Navigating New Technology

Peter Griffiths is an ex-Ansett Airlines pilot living in Ascot, Brisbane.  Our Quantum RLV Queensland Manager, Peter Cracknell, met Peter over ten years ago, when his vision was still sufficient for him to be able to work (not as a pilot!) but running his own very successful agricultural machinery business in Pinkenba. 

At that time, Peter could use his computer with ZoomText screen magnification software, a scanner, and a desktop electronic magnifier.  Over the years the two Peters have met many times as his vision deteriorated, adding different technologies such as the OrCam text-to-speech, and Clearview Speech so that he could continue to work and also enjoy reading at home. 

The two Peters have become firm friends outside their professional relationship as they share a love of navigation; Peter C as a sailor, and Peter G as an ex air navigator.  Peter Grifiths had to learn astro-navigation as a young man and he has shared many of his navigation and flying stories.  All air navigators in his day had to use sextants and the stars to plot position, a lost art with the advent of GPS. 

Peter was until recently an avid glider co-pilot, and the only way he could check the dials for airspeed and altitude was to wear an IrisVision headset which magnified the dashboard.  Yet another example of Peter’s openness to new technologies and his zest for enjoying life as best he can.  His most recent addition has been the Envoy talking book player, which can download thousands of audiobooks.  If Peter hadn’t searched for solutions all those years ago, how different his life might have been?