Blind

• The flagship location of the coffee chain revived the long-dormant retail concept of the automat: a restaurant where food and drinks are served by technology, rather than human staff.
• The new coffee automat consisted of a touchscreen for placing orders, a window that allows customers to watch a robotic arm prepare their coffee, and a slot that dispenses the completed order.
• Toronto has seen the arrival of numerous autonomous business concepts, ranging from Aisle 24’s cashier-less grocery stores to PizzaForno’s 24/7 pizza vending machines.

No card, no phone, no service

• Checkout is accomplished through a touchscreen interface paired with a point-of-sale device that only accepts debit, credit or smartphone payments.
• Since these underbanked individuals often hail from low-income communities, they are already disproportionately burdened by the transaction fees associated with debit payments.
• This not only presents an obstacle for the communities mentioned above, but also impacts seniors, who still lag behind in smartphone adoption.

Automation and accessibility

• This poses a potential problem should a customer require immediate assistance — specifically, assistance related to a disability.
• The Canadian National Institute for the Blind notes that touchscreen payment terminals often lack haptic feedback or other accessibility features, creating a barrier for Canadians with vision loss.

Disappearing public amenities

• Lastly, the automation of these retail locations often closes off taken-for-granted public amenities.
• In large North American cities like Toronto, spaces like public parks, shopping malls and subway stations are increasingly being designed without expected amenities like sitting areas, drinking fountains and public bathrooms.
• This general divestment from providing public amenities slots into a broader trend within Canadian urban planning towards defensive architecture, often disproportionately targeting youths and those experiencing homelessness.

Mathew Iantorno does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• With the opening of its newest concept The Blind Butcher at Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, Playa raised the bar on the type of food and beverage (F&B) experiences travelers can find at an all-inclusive resort.
• With a portfolio consisting of 24 properties with 9,027 across three global territories, Playa Hotels & Resorts is responsible for the daily management of over 350 food and beverage outlets.
• The traveler's desire to enjoy each moment to the fullest takes center stage in Playa's latest venture, The Blind Butcher at Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana.
• Designed as a seductive, multisensory experience, The Blind Butcher is the world's first speakeasy located at an all-inclusive resort.

• Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH) today announced the successful implementation of Manhattan SCALETM Warehouse Management System at Travis Association for the Blind , a non-profit organization dedicated to providing jobs and career training to deaf and visually impaired workers.
• Manhattan SCALE Warehouse Management System’s user-friendly design and ability to integrate with assistive technologies have not only streamlined warehouse operations but have also empowered individuals with disabilities to achieve new levels of productivity.
• Raelene Gomes, IT service delivery manager at Travis Association’s technology partner, Okin Process, said, "The training and technology provided by Manhattan Associates has transformed our visually impaired employees into a highly skilled workforce.
• "The seamless implementation of Manhattan SCALE demonstrates our dedication to leveraging innovative technology to enable unprecedented levels of accessibility and performance."

• The bill aims to ensure equal access to vote-by-mail voting for all citizens by giving blind and print-disabled voters the same right that military and overseas voters already exercise.
• The organizations are urging state senators to support the bill, S. 3302.
• The New Jersey General Assembly has already passed companion legislation by a wide margin.
• "This legislation would essentially eliminate the common barriers of transportation and accessibility to casting a vote in New Jersey for individuals with print disabilities.