Ice Bucket on Assistive Technology Funding

As the recent popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral, I thought that it might be instructive to connect some dots. ALS is a diagnosis that can impact one’s ability to communicate. Here is a link to a youtube video about former New Orleans Saint Steve Gleason who lives with ALS. Steve’s ability to communicate has been empowered by the use of a speech generating device controlled by his eye gaze, in this case a Microsoft Surface tablet along with a Tobii eye tracker. In the words of Steve Gleason, “Technology has been a cure.” Right now CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is pursuing a policy of curtailing access to appropriate technology for both Speech Generating Devices as well as Eye Gaze tracking. For more information please visit the Center for Medicare Advocacy. There is currently an open letter to members of congress in support of this technology, please visit and add your voice.