Tyler

Tyler – Started his own foundation 

Tyler is the President of the TSF Foundation, loves to watch baseball games, contact friends and much more. He is making the world a more accessible place and does not let his C1 Spinal Cord Injury stop him from making a difference. Tyler uses Tecla with ability switches to access his iPhone and iPad which work as his universal remotes to his lifestyle technologies. (Television, Amazon Echo, Door Opener, & much more)

Life Before Tecla

Tyler's priority after his injury was having access to a cellphone. He tried navigation with voice recognition and various Dragon Speaking applications, but he never felt fulfilled because he did not have control of his favourite Apps using this method.

After a few years of testing various assistive technology solutions, Tyler had difficulty finding a product that could make technology accessible to his mobility. One day, a friend of his tried the tecla-e. Trusting his friend's judgement, he too gave the tecla-e a chance.

 

"I can control my cellphone as if I had my hands. It is a dream come true."

 

With Tecla, Tyler felt independent. He was able to go back to work and be able to communicate with his friends. He shared that "Without having access to your phone, there is no such thing as having a private conversation without your caregiver peeking over your shoulder."  Besides being able to expand his social ability, the other rewarding aspect that Tecla provided Tyler was the chance to have a full-time job again.

Work With The TSF Foundation

Tyler always had an interest in business and for helping others. Working as a leader at the TSF Foundation was a perfect fit for Tyler's interests and background experience. However, he knew he wanted to grow the foundation, so he brought on a professional with a Nonprofit Administration Degree who is Jon Krieger. See more about him in the next section.

Before using Tecla, Tyler was determined to find a solution to gain his independence back. He had done plenty of research and tested all the assistive technology that came his way until one day he felt inspired by the work of one of his acquaintances who was running his own non-profit. Tyler decided he wanted to share his assistive technology insight with others to help individuals who also are living with mobility impairments to have a smooth process in finding their independence.

Rather than compete with the friend that inspired him, the two businessmen decided to collaborate, which led Tyler to his role today.  Since their decision to work together in 2017, Tyler has been treating his position of helping others at the TSF Foundation, as his full-time job.

For high functioning individuals like Tyler, the TSF Foundation has made it a priority to provide their clients with access to home automation technology. This way, other quadriplegics can have an increased quality of life and the opportunity to live independently.

 

"We want to pass along the knowledge and share solutions."

 

TSF Foundation Reach

"We have provided our services to 10 different states and four different countries including Germany, Mexico and Romania. We use Skype to communicate with educators, professionals, companies and individuals around the world." - TSF Foundation Website

TSF Foundation Services

The TSF Foundation assists its clients by providing:

• Professional Guidance through the form of educational videos and consultations to give insight into assistive technology solutions for the entire home! That includes lights and Television control, even to more sophisticated technologies, such as modifying a door opener or an Amazon Echo.
• Funding Assistance.
• Technology training and set up.

On Life With Tecla:

With Tecla's assistive technology, he can switch between his cellphone, tablet, Apple TV and home automation simultaneously. From reading on the Kindle App to sending an email for work, control with the tecla-e makes it all possible.

Tyler's friend and colleague at the foundation, Jon, will be receiving a Tecla in the upcoming months. He says the option to access his cellphone from a phone mount excites him. Living with Cerebral Palsy, Jon wears his current smartphone around his neck and makes selections using his face. Jon is looking forward to a more subtle way to communicate instead of wearing his telephone as an accessory.  *His success story is coming soon* 

 

Related Articles:

• How to Independently Read with an iPad using One or Two Switches
• iPhone and iPad accessibility options for people with quadriplegia and other users with limited mobility
• Controlling your TV with a Mobility Impairment | Advanced
• Siri vs iOS Switch Control for hands-free iPhone access
• Is the Kindle Accessible if you have mobility challenges?