s good to have visionaries among us.
Jake says
Hi Mike and Matt. I found a link to your new site in this week’s issue of “Top Tech Tidbits” and just thought I’d drop by. As you know I was a user of your products for many years, and I really enjoyed them. I am still a proud Mac user, and in early 2018 an iPhone 7 was added to the mix. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without these 2 great pieces of technology. I still have a keen interest in accessibility, and look forward to using your new products someday. Here’s to a brighter 2021 for all of us, and best of luck with the new company.