We are committed to making our products, services, and experiences accessible to the widest possible audience, and opening new doors to independence for people with disabilities. We partner with local New Mexico organizations year-round to ensure our communities are more inclusive.
One partner we work with in a variety of ways throughout the year is Adelante Development Center, a diverse nonprofit organization that supports people with mental and physical disabilities, seniors, and disadvantaged populations. Together, we’re partnering to offer technology training and resources through Adelante’s DiverseIT program. Adelante works to extend employment opportunities in the field of technology to people with disabilities, people of color, and other populations that are too often excluded from IT.
Our commitment to accessibility continues with the launch of a feature that gives people with physical disabilities like spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) the ability to navigate their television using only their eyes. Xfinity X1 eye control is a free web-based remote for tablets and computers that pairs with an existing eye gaze system. It allows viewers to have control over their Xfinity X1 television entertainment and features, all with a glance.
In the U.S., more than 48 million people live with physical or mobility disabilities. These disabilities can often make seemingly everyday tasks more difficult.
Changing the channel on a TV is something most of us take for granted but until now, it was a near-impossible task for millions of viewers,” said Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President Accessibility at Comcast. “When you make a product more inclusive you create a better experience for everyone and we’re hoping our new X1 feature makes a real difference in the lives of our customers.”
With X1 eye control, customers can:
- Change the channel, launch the guide, search for content, set a recording and more, without assistance
- Turn on the X1 Sports App which brings real-time sports scores and statistics into the screen right alongside the in-game action
- Access X1’s Accessibility menu which controls closed captioning, video description and voice guidance
- Use their gaze to type out voice commands like “watch NBC” or “action movies”
To learn more about the new X1 eye control feature, and to see the technology in action, go to: https://corporate.comcast.com/press/releases/comcast-launches-eye-control-for-television