1996 Winner: Industrial Research
Products Greatly Benefit The Lives Of People With Disabilities
Madenta Communications Inc. has developed a family of commercially viable hardware and software products for use by people with disabilities. These products enable people with disabilities to use computers and control their environment, thus providing these people access to entertainment, jobs and independence.
What If?
Imagine being able to sit in your backyard and make a phone call when you’re not anywhere near the phone. Imagine being able to shut off your kitchen lights without flicking a switch. Imagine watching a movie on your VCR without actually pressing ‘play’. These previously impossible tasks are all possible with the help of Madenta’s PROXI, a fully integrated home and office automation solution.
With a simple voice control, keyboard stroke, point-and-click, or touch of a single switch, you can control the phone, 256 electrical items, eight remote controls, a hospital bed, and an intercom system with ease and efficiency. This is one of Madenta’s many intriguing technological developments which also include a hands-free mouse, an onscreen computer keyboard, and a word predictor computer utility.
University Inspiration
Incorporated in 1988, Madenta’s inception was generated by success and interest in a university project that assisted non-vocal handicapped people to speak. Over its eight-year history, the company has developed and sold its assistive technology products around the world, with dominant markets in Canada, USA, Scandinavian countries and other countries that have a strong social support system for people with disabilities. Madenta’s marketing and sales network is further enhanced by becoming one of Apple Computer’s top four developers in the World Wide Disability Solutions Group.
