Introducing Cephable’s Consortium
Meet our dedicated group of power users who actively influence not only our product’s development but are the heartbeat of our greater community of users.
Why a Consortium?
Many software companies have user advisory boards, but they didn’t choose an octopus as their mascot. A group of octopuses is, well, a consortium! We strive to embody the sentiment of ‘Nothing About Us Without Us,’ so involving our users is critical. We engage people with disabilities throughout our design and development processes.
What do They do?
Consortium members utilize Cephable in their daily suite of assistive technology. They actively participate in collaborative product planning, provide valuable feedback, and contribute to ideation sessions. To ensure they are at the forefront of Cephable’s innovation, they gain exclusive access to roadmap insights, prototypes, and early releases. Additionally, Consortium members receive compensation for their time and enjoy exclusive Cephable swag.
Get to Know Some of Our Consortium Members
Anthony Michael Weed
About: Twitch Streamer & Musician
Discord/X/Twitch: @AMrootie
Primary Uses: Voice commands for mouse clicks in gaming and music apps.
Impact: Anthony shared multiple creative feature requests. He inspired the option to hide the voice control overlay.
Quote: "One of the biggest things that has helped me was the hold click. It’s the simple things that make a big difference. This is just version two. Version TWO. [Cephable] is just getting started! When I see that little octopus, it makes me so happy because of what it represents.”
Nicole Cunningham
About: Technical Writer
Discord/Instagram: @Nickyfl38
Primary Uses: Dictation, word processing app control, and keyboard and mouse controls.
Impact: Nicole provided feedback on our voice controls and dictation. Her input directly impacted our public profiles for writing and editing.
Quote: "Cephable makes accessibility accessible. There are so many barriers for those with visible and invisible disabilities that Cephable is the hope I’ve been looking for. When I’m able to complete simple tasks that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to, I light up at the possibilities.”
Evan Smith
About: Video gamer & Live poker player, hence his online name.
Discord: @Gr8WhiteShrk | Twitch: @TheGr8WhiteShrk
Primary Uses: Voice commands in games such as The Hunter & Red Dead Redemption 2.
Impact: Evan identified multiple bugs, built and shared profiles with the community that inspired creative voice controls in FPS games.
Quote: “I love that I have the ability to play video games because I feel that really opens the world to me. I hope to start a Twitch channel to show other people that anything is possible with the disability.”
Dayton Jones
About: Ambassador/Advocate for gamers with disabilities, Competitive E-Sports gamer/streamer
Discord/X/Twitch: @WheelsFGC
Primary Uses: Exploring Cephable for general computer access outside of gaming.
Impact: Dayton provided testing on the reliability of face expressions and excellent insight on the road map for virtual buttons.
Quote: “Anybody can use it. You don’t have to have a disability! It’s a software that can be used by the general population to lower the stigma on assistive technology.”
Alexa Hildner
About: Caregiver & Tech Support for her Dad
Discord: ajxg_20
Impact: With a background in electrical engineering, Alexa applied deeply creative ideas to build custom profile commands to support her dad and tested Cephable alongside other assistive technologies.
Quote: “My dad’s career was extended because Cephable supported his independence. I’ve helped him learn how to use it across the programs on his computer.”
Rex Garrison
About: Real Estate Appraiser
Primary Uses: Voice commands for mouse movements & navigating his suite of real estate software programs to run his business
Impact: Rex provided insights into mouse controls across multiple monitors and creative voice controls for professional software in his industry.
Quote: “Being a real estate appraiser, I am constantly on the computer. With ALS taking the use of my hands and arms it has been difficult to use the computer. However, by using Cephable, it has extended my career and allows me to continue to work with independence.”
Alan Chaulet
About: Entrepreneur
X: @alanchaulet
Primary Uses: Voice control for entire computer navigation.
Impact: Alan shared feedback on workplace uses with an emphasis of Cephable on Mac.
Quote: "Cephable allows anyone to use all the various accessibility tools available in an easy-to-use software. Everyone with a disability should absolutely check it out."
Anthony DeVergillo
About: Accessibility Advocate & Communicator
Discord/Twitch: OurOdyssey1
Primary Uses: Voice commands and fully accessible virtual game nights
Impact: Suggested ways to simplify UI, helped us squash bugs and brainstorm out-of-the-box use cases
Quote: "Disability is a part of me, and my abilities are UNBOUND. I don't care if I win video games - I just care that I can play them!"
Steve Polakowski
About: IT Consultant & President of ATech
Discord: SCUBAShteve
Primary Uses: Voice controls alongside a Quadstick
Impact: Innovative feature requests across deep testing of all features. Champions Cephable to his assistive technology clients.
We Invite You to Learn More
Are You Our Next Consortium Member?
We are currently looking for daily users of Cephable to become members of our Consortium for user experience feedback.
- Do you already consistently use Cephable?
- Are you an adult, 18+ with a disability (visible or invisible)?
- Would integrating Cephable provide you with a valuable assistive technology solution?
- Are you tech-savvy and regularly use a computer?
- Are you enthusiastic about exploring the future of assistive technology innovation?
- Do you have a passion for problem-solving and enjoy providing constructive feedback?
- Would you be eager to receive personalized support from Cephable’s dedicated engineering team?
If you answered “yes” to all these questions, you might just be our next Consortium Member!
Fill out the form for more information.
You don’t need to be a consortium member to use Cephable!
We aim to get Cephable in the hands of as many individual users as possible to help them use technology in the ways they want. We do this by offering Cephable for free to any individual for non-commercial use, combatting the disability tax.
We also partner with organizations who support the disability community to help them master the tool and educate others.
Join the conversation on Discord
Dive into the Cephable Community on Discord to simply say hello or seek support from our friendly community and dedicated team members. Whether you’re bringing your innovative ideas, seeking tips, downloading new profiles or sharing your own, we can’t wait to connect with you.