Partnership will empower visually impaired visitors to fully engage with beloved Dallas tradition
DALLAS, TX - Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) is partnering with Baltimore-based assistive tech company ReBokeh Vision Technologies to improve accessibility at The Trains at Northpark, a beloved tradition that benefits RMHD. The partnership provides all visitors with free, automatic, and unlimited access to ReBokeh, a mobile based assistive tech software which helps users with low vision to adjust the appearance of the world around them in order to fit their specific needs.
Now in its 37th year, RMDH’s signature event is aiming to raise $1.1 million to support its mission of providing free lodging, meals, transportation, and other services to more than 70 families with sick children every day. This year’s interactive exhibit will include a STEM-inspired experience with a larger footprint than years past - on Level One of Northpark. As part of these expanded offerings, RMDH is leveraging ReBokeh’s assistive technology to make the event larger and more inclusive than ever before.
“The Trains at NorthPark is back and bigger than ever and we are so excited to bring the holiday magic to a more inclusive audience this year,” said Jill Cumnock, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Dallas. We are particularly excited about the new features, including access to ReBokeh, which makes the event more accessible and engaging for everyone. This partnership aligns with our core values as we aim to provide essential services that remove barriers for children and families and give them a comforting home-away-from-home.”
ReBokeh’s patent-pending, sole source technology empowers people to navigate the daily challenges of living with a vision impairment. The technology works by leveraging the live camera feed from a device and allowing users to overlay customized filters to adjust things like contrast, color hue, zoom and lighting to meet the needs of low-vision users. ReBokeh’s software also includes an AI-powered image description feature, which quickly analyzes the user’s camera feed to provide a detailed text description of what the user is looking at. This feature was designed to help people with low vision easily determine what they’re looking at before making further adjustments.
Through the partnership, ReBokeh’s advanced geofencing capabilities will enable visitors within the space to download and use ReBokeh’s premium-tier software free of charge for the duration of their visit. This empowerment-driven approach to accessibility will allow visually impaired visitors - 85% of whom have some usable vision - to engage with the exhibit using their own vision. This creates a more accessible and enjoyable experience for low vision visitors, since many vision impaired individuals struggle to capture information through sight-replacing options, like audio or tactile only options. It also provides visitors of any visual ability the option to customize their viewing experience in unique and creative ways.
“The Trains at Northpark is a special tradition with an incredible impact, and we’re excited to play a role in making the event more inclusive for families who live with a vision impairment,” said Rebecca Rosenberg, founder and CEO of ReBokeh. “Ronald McDonald House offers life-changing support for families during their most vulnerable times, and we couldn’t be more proud to support their mission through this impactful and exciting event.”
The Trains at Northpark will run throughout the holiday season, from November 16th - January 5th. For more information, visit: http://www.thetrainsatnorthpark.com/
About ReBokeh Vision Technologies
Founded in 2019, ReBokeh is on a mission to provide millions of low-vision individuals with assistive tech that’s reflective of their needs. ReBokeh’s flagship product, the ReBokeh mobile app, enables users to adjust the appearance of the world around them in order to help them navigate their specific visual condition. This approach empowers low-vision individuals to make use of their functional vision, rather than trying to replace it with tactile or audio only options.
For more information, visit: https://rebokeh.com/
About Ronald McDonald House of Dallas
Since 1981, Ronald McDonald House of Dallas has served families who have traveled to Dallas for their child's medical treatment. RMHD provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. RMHD alleviates the worry and expense of finding a close, comfortable, and affordable place for a family to stay while their child receives the medical care they need. That can make a world of difference to a child bravely battling an illness or recovering from a serious injury. RMHD is proud to have served families from all over the state, country, and world for the past four decades.
For more information, visit: https://rmhdallas.org/