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Type of site | Social Discovery Application |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| URL | mifinderapp |
| Registration | No |
| Current status | Offline |
Mifinder was an iPhone app currently available from 2012 to 2014. [1] It was aimed at LGBT groups who share a common life experience, [2] and used a mobile phone's Global Positioning System to locate users. [3]
Mifinder was launched in November 2012 by a UK based company which created the app after working with diverse communities over a decade and found that there was no community-oriented application that allowed people from diverse ethnic, religious, sexual and disability backgrounds to find each other and actively make friends, and gain social support with other communities around them based on their location. [4] Mifinder later expanded to include "Life Experiences" to help people such as wheelchair users to connect with one another. [5] Mifinder evolved to specifically focus on life experiences as it is driven by the principle that people who have gone through similar experiences can have greater mutual understanding, and therefore can offer more support to one another. [2]
UK charity Scope's tech blog described Mifinder's product evolution, explaining that the app is now uniquely aimed at groups in society with often higher rates of isolation, as people connect with each other based on a shared ‘life experience’. These experiences include visual, hearing or other specific impairments, or an experience such as being new to an area or learning a language. [2] Momentum Magazine wrote that Mifinder now also includes "Life Experiences" filters, such as wheelchair users and coping with parenting. [5] Mifinder is reported to be driven by the principle that people who have gone through similar experiences can have greater mutual understanding, and therefore can offer support to one another, for example to seek advice about accessible venues, local support and information about the area. Mifinder was keen to emphasise that the focus is on community and friendships. [2]
According to Tourism For All UK, in order to use the application the user selects the communities he/she belong to, uploads their photo and profile text, and their reason for using the application. They select the communities to engage with, in any combination. A thumbnail screen then appears, showing the profiles of the closest 120 users who fit the exact chosen criteria, ordered on the screen according to how far they are from the user in metres and miles at that moment. The user is then able to instant message, share photos and their exact location with car and walking directions with any user they choose. This GPS works globally. [6]
Mifinder caters to a variety of life experience, ethnic, religious, sexual and disability communities. In addition to Life Experiences, these include the globally dispersed such as Baháʼí, Ismaili, Jewish, Traveler, those small in number such as Australian Aborigine, Native American etc. [7]
The app's filters mean that a user who identifies with several groups, such as a black gay Christian or a Jewish, disabled male etc. can see who around them shares the same characteristics and connect with them via GPS. [8] People who are not from minority communities can use the app to meet a diverse range of people around them. Users can also select “support” if they are looking for social support from other users for example if they are disabled, new to an area or may not speak the local language. [4] Mifinder also allows community groups and organizations to have a ‘real time’ presence on the app. [9]
The filters are said to encourage people to engage with other communities who they may not have otherwise socialized with. This application was designed to strengthen community ties and reduce isolation on an individual level and act as a tool for greater cohesion. Mifinder also allows community groups and organizations to have a ‘real time’ presence on the app. [10]
Momentum Magazine, an online publication for the UK disability sports community, said "Mifinder have made it easier for people with a variety of life experiences, including wheelchair users, to meet each other in realtime." It added that the app "provides countless opportunities for not only organising sports events and finding new members for teams, but also for simply making meaningful connections and sharing local information." [5]
Carrie-Ann Lightley, head of Tourism for All’s Information service, an independent charity supporting tourism and leisure opportunities for disabled people stated “I would highly recommend Mifinder® to people with disabilities as it could have a real and invaluable benefit to their lives and their ability to access support, networking and dating. It is an excellent idea and a unique concept for those people who may feel lonely and isolated, so overall a great product” [11]
The application is listed as a founding partner of Go-On-Gold, which is a national campaign to raise awareness about the barriers faced by disabled people in accessing computers and the Internet, and to help remove those barriers. [12]
According to the developers, security is paramount including options to instantly block and report users, and to turn distance off. Exact location is never shared unless given and all profile photos are checked by real people and there are profanity filters. According to the developers these controls make it as "secure as it can possibly be". [13]
Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with assistance. ADLs are self-care activities that include toileting, mobility (ambulation), eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, and personal device care. Assistive technology can ameliorate the effects of disabilities that limit the ability to perform ADLs. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. For example, wheelchairs provide independent mobility for those who cannot walk, while assistive eating devices can enable people who cannot feed themselves to do so. Due to assistive technology, disabled people have an opportunity of a more positive and easygoing lifestyle, with an increase in "social participation," "security and control," and a greater chance to "reduce institutional costs without significantly increasing household expenses." In schools, assistive technology can be critical in allowing students with disabilities access the general education curriculum. Students who experience challenges writing or keyboarding, for example, can use voice recognition software instead. Assistive technologies assist people who are recovering from strokes and people who have abstained injuries that effect their daily tasks.
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager software system from Microsoft, available as a part of the Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 software suites. Though primarily being popular as an email client for businesses, Outlook also includes functions such as calendaring, task managing, contact managing, note-taking, journal logging and web browsing.
Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology.
An application firewall is a form of firewall that controls input/output or system calls of an application or service. It operates by monitoring and blocking communications based on a configured policy, generally with predefined rule sets to choose from. The application firewall can control communications up to the application layer of the OSI model, which is the highest operating layer, and where it gets its name. The two primary categories of application firewalls are network-based and host-based.
Inclusive design is a design process in which a product, service, or environment is designed to be usable for as many people as possible, particularly groups who are traditionally excluded from being able to use an interface or navigate an environment. Its focus is on fulfilling as many user needs as possible, not just as many users as possible. Historically, inclusive design has been linked to designing for people with physical disabilities, and accessibility is one of the key outcomes of inclusive design. However, rather than focusing on designing for disabilities, inclusive design is a methodology that considers many aspects of human diversity that could affect a person's ability to use a product, service, or environment, such as ability, language, culture, gender, and age. The Inclusive Design Research Center reframes disability as a mismatch between the needs of a user and the design of a product or system, emphasizing that disability can be experienced by any user. With this framing, it becomes clear that inclusive design is not limited to interfaces or technologies, but may also be applied to the design of policies and infrastructure.
Adaptive clothing is clothing designed around the needs and abilities of people with varying degrees of disability, including congenital disabilities, acquired disabilities, age and temporary disabilities, as well as physical disabilities. Adaptive clothing is influenced by factors such as age, disability type, level of independence, mobility and dexterity, as well as whether a person requires help when dressing, such as from a caregiver. People who struggle with zippers, shoelaces, buttons or even fabrics and texture due to a type of disability may need adaptive clothing. Most adaptive clothing designs are taken from general-market clothing, the comfort of which began to increase in the 1950s, with new technologies such as elastic waistbands and stretchy fabrics.
Mobile social networking is social networking where individuals with similar interests converse and connect with one another through their mobile phone and/or tablet. Much like web-based social networking, mobile social networking occurs in virtual communities.
An audio tour or audio guide provides a recorded spoken commentary, normally through a handheld device, to a visitor attraction such as a museum. They are also available for self-guided tours of outdoor locations, or as a part of an organised tour. It provides background, context, and information on the things being viewed. Audio guides are often in multilingual versions and can be made available in different ways. Some of the more elaborate tours may include original music and interviews. They are traditionally rented on the spot, more recently downloaded from the Internet, or available via the mobile phone network. Some audio guides are free or included in the entrance fee, others have to be purchased separately.
Accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavor to ensure tourist destinations, products, and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical or intellectual limitations, disabilities or age. It encompasses publicly and privately owned and operated tourist locations. The goal of accessible tourism is to create inclusivity of all including those traveling with children, people with disabilities, as well as seniors. This allows those with access requirements to be able to function as an independent using products following the universal design principle, a variety of services, and different environments.
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability.
Disability hate crime is a form of hate crime involving the use of violence against people with disabilities. This is not only violence in a physical sense, but also includes other hostile acts, such as the repeated blocking of disabled access and verbal abuse. These hate crimes are associated with prejudice against a disability, or a denial of equal rights for disabled people. It is viewed politically as an extreme form of ableism, or disablism. This phenomenon can take many forms, from verbal abuse and intimidatory behaviour to vandalism, assault, or even murder. Although data are limited studies appear to show that verbal abuse and harassment are the most common. Disability hate crimes may take the form of one-off incidents, or may represent systematic abuse which continues over periods of weeks, months, or even years. Disabled parking places, wheelchair access areas and other facilities are frequently a locus for disability hate. Instead of seeing access areas as essential for equity, they are seen instead as 'special treatment', unjustifiable by status, and so a 'reason' for acting aggressively. Denial of access thus demonstrates a prejudice against equal rights for disabled people; such actions risk actual bodily harm as well as limiting personal freedom.
HP ePrint is a term used by Hewlett-Packard to describe a variety of printing technologies developed for (mobile) computing devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, and laptops.
Jiepang (Chinese: 街旁; pinyin: Jiēpáng) was a Chinese social networking service for mobile devices, such as smartphones. Users can download the Jiepang app to track and share life moments with friends. In July 2013, Jiepang launched an all new design in version 5.0, which evolved from its origins as China's leading location-based service (LBS) for the "check in". Jiepang helps users record and track all of their life activities, connect with friends in specific moments and explore communities of people that have similar interests.
Simon Stevens, also known as Simon Walsh in Secondlife, born 1974, is an English activist, Huffington Post blogger, and disability consultant known for his discussions on disability issues in the UK and on social media. Stevens formed Wheelies, a disability-friendly virtual nightclub within the 3D online community of Second Life. He is known as Simon Walsh and for his avatar's use of a wheelchair and helmet. Stevens was a prankster in the disability-themed hidden camera/prank show I'm Spazticus on UK's Channel 4 in 2012–2013. Stevens has received numerous awards and recognitions for his disability advocacy. He was the founder and chief executive of the disability consultancy firm Enable Enterprises from 1998–-2008. Stevens lives and works from Coventry, UK.
An adapted automobile is an automobile adapted for ease of use by disabled people. Automobiles, whether cars or vans, can be adapted for a range of physical disabilities.
Section6(1) of the Equality Act 2010 defines disability as:
"A person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."
Accessibility apps are mobile apps that increase the accessibility of a device for individuals with disabilities. Accessibility apps are applications that increase the accessibility of a device or technology for individuals with disabilities. Applications, also known as, application software, are programs that are designed for end users to be able to perform specific tasks. There are many different types of apps, some examples include, word processors, web browsers, media players, console games, photo editors, accounting applications and flight simulators. Accessibility in general refers to making the design of products and environment more accommodating to those with disabilities. Accessibility apps can also include making a current version of software or hardware more accessible by adding features. Accessibility apps main aim is to remove any barriers to technological goods and services, making the app available to any group of society to use. A basic example is that a person who experiences vision impairments is able to access technology through enabling voice recognition and text-to-speech software. Accessibility apps are closely related to assistive technology.
AXS Map is a user-generated database of accessible locations in all major cities. Powered by GoogleMaps API, AXS Map functions by providing users with a database of locations that they can edit with ratings and reviews of accessibility metrics for disabled individuals. This in turn allows other users to see these reviews, screening which locations they choose to travel to, and adding their own reviews of the places they enter to expand the database. Rather than leaving accessibility reviews to specialists, AXS Map allows any member of the public to use the tool to report their experience. As well as offering accessibility ratings for the mobility impaired, AXS Map also reviews accessibility for the visually and hearing impaired.
Paul Darke CF is a British academic, artist, disability rights activist and whistleblower. Darke is an expert on disability in film and politics.
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