Accessibility

On the basis that many hotel rooms for the disabled aren't that accessible, can be poorly fitted and have overly clinical designs, two firms have collaborated to create a new hotel room concept. AllGo is an approach aimed at creating accessible ​rooms that are functional, flexible and beautiful.

As its name suggests, OOPEAA's Periscope Tower serves as an oversized periscope thanks to a pair of carefully-placed mirrors integrated into its core. No mere gimmick, the prefabricated observation tower ensures visitors can take in a raised view from ground level.

Indiana-based wheelchair mobility specialist BraunAbility and Ford will be showing a wheelchair-accessible Explorer at this week's Chicago Auto Show. Called the Explorer MXV, the conversion is meant to put the comfort of a wheelchair-accessible van into the rugged, capable hands of an SUV.

An extension of the Musholm sports and holiday resort for people with disabilities is said to have made it one of the most accessible in the world. It has a new multi-purpose hall and 24 new holiday homes. Access routes, wayfinding, lighting and facilities have all been designed for accessibility.

The creators of DrumPants, the wireless device that converts your pants into a wearable MIDI controller and music sequencer, are running a beta test program that uses DrumPants sensor strips to control smart appliances and to give a voice to those who have none (through a connected mobile app).

Google Glass hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but that doesn't mean it doesn't still have some cool potential uses. Today Glass has two big new apps: one that can turn it into a life-changing tool for the hearing-impaired, and another that, erm, helps movie theaters sell tickets.

A recently-funded Kickstarter project aims to provide an adventure game in the spirit of Zork and Day of the Tentacle that does away with text-only descriptions of twisty little passages, in favor of audio – rather like an interactive radio drama.

Building Trust International has announced the winners of its 2014 Moved To Care competition. The competition sought design solutions for providing healthcare to rural and isolated areas in Asia. The winning designs are a medical clinic on wheels and a clinic built from a retired shipping container.

As modern cities grow more densely populated and available living space shrinks correspondingly, ensuring that space is maximized to its full potential is essential. One proposal for making the most of the space we have comes via Thailand-based company Apostrophe's Living in the City housing unit.

Students based at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have reinvented the humble keyboard, designing a glove called Gauntlet which allows typing with just one hand.

OwnFone is a small and light cellphone which forgoes most of the features we’re used to from modern smartphones to offer a small, light and inexpensive handset which can call a maximum of 12 predefined numbers.

Google has launched its new Gmail SMS service in the African countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya.