May 28, 2025 • 28 mins
Sam is joined by Jeanna Manifold and Kate Gooden from Amazon's Alexa department to give us some updates on what Amazon is up to in the accessibility space with regards to their Alexa speakers, and what they got up to at the recent Round Table Conference covering topics related to blindness, low vision and print disability.
You'll also hear from small business owner and university student Sammy McCombe, who took part in season 2 of The Career Path, our podcast series tackling a bunch of situations faced by employees who are blind or have low vision.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:13):
From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's
your host Sam Colley.
S2 (00:23):
Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And
for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness
and low vision.
S3 (00:30):
He linked it to his Kindle account, and then Alexa
was able to pick up the same book that he
was reading from the same chapter and continue that story
for him and for him, that little moment was a
life changing support to say, you know, there are still
ways that the way that you had lived your life,
we can help you continue to live that with independence
and I suppose, dignity as well. So for me, in
(00:50):
my job at what makes me feel good, going to
work every day knowing that it's the little things that
can actually have a monumental impact on someone's life.
S2 (00:59):
Welcome to the program. This week we're joined by two
very special guests from Amazon, Gina and Kate, who are
here to chat to us about their recent experiences at
a round table conference featuring various discussions around print, disability
and blindness and low vision, as well as some updates
(01:21):
that Alexa is looking to roll out to further improve
the accessibility of the device for people who are blind
or have low vision. We'll also hear from university student
and business manager Sammy McComb, who took part in our
recent Career Path podcast. So make sure to stick around
(01:44):
to hear from Sammy later in the show. I hope
you enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. Are you
an Alexa user who is blind or has low vision? Well,
today we've got a few updates for you from Gina
Manifold and Kate Goodin with a special focus on accessibility.
(02:09):
Jenna is the head of strategic partnerships at Alexa International,
and Kate's the country manager for Amazon Alexa in Australia
and New Zealand. And it's my great pleasure to be
joined by them right now. Jenna, Kate, welcome to Talking Vision.
Thank you very much for your time.
S3 (02:28):
Thank you for having us. Thank you.
S4 (02:29):
It's great to be here.
S2 (02:31):
Let's have a bit of a chat about what you've
both been up to recently at the Round Table Conference.
Tell us a bit about what you got up to there.
S3 (02:40):
Yeah. So the Round Table conference is, you know, specifically
about people living with print disability. And so our goal
there was to showcase Alexa, what Alexa is how Alexa works.
And I think talk a little bit about some everyday
tips and tricks that Alexa can help people who have
vision impairment or a print disability feel more empowered and
(03:02):
more independent, and also provide a little bit of a
sneak peek about what's coming, as generative AI is revolutionizing
our world and how that might land with Alexa, and
what that would mean for people living with print disability.
S2 (03:16):
Okay. And Kate, did you have anything to add there?
S4 (03:19):
Yeah, I think it was just a great opportunity for
us to actually talk to the community one on one
here a little bit more about how they're using Alexa,
the things they love, the things that they wish Alexa
could do or could do better. And then to kind
of hear about just the independence or lifestyle gaps that
they have, that they thought that generative AI or more
advanced Alexa might be able to assist with. And similarly,
(03:42):
it was really great to see some of the tools
and the technology that people are using every day in
these conferences and then to navigate around. So it was
just a really great opportunity to see how people are
living and thriving.
S2 (03:55):
Just for some added context for our listeners out there.
I'm really keen to get some info from you both
about what you've been up to lately in your work
at Amazon in particular. So, Gina, I might start with you.
S3 (04:10):
Yeah. So my role in strategic partnerships is making sure
that Alexa here in Australia meets the expectations of our
Australian community. So that means that everyone's favorite radio station
is available on Alexa. Also that people who are living
with some kind of disability find function and utility in
(04:32):
Alexa and working with accessibility partners like Vision Australia with
universities to help make these accessibility products more readily available
and easier to understand.
S2 (04:44):
Okay, what about yourself?
S4 (04:46):
Yeah. So I'm the country manager for Alexa in Australia
and New Zealand. So obviously working super closely with Gina
on these partnerships and then also working across either the
broader Amazon business or with our policy teams who are
working really closely with members of Parliament and sort of
government teams on the broader opportunity to share a little
(05:08):
bit more about how Alexa is is helping various members
of the community. And then I also work with other
international teams and Alexa, and then also the central teams
in the US to drive prioritization of new features and
experiences to Australia so that we can continue to improve
and evolve our product. For everybody that has one at
(05:29):
home and perhaps is listening to the show here today.
S2 (05:32):
Oh, cool. Okay. And Gina, I'd love to come back
to you and get some feedback that you've received over
the time about the sort of features that have really
added value and given independence to people living with blindness
and low vision. What are the things and experiences that
people have really benefited from with Alexa and the smart
(05:55):
speakers like that?
S3 (05:57):
I think in its most simple form, Alexa is this
ambient intelligence that is there when you need it, but
fades into the background when you don't. And the feedback
we often hear, particularly from an accessibility point, is the
ease of use. When you just need your voice, you
can be standing on the other side of the room.
You don't need to be looking at the device. That
(06:17):
has made things a lot easier and more seamless, which
provides independence. But a story that I actually heard from
a Vision Australia client a little while ago. This man
was a very avid Kindle reader, loved to read his books,
and then through an accident became blind quite suddenly. Then,
once he set up his home with Alexa enabled devices,
(06:39):
he linked it to his Kindle account. And then Alexa
was able to pick up the same book that he
was reading from the same chapter and continue that story
for him and for him, that little moment was a
life changing support to say, you know, there are still
ways that the way that you had lived your life,
we can help you continue to live that with independence
and I suppose, dignity as well. So for me, in
(07:00):
my job at what makes me feel good, going to
work every day knowing that it's the little things that
can actually have a monumental impact on someone's life.
S2 (07:08):
Absolutely. And, Kate, what's been your experience? What have you
heard from people in the general public and some stories
and feedback that you've received over the time?
S4 (07:20):
Yeah. So one of the things that we do every
week is we read every single review that we get
for Alexa enabled devices. We read the feedback that people
send through the app. And so I think it's just
a regularity. We've got a couple of people who regularly
leave us feedback about various things. And one of them
is somebody who's quite funny about trying to get a
(07:42):
feature on Alexa and just being able to. It feels
like a great connection with that person. And we've also
had a lot of feedback from people around some of
the the show and tell features that are available in
the US and sort of working to try and get
them here. And that is something that we hope to
open up with Alexa Plus and sort of have somebody
to be able to. I think we had an anecdote
(08:02):
at one point about somebody who was trying to find
a can of beans, and of course all the cans
feel the same when you grab into the pantry. And
so just being able to not rely on, shake and
hope for the best and to sort of be able
to unlock those features that will sort of give, as
Gina said, just another bracket of independence around the home
(08:23):
and not having to perhaps eat what could like something else?
S2 (08:26):
Exactly. Yeah.
S4 (08:27):
Yeah. You think it's.
S3 (08:28):
A can of beans and you end up with tomatoes? Yeah.
S2 (08:31):
Oh, yeah.
S3 (08:32):
And Sam too, I think one of the, you know,
as I said before, people being able to access their
favorite radio station, we have a number of devices that
have been released, some big, some small. Some people love
them in their bedrooms. Some people want them connected throughout
to have studio sound in their lounge room, but not
needing to fiddle with a knob to find your radio station,
not needing to remember the frequency of the radio station.
(08:53):
When we look at the reviews, there's constantly people saying,
I can finally listen to radio stations that I didn't
think I could access. It's opened up radio stations from overseas,
my favorite radio station when I was a child, and
I can simply get it by using my voice. That
seems to be one of the most common pieces of
feedback we get. And a quick plug to say that
Vision Australia Radio is also available on Alexa. So certainly again,
(09:16):
it's just putting an old school radio set back into
the home, which has been very positive for a lot
of people.
S2 (09:23):
Gina will continue on with you, and I'm really interested
to get your insights on the relationship that Amazon and
Vision Australia have been able to build up and what
you've been working on lately, and the benefits of that relationship.
S3 (09:40):
Yeah, definitely. So the Vision Australia partnership has been in
play for many years, and it comes through in a
number of different ways. So as I said, the Vision
Australia radio station the broadcast is available on Alexa, just
say Alexa, play Vision Australia Radio and you should get
whichever frequency suits you. And then also Vision Australia has
(10:00):
a um, through Commonwealth funding and Alexa at home program.
So that includes the provision of some Alexa enabled devices
and some training for qualified clients, which means that your
home can be set up to become a smart home.
But you're also given some guidance on how to make
the most out of that to increase your independence. So
(10:20):
that's something that is really great. And then as part
of that vision, Australia has built what we call in
Alexa a custom skill, which is simply like an app
on a phone and that provides information about Vision Australia's services.
You can hear the newsletter and also find out more
information about the likes of Happy Pants and the Felix
(10:41):
Library too. So there's a number of different ways the
wider community can connect with Vision Australia through being entertained
and informed, through Vision Australia Radio's content, or actually being
organised and finding utility in the home through that Alexa
at Home program.
S2 (10:57):
Okay. And Kate, I'll come to you now and have
a bit of a chat about some exciting innovations that
are on the horizon that you're really excited to see
where they pan out. And Gina will come to you
after and get your thoughts. But, um, Kate, I'll just
start with you and, um, get your insights.
S4 (11:17):
Yeah. So some of your listeners might be aware of
big announcement that we made a couple of months ago
in the US. So we have been working incredibly hard
to take our already very complex Alexa experience. It's got
the Alexa experience is more than 30 AI and machine
learning models, and then a layer of localization over the top,
(11:39):
which is how Alexa is and sort of understands Australians.
And to make that generative AI and LLM powered, it
has been an incredible worldwide effort to get it to
this point. And we did demos and it started to
roll out to customers in the US over the last
couple of weeks. So Alexa Plus is really what we
(12:03):
had hoped Alexa could be all this time, so it's conversational.
You don't need to worry about Alexa speak. There will
be no more Alexa, turn on the lights. You might
walk into a room and Alexa knows you've left the bedroom.
And Alexa will proactively say, would you like me to
turn off the lights in the bedroom? Alexa will remember
things that are important. For example, that one person in
(12:25):
your family is vegetarian and one is dairy free, and
one who might be celiac. And so if you ask
for a recipe for dinner tonight, that sort of meets
those needs, then Alexa will know to create something that
is going to meet all of those different family members needs.
We don't have a timeline, unfortunately, yet for Australia, it's
one of those things that could come very quickly, or
(12:47):
it might take a little while, but you can be very,
very sure that particularly with our partners like Virgin Australia,
will be definitely giving you a heads up and we
may be able to get Alexa Plus into the studio
and sort of do a bit of a.
S3 (13:01):
Bit of.
S4 (13:01):
A.
S3 (13:01):
Demo.
S2 (13:02):
Yeah, that'd be pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. No. Okay. And, Gina,
I'll come to you. Now, the same question, but also
interested in if there's sort of some features there or
innovations coming for, you know, listeners who are blind or
have low vision to look forward to.
S3 (13:20):
Yeah. Look, I think there's two that are going to be,
I think, super useful for everybody, but particularly useful for
people with blindness or low vision. One is the object identification.
So as Kate was talking about before, but rather than
it relying or that's a can of vegetables, you should
actually be able to hold up the can. And Alexa
(13:41):
might be able to say spin it around and I
can read you the nutrition label. And so it becomes
much more interactive. Or you would be able to hold
up a picture that your grandchildren had drawn. And Alexa
will describe what the drawing looks like. There's two stick figures.
This one's in pink, and there's a little dog and
some flowers and a sun in the corner. So I
think that's going to be really interesting. And then the
(14:02):
other is intelligent Documentation. So that could be if you've
got a new dishwasher and you can get a digital
copy of the dishwashers manual, you'd be able to store
that in Alexa's library and then ask, Alexa, how do
I get it onto the steaming cycle? And Alexa will
be able to look through that manual and come back
(14:23):
and provide that information for you, and then remember it
as well. And so it's not just things like dishwasher
manuals that could be a pamphlet about diabetes from your doctor.
It could be a newsletter from your child's school. All
of these things you'll be able to provide to Alexa
to be kept in the library. And then that helps.
As Kate said, for Alexa to become more proactive in
(14:45):
helping you manage your day and keeping you informed.
S2 (14:49):
Perfect. Well, I've been speaking today with Gino and Kate
from Amazon with a bit of a tech update of
sorts regarding some different features and innovations that they're looking
to roll out on Alexa The devices, including some new
ways in which it can assist the blind and low
(15:10):
vision community in their everyday life. Gina. Kate, thank you
so much for your time today. It was great to
catch up with you.
S3 (15:18):
Thank you so much. We really appreciate you taking the
time to talk with us.
S4 (15:22):
Great to be here.
S2 (15:28):
I'm Sam Corley and you're listening to Talking Vision on
Vision Australia Radio. Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the
Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there
with Gina and Kate from Amazon. If you missed any
part of that chat with Gina and Kate or you'd
(15:49):
love to hear from them again. Talking vision is available
on the Vision Australia Radio website. Simply head to RVA radio.
That's RVA radio all one word.org. You can also find
the program on the podcast app of your choice or
through the Vision Australia library. Coming up now, it's my
(16:13):
great pleasure to welcome to Talking Vision, one of the
guests from our recent Career Path podcast. Her name is
Sammy McComb. She's a university student and business manager with
lived experience of low vision living in Geelong. Today you'll
(16:35):
get some tips from her about how she's managed to
juggle the various aspects of her life while living with
a vision condition. But that's enough from me. Let's hear
from Sammy right now. Welcome, Sammy.
S5 (16:50):
Thanks for having me, guys. I'm so excited to be here.
Can't wait.
S2 (16:54):
And I'm can't wait to have a chat now. Firstly, Sammy,
let's just get to the heart of things. How do
you navigate the pressures of university while managing a business
and coping with low vision.
S5 (17:07):
Gosh, bit of a loaded question. I don't know. Super loaded. Yeah. Yeah,
I guess you kind of just have to take it
day by day. And the way I look at it
is I didn't choose my cards. You know, these cards,
just the cards I've been dealt. I didn't choose to
run a business or manage a business with my mum.
My dad passed away end of last year, so that's
also pretty new. But he was the owner of the business,
(17:29):
so I was kind of just handed that role in
a way. So that wasn't a choice. And obviously being
vision impaired wasn't a choice either. So I kind of
just have to manage it in a way is the
way I look at it, and it helps that I
love it too.
S2 (17:42):
So there you go. And Sammy, what were the biggest
challenges you faced stepping into this role at such a
young age, especially while studying and managing low vision?
S5 (17:54):
Definitely the hardest challenge was the grief I was facing.
My father's death was very, very sudden, so we didn't
get any warning. And he was a very, very healthy
man and had everything going for him and the business
was going well. And he was. He'd just made some
big changes in the business as well. So there was
a big expansion going on. And then we obviously lost him.
So we lost the head figure. So and I've lost
(18:16):
my father and everything that comes with that. So the
hardest part for me was definitely the grief. And then
everything else kind of came after that. So rolling with
the punches.
S2 (18:26):
Mhm. And how did your studies in marketing and business
help or perhaps not help when managing a company, particularly
when considering accessibility needs for yourself and the business.
S5 (18:39):
Yep. So I'm currently studying a bachelor of or double
Bachelor of Business and Economics and marketing is one of
my majors, so obviously I wasn't planning to be doing
so much marketing and business management at such a young age,
but I definitely think that a lot of the skills
I've learnt in uni have been very helpful in the
last sort of six months, but more than anything, I'd
(19:01):
honestly just say that having lived experience as someone with
a disability and a vision impairment has been the biggest
part of it. Like for example, with marketing, just the
basic things like having good contrast and big text that
a lot of regular people probably wouldn't think about, I
kind of just incorporate those things into my daily life, naturally,
and so they kind of follow through with the marketing
(19:22):
side of things. And then just, um, having a disability,
being able to relate to people is a big help
in managing a business. I think, too, because you're working
in a team environment, so you need to be able
to be good around people, and empathy is a big
part of that. I think as well with patients, because
it's a healthcare clinic. So yeah, just being able to
(19:43):
relate to people and have that sense of empathy is
a big part of running a business in general, I
would say.
S2 (19:49):
You've spoken a little bit about accessibility there and the
assistive technologies and, you know, little features that have made
your life that little bit easier. But outside of that,
there's also been a lot of changes, a lot of upheaval.
Certainly lots of ups and downs, to say the least.
(20:10):
Over the past year or so, with everything that's gone on.
So what support systems did you rely on during this transition,
both for your studies and for managing low vision in
the business?
S5 (20:24):
Um, I was very lucky to actually a bit of
a shout out to Vision Australia here, but I received
the Vision Australia Further Education bursary. That was a couple
of years ago and that was fantastic because I was
set up for uni with a computer and a nice
phone with a big screen, so that was fantastic and
some good headphones as well. So that really set me
up very well for uni, and I also use a
(20:46):
lot of that for work now too. So that was fantastic.
And just having the technology in general as well. And yeah,
besides that, just setting myself up with a really good
support system of people around me. We're very lucky at
work to have fantastic staff, so that's really handy and
I've got really great connections at uni. Education support officers
(21:07):
and people like that. So I've got pretty much everyone
I need at my fingertips really. And a supportive family
and partner too. So yeah.
S2 (21:14):
And following on from that topic around support systems. We'll
unfortunately have to dive back into a pretty heavy topic. And,
you know, that's coping with grief while making critical business
decisions and managing university workloads. It's just amazing. And we
really take our hat off to you and how you've
(21:35):
managed with all of that. So how has the last
year shaped the way you approach leadership and decision making
while balancing that?
S5 (21:44):
Gosh, massively. My dad was a great leader. He definitely
led by example, so he wasn't so much business minded. Ironically,
he wasn't great with money like in terms of making
business decisions. He was very generous with his patience and
that sort of thing. But I also think that that
did make him a great leader. So seeing him pass
(22:04):
and I've definitely taken on a lot of that, a
lot of those traits. And I think that's very important
to keep that within the business, because it was a
thriving business before he passed. So it's important that we
keep it that way. And by doing everything he did,
I hope to do that. So yeah. And then I
think the other important thing I've learned with leadership is
that a good leader will listen above anything else. Leading
(22:27):
is not about being at the top of the rankings.
I suppose it's not a hierarchical thing. It's being able
to work really well in a team. And I'm really
lucky that I've got an amazing team at Belmont Physio
that I work with.
S2 (22:40):
Yeah. And also on top of that, how have you
perhaps changed in the way that you've balanced your work
and your uni life? I mean that's another challenge juggling
those two things. Has anything changed there in the last
12 months.
S5 (22:56):
So I'm studying fully online. So all my correspondence with
the University of Tasmania, and I've actually decided to defer
for the first semester of the year this year. So
I kind of, um, set my laptop up and I
was all ready to go, and then I just sort
of couldn't do it. The grief kind of just hit
me all at once, and I just knew I needed
to take a bit of time for myself. So I'm
(23:18):
very ready to go back in a couple of months.
But I have I have put that one on hold
for the moment just so that I can focus on
the business and myself as well, really. So yeah, I
think that balance is very important and has become more
and more important in the last 12 months.
S2 (23:31):
Oh for sure. Yeah. No, that um, balancing wellness and
keeping mindful and having that sense of balance in, you know,
professional and personal life, that's super important. So I think
a lot of people can totally relate with that for sure.
I guess following on from that, Sami, what lessons have
you learned about resilience and adaptability through the experience, both
(23:55):
as a student and a business owner with low vision?
S5 (23:59):
Probably, yeah. Another lesson I've learnt from the last 12
months and all the responsibilities that have come during that
time and all the opportunities I've been handed. I would
say just the main lesson I've learned is that I
am very resilient, because if you had told me two
years ago, even 12 months ago, that my dad was
going to pass away and mum and I were going
(24:19):
to be handed this business and all these responsibilities all
at once. I honestly don't think I would have coped
nearly as well as I have to be at the
point I am today. So that's a huge one. Just
finding that resilience within myself, and I feel like that's
a very common thing among people who are vision impaired
and have disabilities, that we don't realise how strong we
actually are. And even having a disability in itself is
(24:44):
very much a responsibility in itself, and that builds resilience.
I'm sure a lot of us have good anecdotes to
prove that, myself included. So I think, yeah, the biggest
one is just that you're a lot stronger than you think.
S2 (24:58):
And Sami, do you see yourself continuing with the business,
finishing your studies or even pursuing something entirely different. What
does the future hold? Or it's a bit of a
Doris Day qué sera sera, whatever will be will be
sort of situation.
S5 (25:17):
Yeah, it's such a hard one.
S2 (25:19):
It's a super hard one.
S5 (25:21):
Yeah. And everything's been so crazy lately that it's. It's
hard to say for sure. But one thing I do
know is that I definitely want to go back and
finish my double degree and get that under my belt.
So I'm two out of four years through, so I'm halfway. Yeah.
So I hope to get that done in the next
couple of years and smash that out of the way.
And then after that, it's. Yeah, I'm not sure whether
(25:41):
I'll use that to continue on with the business or
use that to find myself a completely different job or
even start a business myself. So yeah, I definitely think
I'll start a business in the longer term, but how
soon that comes? Only time will tell. Yeah.
S2 (25:54):
Well, let's keep tabs on the Sammy McComb story. I
think that's going to be something super worth following. And
we're very excited to see how it all pans out now. Finally, Sammy,
what advice would you give to others facing unexpected responsibilities
or challenges, especially when balancing personal growth, education, and low vision?
S5 (26:18):
Just yeah, going back to what I said before about
you've got this, you can do it. You don't know
what you're capable of until you're actually in that position.
And it's definitely a lot more than you expect it
to be. So definitely that. And the other thing I
would say is, and this is something my partner and
I have always lived by, is don't view your dreams
as dreams. You've got to view them as goals. That's
(26:38):
something I've always lived by, because if it's a dream,
you're not going to achieve it. You've got to have
it as a goal and then it's set.
S2 (26:45):
I love that. No. That's fantastic. Sammy, thank you so
much for having a chat with us today. We really
appreciate how candid and open you've been, and we do
appreciate you having a chat with us today. So thank
you again.
S5 (26:59):
Oh thank you guys. Thank you so much for having
me in the studio.
S2 (27:07):
And that's all the time we have for today. You've
been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision
Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the
show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you.
So please get in touch anytime on our email at
Talking Vision at Australia. That's talking vision all. One word
(27:32):
at Vision Australia dot. But until next week it's Sam
Corley saying bye for now.
S1 (27:42):
You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
business hours on one 384 746. That's one 384 74
six or by visiting Vision Australia. That's Vision Australia.
From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's
your host Sam Colley.
S2 (00:23):
Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And
for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness
and low vision.
S3 (00:30):
He linked it to his Kindle account, and then Alexa
was able to pick up the same book that he
was reading from the same chapter and continue that story
for him and for him, that little moment was a
life changing support to say, you know, there are still
ways that the way that you had lived your life,
we can help you continue to live that with independence
and I suppose, dignity as well. So for me, in
(00:50):
my job at what makes me feel good, going to
work every day knowing that it's the little things that
can actually have a monumental impact on someone's life.
S2 (00:59):
Welcome to the program. This week we're joined by two
very special guests from Amazon, Gina and Kate, who are
here to chat to us about their recent experiences at
a round table conference featuring various discussions around print, disability
and blindness and low vision, as well as some updates
(01:21):
that Alexa is looking to roll out to further improve
the accessibility of the device for people who are blind
or have low vision. We'll also hear from university student
and business manager Sammy McComb, who took part in our
recent Career Path podcast. So make sure to stick around
(01:44):
to hear from Sammy later in the show. I hope
you enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. Are you
an Alexa user who is blind or has low vision? Well,
today we've got a few updates for you from Gina
Manifold and Kate Goodin with a special focus on accessibility.
(02:09):
Jenna is the head of strategic partnerships at Alexa International,
and Kate's the country manager for Amazon Alexa in Australia
and New Zealand. And it's my great pleasure to be
joined by them right now. Jenna, Kate, welcome to Talking Vision.
Thank you very much for your time.
S3 (02:28):
Thank you for having us. Thank you.
S4 (02:29):
It's great to be here.
S2 (02:31):
Let's have a bit of a chat about what you've
both been up to recently at the Round Table Conference.
Tell us a bit about what you got up to there.
S3 (02:40):
Yeah. So the Round Table conference is, you know, specifically
about people living with print disability. And so our goal
there was to showcase Alexa, what Alexa is how Alexa works.
And I think talk a little bit about some everyday
tips and tricks that Alexa can help people who have
vision impairment or a print disability feel more empowered and
(03:02):
more independent, and also provide a little bit of a
sneak peek about what's coming, as generative AI is revolutionizing
our world and how that might land with Alexa, and
what that would mean for people living with print disability.
S2 (03:16):
Okay. And Kate, did you have anything to add there?
S4 (03:19):
Yeah, I think it was just a great opportunity for
us to actually talk to the community one on one
here a little bit more about how they're using Alexa,
the things they love, the things that they wish Alexa
could do or could do better. And then to kind
of hear about just the independence or lifestyle gaps that
they have, that they thought that generative AI or more
advanced Alexa might be able to assist with. And similarly,
(03:42):
it was really great to see some of the tools
and the technology that people are using every day in
these conferences and then to navigate around. So it was
just a really great opportunity to see how people are
living and thriving.
S2 (03:55):
Just for some added context for our listeners out there.
I'm really keen to get some info from you both
about what you've been up to lately in your work
at Amazon in particular. So, Gina, I might start with you.
S3 (04:10):
Yeah. So my role in strategic partnerships is making sure
that Alexa here in Australia meets the expectations of our
Australian community. So that means that everyone's favorite radio station
is available on Alexa. Also that people who are living
with some kind of disability find function and utility in
(04:32):
Alexa and working with accessibility partners like Vision Australia with
universities to help make these accessibility products more readily available
and easier to understand.
S2 (04:44):
Okay, what about yourself?
S4 (04:46):
Yeah. So I'm the country manager for Alexa in Australia
and New Zealand. So obviously working super closely with Gina
on these partnerships and then also working across either the
broader Amazon business or with our policy teams who are
working really closely with members of Parliament and sort of
government teams on the broader opportunity to share a little
(05:08):
bit more about how Alexa is is helping various members
of the community. And then I also work with other
international teams and Alexa, and then also the central teams
in the US to drive prioritization of new features and
experiences to Australia so that we can continue to improve
and evolve our product. For everybody that has one at
(05:29):
home and perhaps is listening to the show here today.
S2 (05:32):
Oh, cool. Okay. And Gina, I'd love to come back
to you and get some feedback that you've received over
the time about the sort of features that have really
added value and given independence to people living with blindness
and low vision. What are the things and experiences that
people have really benefited from with Alexa and the smart
(05:55):
speakers like that?
S3 (05:57):
I think in its most simple form, Alexa is this
ambient intelligence that is there when you need it, but
fades into the background when you don't. And the feedback
we often hear, particularly from an accessibility point, is the
ease of use. When you just need your voice, you
can be standing on the other side of the room.
You don't need to be looking at the device. That
(06:17):
has made things a lot easier and more seamless, which
provides independence. But a story that I actually heard from
a Vision Australia client a little while ago. This man
was a very avid Kindle reader, loved to read his books,
and then through an accident became blind quite suddenly. Then,
once he set up his home with Alexa enabled devices,
(06:39):
he linked it to his Kindle account. And then Alexa
was able to pick up the same book that he
was reading from the same chapter and continue that story
for him and for him, that little moment was a
life changing support to say, you know, there are still
ways that the way that you had lived your life,
we can help you continue to live that with independence
and I suppose, dignity as well. So for me, in
(07:00):
my job at what makes me feel good, going to
work every day knowing that it's the little things that
can actually have a monumental impact on someone's life.
S2 (07:08):
Absolutely. And, Kate, what's been your experience? What have you
heard from people in the general public and some stories
and feedback that you've received over the time?
S4 (07:20):
Yeah. So one of the things that we do every
week is we read every single review that we get
for Alexa enabled devices. We read the feedback that people
send through the app. And so I think it's just
a regularity. We've got a couple of people who regularly
leave us feedback about various things. And one of them
is somebody who's quite funny about trying to get a
(07:42):
feature on Alexa and just being able to. It feels
like a great connection with that person. And we've also
had a lot of feedback from people around some of
the the show and tell features that are available in
the US and sort of working to try and get
them here. And that is something that we hope to
open up with Alexa Plus and sort of have somebody
to be able to. I think we had an anecdote
(08:02):
at one point about somebody who was trying to find
a can of beans, and of course all the cans
feel the same when you grab into the pantry. And
so just being able to not rely on, shake and
hope for the best and to sort of be able
to unlock those features that will sort of give, as
Gina said, just another bracket of independence around the home
(08:23):
and not having to perhaps eat what could like something else?
S2 (08:26):
Exactly. Yeah.
S4 (08:27):
Yeah. You think it's.
S3 (08:28):
A can of beans and you end up with tomatoes? Yeah.
S2 (08:31):
Oh, yeah.
S3 (08:32):
And Sam too, I think one of the, you know,
as I said before, people being able to access their
favorite radio station, we have a number of devices that
have been released, some big, some small. Some people love
them in their bedrooms. Some people want them connected throughout
to have studio sound in their lounge room, but not
needing to fiddle with a knob to find your radio station,
not needing to remember the frequency of the radio station.
(08:53):
When we look at the reviews, there's constantly people saying,
I can finally listen to radio stations that I didn't
think I could access. It's opened up radio stations from overseas,
my favorite radio station when I was a child, and
I can simply get it by using my voice. That
seems to be one of the most common pieces of
feedback we get. And a quick plug to say that
Vision Australia Radio is also available on Alexa. So certainly again,
(09:16):
it's just putting an old school radio set back into
the home, which has been very positive for a lot
of people.
S2 (09:23):
Gina will continue on with you, and I'm really interested
to get your insights on the relationship that Amazon and
Vision Australia have been able to build up and what
you've been working on lately, and the benefits of that relationship.
S3 (09:40):
Yeah, definitely. So the Vision Australia partnership has been in
play for many years, and it comes through in a
number of different ways. So as I said, the Vision
Australia radio station the broadcast is available on Alexa, just
say Alexa, play Vision Australia Radio and you should get
whichever frequency suits you. And then also Vision Australia has
(10:00):
a um, through Commonwealth funding and Alexa at home program.
So that includes the provision of some Alexa enabled devices
and some training for qualified clients, which means that your
home can be set up to become a smart home.
But you're also given some guidance on how to make
the most out of that to increase your independence. So
(10:20):
that's something that is really great. And then as part
of that vision, Australia has built what we call in
Alexa a custom skill, which is simply like an app
on a phone and that provides information about Vision Australia's services.
You can hear the newsletter and also find out more
information about the likes of Happy Pants and the Felix
(10:41):
Library too. So there's a number of different ways the
wider community can connect with Vision Australia through being entertained
and informed, through Vision Australia Radio's content, or actually being
organised and finding utility in the home through that Alexa
at Home program.
S2 (10:57):
Okay. And Kate, I'll come to you now and have
a bit of a chat about some exciting innovations that
are on the horizon that you're really excited to see
where they pan out. And Gina will come to you
after and get your thoughts. But, um, Kate, I'll just
start with you and, um, get your insights.
S4 (11:17):
Yeah. So some of your listeners might be aware of
big announcement that we made a couple of months ago
in the US. So we have been working incredibly hard
to take our already very complex Alexa experience. It's got
the Alexa experience is more than 30 AI and machine
learning models, and then a layer of localization over the top,
(11:39):
which is how Alexa is and sort of understands Australians.
And to make that generative AI and LLM powered, it
has been an incredible worldwide effort to get it to
this point. And we did demos and it started to
roll out to customers in the US over the last
couple of weeks. So Alexa Plus is really what we
(12:03):
had hoped Alexa could be all this time, so it's conversational.
You don't need to worry about Alexa speak. There will
be no more Alexa, turn on the lights. You might
walk into a room and Alexa knows you've left the bedroom.
And Alexa will proactively say, would you like me to
turn off the lights in the bedroom? Alexa will remember
things that are important. For example, that one person in
(12:25):
your family is vegetarian and one is dairy free, and
one who might be celiac. And so if you ask
for a recipe for dinner tonight, that sort of meets
those needs, then Alexa will know to create something that
is going to meet all of those different family members needs.
We don't have a timeline, unfortunately, yet for Australia, it's
one of those things that could come very quickly, or
(12:47):
it might take a little while, but you can be very,
very sure that particularly with our partners like Virgin Australia,
will be definitely giving you a heads up and we
may be able to get Alexa Plus into the studio
and sort of do a bit of a.
S3 (13:01):
Bit of.
S4 (13:01):
A.
S3 (13:01):
Demo.
S2 (13:02):
Yeah, that'd be pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. No. Okay. And, Gina,
I'll come to you. Now, the same question, but also
interested in if there's sort of some features there or
innovations coming for, you know, listeners who are blind or
have low vision to look forward to.
S3 (13:20):
Yeah. Look, I think there's two that are going to be,
I think, super useful for everybody, but particularly useful for
people with blindness or low vision. One is the object identification.
So as Kate was talking about before, but rather than
it relying or that's a can of vegetables, you should
actually be able to hold up the can. And Alexa
(13:41):
might be able to say spin it around and I
can read you the nutrition label. And so it becomes
much more interactive. Or you would be able to hold
up a picture that your grandchildren had drawn. And Alexa
will describe what the drawing looks like. There's two stick figures.
This one's in pink, and there's a little dog and
some flowers and a sun in the corner. So I
think that's going to be really interesting. And then the
(14:02):
other is intelligent Documentation. So that could be if you've
got a new dishwasher and you can get a digital
copy of the dishwashers manual, you'd be able to store
that in Alexa's library and then ask, Alexa, how do
I get it onto the steaming cycle? And Alexa will
be able to look through that manual and come back
(14:23):
and provide that information for you, and then remember it
as well. And so it's not just things like dishwasher
manuals that could be a pamphlet about diabetes from your doctor.
It could be a newsletter from your child's school. All
of these things you'll be able to provide to Alexa
to be kept in the library. And then that helps.
As Kate said, for Alexa to become more proactive in
(14:45):
helping you manage your day and keeping you informed.
S2 (14:49):
Perfect. Well, I've been speaking today with Gino and Kate
from Amazon with a bit of a tech update of
sorts regarding some different features and innovations that they're looking
to roll out on Alexa The devices, including some new
ways in which it can assist the blind and low
(15:10):
vision community in their everyday life. Gina. Kate, thank you
so much for your time today. It was great to
catch up with you.
S3 (15:18):
Thank you so much. We really appreciate you taking the
time to talk with us.
S4 (15:22):
Great to be here.
S2 (15:28):
I'm Sam Corley and you're listening to Talking Vision on
Vision Australia Radio. Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the
Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there
with Gina and Kate from Amazon. If you missed any
part of that chat with Gina and Kate or you'd
(15:49):
love to hear from them again. Talking vision is available
on the Vision Australia Radio website. Simply head to RVA radio.
That's RVA radio all one word.org. You can also find
the program on the podcast app of your choice or
through the Vision Australia library. Coming up now, it's my
(16:13):
great pleasure to welcome to Talking Vision, one of the
guests from our recent Career Path podcast. Her name is
Sammy McComb. She's a university student and business manager with
lived experience of low vision living in Geelong. Today you'll
(16:35):
get some tips from her about how she's managed to
juggle the various aspects of her life while living with
a vision condition. But that's enough from me. Let's hear
from Sammy right now. Welcome, Sammy.
S5 (16:50):
Thanks for having me, guys. I'm so excited to be here.
Can't wait.
S2 (16:54):
And I'm can't wait to have a chat now. Firstly, Sammy,
let's just get to the heart of things. How do
you navigate the pressures of university while managing a business
and coping with low vision.
S5 (17:07):
Gosh, bit of a loaded question. I don't know. Super loaded. Yeah. Yeah,
I guess you kind of just have to take it
day by day. And the way I look at it
is I didn't choose my cards. You know, these cards,
just the cards I've been dealt. I didn't choose to
run a business or manage a business with my mum.
My dad passed away end of last year, so that's
also pretty new. But he was the owner of the business,
(17:29):
so I was kind of just handed that role in
a way. So that wasn't a choice. And obviously being
vision impaired wasn't a choice either. So I kind of
just have to manage it in a way is the
way I look at it, and it helps that I
love it too.
S2 (17:42):
So there you go. And Sammy, what were the biggest
challenges you faced stepping into this role at such a
young age, especially while studying and managing low vision?
S5 (17:54):
Definitely the hardest challenge was the grief I was facing.
My father's death was very, very sudden, so we didn't
get any warning. And he was a very, very healthy
man and had everything going for him and the business
was going well. And he was. He'd just made some
big changes in the business as well. So there was
a big expansion going on. And then we obviously lost him.
So we lost the head figure. So and I've lost
(18:16):
my father and everything that comes with that. So the
hardest part for me was definitely the grief. And then
everything else kind of came after that. So rolling with
the punches.
S2 (18:26):
Mhm. And how did your studies in marketing and business
help or perhaps not help when managing a company, particularly
when considering accessibility needs for yourself and the business.
S5 (18:39):
Yep. So I'm currently studying a bachelor of or double
Bachelor of Business and Economics and marketing is one of
my majors, so obviously I wasn't planning to be doing
so much marketing and business management at such a young age,
but I definitely think that a lot of the skills
I've learnt in uni have been very helpful in the
last sort of six months, but more than anything, I'd
(19:01):
honestly just say that having lived experience as someone with
a disability and a vision impairment has been the biggest
part of it. Like for example, with marketing, just the
basic things like having good contrast and big text that
a lot of regular people probably wouldn't think about, I
kind of just incorporate those things into my daily life, naturally,
and so they kind of follow through with the marketing
(19:22):
side of things. And then just, um, having a disability,
being able to relate to people is a big help
in managing a business. I think, too, because you're working
in a team environment, so you need to be able
to be good around people, and empathy is a big
part of that. I think as well with patients, because
it's a healthcare clinic. So yeah, just being able to
(19:43):
relate to people and have that sense of empathy is
a big part of running a business in general, I
would say.
S2 (19:49):
You've spoken a little bit about accessibility there and the
assistive technologies and, you know, little features that have made
your life that little bit easier. But outside of that,
there's also been a lot of changes, a lot of upheaval.
Certainly lots of ups and downs, to say the least.
(20:10):
Over the past year or so, with everything that's gone on.
So what support systems did you rely on during this transition,
both for your studies and for managing low vision in
the business?
S5 (20:24):
Um, I was very lucky to actually a bit of
a shout out to Vision Australia here, but I received
the Vision Australia Further Education bursary. That was a couple
of years ago and that was fantastic because I was
set up for uni with a computer and a nice
phone with a big screen, so that was fantastic and
some good headphones as well. So that really set me
up very well for uni, and I also use a
(20:46):
lot of that for work now too. So that was fantastic.
And just having the technology in general as well. And yeah,
besides that, just setting myself up with a really good
support system of people around me. We're very lucky at
work to have fantastic staff, so that's really handy and
I've got really great connections at uni. Education support officers
(21:07):
and people like that. So I've got pretty much everyone
I need at my fingertips really. And a supportive family
and partner too. So yeah.
S2 (21:14):
And following on from that topic around support systems. We'll
unfortunately have to dive back into a pretty heavy topic. And,
you know, that's coping with grief while making critical business
decisions and managing university workloads. It's just amazing. And we
really take our hat off to you and how you've
(21:35):
managed with all of that. So how has the last
year shaped the way you approach leadership and decision making
while balancing that?
S5 (21:44):
Gosh, massively. My dad was a great leader. He definitely
led by example, so he wasn't so much business minded. Ironically,
he wasn't great with money like in terms of making
business decisions. He was very generous with his patience and
that sort of thing. But I also think that that
did make him a great leader. So seeing him pass
(22:04):
and I've definitely taken on a lot of that, a
lot of those traits. And I think that's very important
to keep that within the business, because it was a
thriving business before he passed. So it's important that we
keep it that way. And by doing everything he did,
I hope to do that. So yeah. And then I
think the other important thing I've learned with leadership is
that a good leader will listen above anything else. Leading
(22:27):
is not about being at the top of the rankings.
I suppose it's not a hierarchical thing. It's being able
to work really well in a team. And I'm really
lucky that I've got an amazing team at Belmont Physio
that I work with.
S2 (22:40):
Yeah. And also on top of that, how have you
perhaps changed in the way that you've balanced your work
and your uni life? I mean that's another challenge juggling
those two things. Has anything changed there in the last
12 months.
S5 (22:56):
So I'm studying fully online. So all my correspondence with
the University of Tasmania, and I've actually decided to defer
for the first semester of the year this year. So
I kind of, um, set my laptop up and I
was all ready to go, and then I just sort
of couldn't do it. The grief kind of just hit
me all at once, and I just knew I needed
to take a bit of time for myself. So I'm
(23:18):
very ready to go back in a couple of months.
But I have I have put that one on hold
for the moment just so that I can focus on
the business and myself as well, really. So yeah, I
think that balance is very important and has become more
and more important in the last 12 months.
S2 (23:31):
Oh for sure. Yeah. No, that um, balancing wellness and
keeping mindful and having that sense of balance in, you know,
professional and personal life, that's super important. So I think
a lot of people can totally relate with that for sure.
I guess following on from that, Sami, what lessons have
you learned about resilience and adaptability through the experience, both
(23:55):
as a student and a business owner with low vision?
S5 (23:59):
Probably, yeah. Another lesson I've learnt from the last 12
months and all the responsibilities that have come during that
time and all the opportunities I've been handed. I would
say just the main lesson I've learned is that I
am very resilient, because if you had told me two
years ago, even 12 months ago, that my dad was
going to pass away and mum and I were going
(24:19):
to be handed this business and all these responsibilities all
at once. I honestly don't think I would have coped
nearly as well as I have to be at the
point I am today. So that's a huge one. Just
finding that resilience within myself, and I feel like that's
a very common thing among people who are vision impaired
and have disabilities, that we don't realise how strong we
actually are. And even having a disability in itself is
(24:44):
very much a responsibility in itself, and that builds resilience.
I'm sure a lot of us have good anecdotes to
prove that, myself included. So I think, yeah, the biggest
one is just that you're a lot stronger than you think.
S2 (24:58):
And Sami, do you see yourself continuing with the business,
finishing your studies or even pursuing something entirely different. What
does the future hold? Or it's a bit of a
Doris Day qué sera sera, whatever will be will be
sort of situation.
S5 (25:17):
Yeah, it's such a hard one.
S2 (25:19):
It's a super hard one.
S5 (25:21):
Yeah. And everything's been so crazy lately that it's. It's
hard to say for sure. But one thing I do
know is that I definitely want to go back and
finish my double degree and get that under my belt.
So I'm two out of four years through, so I'm halfway. Yeah.
So I hope to get that done in the next
couple of years and smash that out of the way.
And then after that, it's. Yeah, I'm not sure whether
(25:41):
I'll use that to continue on with the business or
use that to find myself a completely different job or
even start a business myself. So yeah, I definitely think
I'll start a business in the longer term, but how
soon that comes? Only time will tell. Yeah.
S2 (25:54):
Well, let's keep tabs on the Sammy McComb story. I
think that's going to be something super worth following. And
we're very excited to see how it all pans out now. Finally, Sammy,
what advice would you give to others facing unexpected responsibilities
or challenges, especially when balancing personal growth, education, and low vision?
S5 (26:18):
Just yeah, going back to what I said before about
you've got this, you can do it. You don't know
what you're capable of until you're actually in that position.
And it's definitely a lot more than you expect it
to be. So definitely that. And the other thing I
would say is, and this is something my partner and
I have always lived by, is don't view your dreams
as dreams. You've got to view them as goals. That's
(26:38):
something I've always lived by, because if it's a dream,
you're not going to achieve it. You've got to have
it as a goal and then it's set.
S2 (26:45):
I love that. No. That's fantastic. Sammy, thank you so
much for having a chat with us today. We really
appreciate how candid and open you've been, and we do
appreciate you having a chat with us today. So thank
you again.
S5 (26:59):
Oh thank you guys. Thank you so much for having
me in the studio.
S2 (27:07):
And that's all the time we have for today. You've
been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision
Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the
show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you.
So please get in touch anytime on our email at
Talking Vision at Australia. That's talking vision all. One word
(27:32):
at Vision Australia dot. But until next week it's Sam
Corley saying bye for now.
S1 (27:42):
You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
business hours on one 384 746. That's one 384 74
six or by visiting Vision Australia. That's Vision Australia.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.